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{{Infobox television
{{Infobox television
|show_name = Mob City
|show_name = Mob City
|image = http://yhoo.it/1d6ItfK
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|genre = {{Plainlist|
|genre = {{Plainlist|
*[[Police procedural]]
*[[Police procedural]]

Revision as of 23:04, 15 January 2014

Mob City
Genre
Created byFrank Darabont
Based onL. A. Noir
by John Buntin
Written by
Directed by
Starring
ComposerMark Isham
Country of originTemplate:TVUS
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes6
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Wayne Carmona
  • Paul F. Bernard
Production locationCalifornia
CinematographyDavid Tattersall
Rohn Schmidt
EditorsNathan D. Gunn
Hunter M. Via
Production companiesDarkwoods Productions
Swiftly Productions
Michael DeLuca Productions
Original release
NetworkTNT
ReleaseDecember 4, 2013 (2013-12-04) –
present

Mob City is a neo-noir American television series created by Frank Darabont for TNT. It is based on real-life accounts of the L.A.P.D. and gangsters in 1940s Los Angeles as chronicled in the book L.A. Noir: The Struggle for the Soul of America's Most Seductive City by John Buntin.[1] The series premiered on December 4, 2013.[2][3]

Synopsis

Mob City is based on a true story of a conflict that lasted decades between the Los Angeles Police Department (under leadership of police chief William Parker), and ruthless criminal elements led by Bugsy Siegel, who was in charge of the Los Angeles mafia operations. The series is a fast-paced crime drama set in Los Angeles during 1947, with brief visits to the 1920s to show background information. The so called noir period in L.A. was a time of flashy cars, newly minted movie stars, and new beginnings. However, it was also a time of lies and corruption. Half of the LAPD was led by the mafia families with the assist of money, and there were huge loopholes in the system, which the mob were taking advantage of.[4]

Cast and characters

Main cast

Recurring cast

Guest stars

Production

Development

The project was first announced in January 2012, under the title L.A. Noir.[4] When asked about details concerning the show, Darabont said that various cultures, such as that of African-Americans and Hispanics, will likely be explored, as well as that he is interested in expanding upon already touched upon aspects from Buntin's book. Darabont also commented on the general nature of his project, explaining that he wants to avoid it coming off as a docudrama while still staying true to the book,[5] part of the way to do it being to insert fictional characters into the timeline. The series was picked up for six episodes in October 2012.[1]

In January 2013, the title was changed to Lost Angels, as it was considered too similar to that of the video game L.A. Noire.[6] In August 2013, the title was changed again to Mob City.[7]

Casting

Jon Bernthal was the first to be officially cast, initially as only being in negotiations but a month afterward being officially cast as the lead.[8] Following after him were Milo Ventimiglia,[9] Jeremy Strong,[10] Neal McDonough,[10] and Simon Pegg in a guest role.[11] Alexa Davalos [12] was also cast as the female lead. Following this two more cast members were announced, Jeffrey DeMunn and Andrew Rothenberg. Both having previously worked with Bernthal and Darabont in The Walking Dead.[13] Following the six episode order Pihla Viitala (who was later replaced by Mekia Cox) and Gregory Itzin were confirmed to star.[14] Thomas Jane, who starred in Darabont's The Mist, was in talks to join the show in the role of famous mobster Bugsy Siegel.[15] Edward Burns was later cast in the role of Siegel, instead of Jane.[16] Jeremy Luke was confirmed to be playing the legendary mobster Mickey Cohen in June 2013.[17] Robert Knepper confirmed that he had been cast in a recurring role in the series, but at the time his role was unknown.[18] Before filming of the rest of the series began Knepper was promoted to a series regular, as Sid Rothman, a mobster working for Cohen.[16] Ernie Hudson was cast in a recurring role as a mobster nicknamed "Bunny," in June 2013.[19]

Filming

According to guest star Simon Pegg, filming for the pilot began on May 10, 2012 and wrapped shortly after sunset on May 25, 2012.[20] The rest of the series started filming in June 2013 and ended in late August of the same year.

Episodes

No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date U.S. viewers
(million)
1"A Guy Walks Into a Bar"Frank DarabontFrank DarabontDecember 4, 2013 (2013-12-04)2.29[21]
In 1925, Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky, and Sid Rothman kill a group of men and steal their booze-laden truck. Later on, in 1947, a man drops off a note in Police Detective Joe Teague's mailbox. Joe later on discovers the note inside a matchbook and goes to a bar called "Bunny's Jungle" at 8 PM as it said on the matchbook. While there, stand-up comic Hecky Nash gives Joe a bodyguard job in exchange for a grand to back him up on a blackmail deal. Joe is hesitant about it and Nash leaves the bar awaiting his answer. Joe immediately pulls files of Nash and tells his superiors Detective Hal Morrison and Captain William Parker about the deal and how it could involve something big. Morrison sets up an undercover mob squad in the LAPD. Joe agrees to Nash's deal and meets up with him later up on the oil fields hills in a more private area while backup awaits down the hill. Sid Rothman meets with Nash and they perform the exchange of some negatives for the cash, with Joe hesitant to signal his fellow officers upon recognizing the pictures. Rothman leaves with his package and Nash celebrates his victory at getting his cash worth fifty grand. However, he is quickly gunned down by Joe who then wipes the gun down and leaves it near Nash's body and hides the money in his car. Morrison and the cops arrive and Joe fabricates a story which points to Rothman as Nash's killer. Joe retreats to Bunny's Jungle, guilty of killing Nash. There, Ned Stax, a mob lawyer, sits next to him. Joe slides him the match book with the note on it, revealing that Ned was the one who had left it in his mailbox, and then gives him Nash's money. Ned offers the money back to Joe, claiming that his boss Bugsy Siegel wants him to have it, but Joe turns him down, not wanting to be an enforcer for the mob. The two part ways wishing each other Semper Fi, the Marine motto, revealing they had fought in the war together.
2"Reason to Kill a Man"Frank DarabontFrank DarabontDecember 4, 2013 (2013-12-04)2.29[21]
In 1922, a young Mickey Cohen attempts to rob a movie theater. The event inspires William Parker to join the LAPD. Back in 1947, Bugsy Siegel arrives at Mickey Cohen's nightclub "The Clover Club," where he receives Hecky's negatives from Rothman and asks for them to be burnt. Ned then reports to Siegel that Nash has been killed by Joe, without payment. This angers Seigel as he does not want to be seen as a charity case. Morrison brings in Nash's girlfriend, Jasmine Fontaine, to interrogate her about her relations with Nash, Cohen and Siegel. After not being able to get any information out of her, Captain Parker suspects she is hiding something and puts a twenty-four hour surveillance team on her. While keeping a close eye on Jasmine, Joe follows her to a Union Station, where she hides multiple photographs and a box of camera equipment in a locker. Meanwhile, Rothman is tipped off by Carl, a former employee of Cohen's who is now a busboy, that two men he is looking for are currently eating at a restaurant he works at. Rothman disguises himself as a busboy and guns the two men down. Joe later meets Ned at Bunny's Jungle where Ned informs Joe that Siegel is not happy with his refusal of payment. Joe does not seem to care and begins to gaze at a picture in his wallet. Ned tells him to burn the picture and move on. Joe burns the picture, which is of him and Jasmine on their wedding day, revealing a past relationship between the two.
3"Red Light"Frank DarabontMichael SloaneDecember 11, 2013 (2013-12-11)1.39[22]
Three weeks prior to Hecky's death, it is shown that he witnessed Bugsy Siegel killing Abe Greenberg, an informant for the LAPD. Hecky has Jasmine take photographs of the incident, the ones he would later use for blackmail. Three weeks later, Captain Parker and his mob squad are investigating the murders committed by Sid at the restaurant. The murder victims are revealed to be informants who knew that Siegel had killed Greenberg. The next day, the squad gathers up dozens of mob figures hoping to gather some information on the recent crimes. One of the mobsters let it slip that Hecky's blackmail was pictures, worrying Joe about Jasmine's safety. Suddenly, Ned Stax's arrives with Sid, who has come to willingly be interrogated. Sid taunts Joe during the interrogation and is then sent to a police line up. An eye witness to the murders identifies the wrong man, forcing them to let Sid go. Meanwhile, Jasmine meets a man named Leslie Shermer, who claims to have been in on Hecky's blackmail and threatens Jasmine to give him the money Hecky owes him for the deal. Joe visits Jasmine later that night to tell her that there is no longer a surveillance team on her and that he knows about the locker at the Union Station, taking the key off her for safe keeping. Suddenly, Mickey Cohen and Sid visit Jasmine to question her about anything she might know about who helped Hecky take the photographs. Joe hides outside on a fire escape, where he over hears Mickey and Sid talk about how Carl, the busboy from the previous night, is about to get murdered by their men. Joe quickly goes looking for Carl, who he finds being chased by Cohen's men on a carousel. Joe guns down the the men, saving Carl's life. Carl then confesses he knows who committed the restaurant murders, Sid Rothman.
4"His Banana Majesty"Guy FerlandDavid J. SchowDecember 11, 2013 (2013-12-11)1.39[22]
Bugsy Siegel arrives back in Los Angeles after a trip to Las Vegas. He is immediately arrested by Captain Parker for the murder of Abe Greenberg. Although, this back fires on Parker as he does not have sufficient evident against Siegel and only has twenty-six hours to find any. Word spreads about Siegel's arrest and other mobsters who work for Jack Dragna try to take over Siegel's business while he is in prison. Jasmine is sent a threatening message by Leslie, who is still demanding money from the blackmail. She goes to Ned for help, who gives her enough money to pay Leslie off. The two begin to discuss Joe and how he has changed since the war. Meanwhile, mob squad members Eddy Sanderson, Pat Dollan and Tug Purcell plant a bug in Cohen's office. Eddy hears what Jasmine says about Joe, but keeps it to himself. Jasmine tries to give Leslie the money, but he has now found out that the deal was for a larger sum of money than he had thought and now wants the whole fifty grand. Not having the money, Jasmine offers Leslie the pictures she has hidden at the Union Station, which Leslie gives her twenty-four hours to get. Ned is called upon by a mobster named "Bunny", the owner of "Bunny's Jungle", who fears that a recent death during the mob take overs while Siegel was in prison could start a potential war. Mickey Cohen retaliates against the recent mob attacks by ransacking one of the mobsters warehouses which is used for banana distribution. Later that night, Joe arrives home where he is met by Sid Rothman, who knocks him unconscious.
5"Oxpecker"Guy FerlandDavid Leslie JohnsonDecember 18, 2013 (2013-12-18)1.35[23]
In 1944, Joe wakes up from a nightmare and begins to strangle Jasmine, thinking he is still at war, but snaps out of it and breaks down crying over hurting his wife. Back in 1947, Rothman has Joe handcuffed in his apartment wanting to know where Carl is. Joe refuses to tell him, but Rothman finds out about Joe and Jasmine's past marriage after looking through a photo album and threatens her safety. A phone call comes through to Joe's apartment from Terry Mandel, Rothman's right man hand. Terry and another mobster have disguised themselves as police officers and have entered the safe house where Carl is being held, having found out its location from an unknown source. The two kill Carl, mob squad member Jack Bray and also mortally wound Tug. With Carl dead and no with evidence against Siegel or himself, Rothman lets Joe free. Joe visits Jasmine where she cleans up his wound and they two spend the night together. Cohen and Jack Dragna have a meeting held by Bunny who has them reluctantly agree to a truce. Tug awakens in a hospital and is unable to identify the men who killed Carl or Jack, leaving Parker and the squad with zero evidence, forcing them to let Siegel free. Leslie shows up at Jasmine's apartment, demanding that they go to the locker immediately. The two stop at "The Clover Club" on the way, with Leslie thinking Jasmine is going to set up a meeting between them and Siegel for when they have the pictures. Jasmine tells Rothman and Cohen that she took the pictures and still has copies. She agrees to give them the copies if they handle Leslie when they arrive at the Union Station. Meanwhile, mob squad member Mike Hendry interrogates Joe, suspecting him of being involved with the mob and being the one that tipped them off about the safe house. Joe then gets a phone call from Eddy, who has heard the whole conversation between Cohen and Jasmine through the bug in his office. At the Union Station, Leslie and Jasmine open the locker, but nothing is inside. Rothman shows up and Leslie threatens to let off a grenade if they come near him.
6"Stay Down"Frank DarabontFrank Darabont & David Leslie JohnsonDecember 18, 2013 (2013-12-18)1.35[23]
Joe turns up at the Union Station and manages to subdue Leslie and hands him over to Rothman. Rothman then asks for the pictures, which Joe had taken from the locker. Joe demands Jasmine's safety before handing over the pictures. Rothman tells Joe he will set up a meeting between him and Bugsy Siegel. After leaving the Union Station, Joe tells Jasmine that he was the one who killed Hecky and tells her to leave on the next train out of town and never come back, which she does. Joe then meets with Eddy, who gives him the recordings from Cohen's office, seeing that Joe really cares about Jasmine. Parker hires Tug to be the head of a new Internal Affairs Division, hoping to find out who gave away the safe house location and take down Chief Horrall, who he believes to be corrupt. Before meeting with Joe, Siegel meets with his old associate Meyer Lansky, who informs him that he will no longer receive funding for the building of casinos in Las Vegas. Siegel then meets with Joe who he has beaten and takes the pictures, telling him he plans to have Jasmine killed. Later that night, Joe sneaks into Siegel's estate and guns him down from outside his house, killing him. Joe later meets with Ned, who is the only one who has figured out he was the one that killed Siegel. Ned tells Joe he has only made the mob problem in Los Angeles even worse. Rothman burns all the remaining copies of the blackmail pictures. Cohen, who is now the head of the mob in Los Angeles, meets with Lansky who wants him to find out who was behind Siegel's murder.

Reception

Critical reception

Mob City received mixed to positive reviews from critics. Metacritic gave the series a score of 63 out of 100 based on 33 reviews.[24] Rotten Tomatoes gave the series 65% based on 46 reviews; the website's consensus states, "Frank Darabont's love letter to classic noir, Mob City, is like a gorgeous gangster moll; its facade feels a bit too familiar, but everything's in the right place and it's stunning to look at".[25]

Accolades

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result
2014 Satellite Award Best Miniseries or Television Film Pending

References

  1. ^ a b Valby, Karen. "Frank Darabont TNT drama picked up, reunites 'Walking Dead' actors | Inside TV | EW.com". Insidetv.ew.com. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
  2. ^ "TNT And TBS Add Frank Darabont, Steven Spielberg, Diablo Cody And More Big Names To Lineup". Cinemablend.com. 2013-05-15. Retrieved 2013-06-09.
  3. ^ ' + data.results.personName + ' (2013-05-15). "Frank Darabont's 'Lost Angels' sets 2013 premiere on TNT; Diablo Cody reality show in development at TBS - Zap2it". Blog.zap2it.com. Retrieved 2013-06-09.
  4. ^ a b "Frank Darabont Returns To Television With 'L.A. Noir' On TNT". Screenrant.com. 2012-01-10. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
  5. ^ "Frank Darabont on His New TNT Show and Leaving The Walking Dead - Today's News: Our Take". TVGuide.com. 2012-01-18. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
  6. ^ "Frank Darabont's New TNT Series Forced to Change Title Thanks to L.A. Noire". IGN.com. 2013-01-24.
  7. ^ "Frank Darabont's mob drama gets intense first trailer". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2013-08-13.
  8. ^ "'The Walking Dead's Jon Bernthal officially joins TNT's 'L.A. Noir' - Zap2it". Blog.zap2it.com. 2012-03-13. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
  9. ^ "Frank Darabont's L.A. Noir Adds Milo Ventimiglia". ComingSoon.net. 2012-02-22. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
  10. ^ a b "'Justified's' Neal McDonough goes 'LA Noir,' 'Jericho' alum goes 'Gotham' - Zap2it". Blog.zap2it.com. 2012-03-09. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
  11. ^ "Simon Pegg Circling Frank Darabont's TNT Drama Pilot 'L.A. Noir'". Hollywood Reporter. 2012-03-14. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
  12. ^ Marnell, Blair (2012-03-14). "Alexa Davalos Joins 'L.A. Noir'". CraveOnline. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
  13. ^ Abrams, Natalie (2012-05-01). "Walking Dead's Jeffrey DeMunn, Andrew Rothenberg Land Roles in L.A. Noir - Yahoo! TV". Tv.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
  14. ^ Wednesday (2012-10-17). "Frank Darabont's L.A. NOIR gets Series Order from TNT - News". GeekTyrant. Retrieved 2012-12-26.
  15. ^ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/frank-darabont-la-noir-tnt-thomas-jane-hung-331766
  16. ^ a b "TNT'S 'LOST ANGELS' ADDS ED BURNS AS BUGSY SIEGEL, PROMOTES ROBERT KNEPPER TO SERIES REGULAR". ScreenCrush.com. 2013-06-11. Retrieved 2013-06-12.
  17. ^ Andreeva, Nellie. "Jeremy Luke To Co-Star In Frank Darabont's TNT Series 'Lost Angels'". Deadline. Retrieved 10 June 2013.
  18. ^ "Robert Knepper Talks CULT, Playing a Cult Leader, Frank Darabont's LOST ANGELS, and R.I.P.D." Collider.com. 2013-03-15. Retrieved 2013-03-15.
  19. ^ "TNT'S 'LOST ANGELS' ADDS 'GHOSTBUSTERS' STAR ERNIE HUDSON". ScreenCrush.Com. 2013-06-05. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  20. ^ Pegg, Simon. "Simon Pegg's Verified Twitter Account". Twitter. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
  21. ^ a b Kondolojy, Amanda (December 5, 2013). "Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'American Horror Story' Leads Night + 'South Park', 'American Pickers', College Basketball & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  22. ^ a b Bibel, Sara (December 12, 2013). "Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'Duck Dynasty' Wins Night, 'American Horror Story', 'South Park', 'Rodeo Girls', 'Key & Peele' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
  23. ^ a b Kondolojy, Amanda (December 19, 2013). "Wednesday Cable Ratings: NBA Basketball Leads Night + 'American Pickers', 'The Daily Show', 'The Colbert Report', 'Key & Peele' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved December 20, 2013.
  24. ^ "Mob City : Season 1". Metacritic.com.
  25. ^ "Mob City: Season 1 (2013)". Rotten Tomatoes.