At the heart of the Paramount+ crime drama MobLand Season 1 lies a brutal, all-consuming war between two of London’s most powerful criminal dynasties: the Harrigans and the Stevensons. Every double-cross, every tense pub meeting, every perfectly tailored coat splattered with blood in the show’s first season hinges on these families’ mutual hatred of each other.
Understanding this rivalry is essential to grasping the motivations of patriarch Conrad Harrigan and his rival Richie Stevenson while also earning Harry Da Souza, the street-smart fixer caught in the crossfire, a little sympathy in this Guy Ritchie bloodbath. This guide breaks down the roots of the conflict, the key players, and how a personal tragedy escalated into an all-out war for control of London‘s underworld.
Spoiler alert: Major plot points from MobLand Season 1 will be discussed.
Key facts about MobLand‘s feuding families from Season 1
- Major family leaders: Conrad Harrigan (Pierce Brosnan) and Richie Stevenson (Geoff Bell)
- Harry Da Souza’s role: Fixer and strategist for the Harrigans (played by Tom Hardy) whose work to protect Eddie, and stay loyal to Conrad places him at the center of the conflict.
- Conflict type: Rival organized crime families battling for territory, influence, and revenge.
- Show genre: Crime drama
- Executive producer: Guy Ritchie
- Streaming: Paramount+
Why are the Harrigans and Stevensons fighting?
The feud between the Harrigans and Stevensons is a turf war at its core as these violent drug traffickers battle for power, territory, and influence within London’s criminal landscape. Years of longstanding mistrust combined with a shared understanding of the business-souring carnage that would ensue if they acted on impulse kept the two families from duking it out on the high street.
When Eddie Harrigan (Conrad’s reckless grandson) gets tangled up in an incident involving Tommy Stevenson (Richie’s son), the fragile peace they’d all been pretending to maintain shatters. Once this powder keg is lit, years of vitriol come pouring out of each family through bullets and flames in an all-out war for dominance, despite the delicate work Harry puts in to keep a bloodbath at bay.
Meet the two crime families
The organized crime families of the Harrigans and the Stevensons represent two sides of a violent coin, and their rivalry is the engine that drives MobLand’s bloody chaos. The Harrigans are an Irish mob dynasty built on family loyalty, generational wealth, and the iron-fisted rule of their aging (possibly maddening) patriarch. The Stevensons, hungry challengers with their corporate-like structure, are more unpredictable and willing to burn everything down to claim the throne. Meet the families turning London into a battlefield.
The Harrigans
The Harrigans are prominent London-based Irish drug traffickers, mainly dealing in heroin with an itch to edge into the fentanyl market. Conrad Harrigan (Pierce Brosnan, trading his Bond charm for something much colder) runs this ship with the kind of calculated ruthlessness that makes you glad he’s on your side. His wife Maeve (Helen Mirren, an absolute queen who could kill you with a glance) proves even more sinister than him, often puppeteering others to violent ends outside of even her control.
Together, this Irish mob royalty has built a family-forward empire held together by fear, loyalty, and the occasional well-placed car bomb. Countering their often impulsive bloodlust is a fixer whose keen moves keep the family’s hands relatively clean: Harry Da Souza (Tom Hardy gruff-mumbling his way through enemies and well-choreographed violence when diplomacy fails). The Harrigans’ strength is their structure, once held tight by Conrad but increasingly bolstered by Harry, and the loyalty of family. Their main weakness is that their hot-headedness appears to be genetic with their grandson Eddie starting wars he can’t quite handle. Even though Harry is well aware that Eddie is prone to mischief of a murderous nature, he does everything in his power to protect him and, therefore, protect the Harrigan family’s future.
The Stevensons
The Stevensons are a powerful criminal organization with their own reputation for ruthlessness and a desire to expand their influence from their fentanyl dominance to a more comprehensive reign over London’s drug world. Led by Richie Stevenson (Geoff Bell), this family has been circling the Harrigans, waiting for blood in the water to weaken the city’s respect.
Richie couldn’t have expected the blood would be Tommy’s, his own son’s, but vengeance serves as a sustainable fuel source in his no-holds-barred response takedown of his rival. The scrappier organization is more willing to take bold risks with considerably more guns for hire than the Harrigans. Though still technically considered a crime family, Richie ultimately rules alone. Everyone has a price, from lieutenants who are quick to betray him to a disposable small army and friends in high (or rather, low) places.
How the rivalry escalated
Both families had carved out their territories, but the lines were always blurry and the peace tenuous. The simmering hostility between the two families quickly boils over after a night out on the town goes wrong for Eddie Harrigan and Tommy Stevenson (Felix Edwards). The precise details of their “do you know who my father is?” bender remain murky in the early, Guy Ritchie-directed episodes, but Tommy’s subsequent disappearance fans the flames of war.
Conrad was already putting a plan in motion to swoop in on the Stevensons’ fentanyl business when Tommy went missing. Richie is immediately suspicious of Eddie and the Harrigans at large, but he plays ball with Harry, giving him an opportunity to find his son. Harry finds Tommy, though not all in one piece, and manages to keep the Harrigans clean enough to be invited to the funeral.
But when Richie’s wife Vron (Annie Cooper) slights Maeve, she meets a fiery end that pulls both families into an all-out war. An already dangerous Richie has nothing left to lose as he seeks retribution from the Harrigans.
Biggest moments in the family war
The war between the Harrigans and Stevensons is defined by a handful of explosive events that transform a simmering rivalry into an all-out bloodbath. From a son’s death that shatters any hope of peace to a car bomb that makes reconciliation impossible, these are the moments that reshape London’s criminal landscape and leave everyone scrambling for survival. Here’s how the conflict spiraled out of control, one devastating blow after another.
Tommy Stevenson’s death changes everything
The death of Richie’s heir is both personal and devastating to his legacy. Even the pristine tidying skills of Harry Da Souza couldn’t put this gunpowder back in the keg. Years of disdain foment into rage at the loss of Richie’s son, whether or not he can prove the Harrigans were behind it.
Harry is caught in the middle
As the Harrigans’ fixer, he’s the one cleaning up bodies, delivering threats, and trying to keep both sides from completely losing their minds. But as the war escalates, Harry finds himself increasingly isolated, especially from his own family. He’s trusted by no one, useful to everyone, and a cunning mediator who’s nearly impossible to get the drop on.
The war turns personal
Though Harry earns his keep by maintaining the delicate peace broken by Eddie’s mania, these families couldn’t help sniping at each other. Vron sleighting Maeve wounds her pride and Conrad’s ego enough for a car bomb to put an end to Richie’s family. From then on, the war has a primal edge, and every retaliation earns an even larger response.
The conflict reaches its breaking point
Season 1’s climax has a body count with losses mounted on both sides. Betrayals abound with consequences met, and by the end, neither family looks like they did when the season started. Though it seems like the Harrigans have come out on top, the fractured family will have to contend with bigger foes (and each other) in Season 2, and Harry’s skillset and loyalty will be tested even further.
What makes this rivalry different?
MobLand isn’t just another crime show about drug deals and turf wars. The Harrigan-Stevenson feud feels intimate, almost suffocating, with every episode pulling you deeper into their rage.
The family-forward core of this beef brings sensitivity to what could easily be a blood-soaked mess. A chainsaw assassination is more thrilling when you don’t know if your favorite Harrigan sibling is going to make it out alive. This rivalry asks what lengths mobsters are willing to go for the people they love, and the answer is usually as far as it takes.
Stream MobLand on Paramount+
Understanding the complex dynamics between the Harrigans and Stevensons makes watching MobLand a far more rewarding experience. Every betrayal, negotiation, and act of violence carries greater weight when you know the history and motivations of these warring families. Witness the battle for London’s underworld and see how Harry Da Souza navigates the chaos by streaming all episodes of MobLand on Paramount+.
MobLand
Watch NowFAQ
Who leads the Stevenson family?
Richie Stevenson leads the Stevenson family, serving as the primary rival to Conrad Harrigan and head of the opposing criminal organization.
Are the Harrigans based on a real crime family?
The Harrigans are a fictional crime family created for the series. However, they draw from traditions and archetypes of organized crime storytelling, embodying a classic, ruthless criminal dynasty.
Why does Harry work with the Harrigans?
Harry’s longtime friendship with Kevin Harrigan, one of Conrad and Maeve’s children, brought him into their world. He serves as their fixer due to his internal code of honor and unwavering loyalty, particularly to Kevin.
Does the Harrigan-Stevenson war continue after Season 1?
With the vast majority of the Stevensons removed from the board, it’s unlikely that the war will continue, but an old ally of Richie’s could still prove to be a thorn in the Harrigans’ side.
When does MobLand Season 2 premiere?
MobLand Season 2 premieres Friday, Sept. 18, on Paramount+.
