A tense crime drama driven by personal stakes, dangerous rivalries, and consequences that refuse to stay buried.
2026
Crime, Drama
8 episodes
TheNextHint Score
8.5
8.5 / 10
Overview
The Westies shows the violent world of New York organized crime in the early 1980s, centering on the Irish-American gang based in Hell's Kitchen. The series sets the building of the Jacob Javits Convention Center as the background for a fight over money, territory and influence. J.K. Simmons plays Eamon Sweeney, the Westies boss who tries to hold his organization together while facing pressure from the Italian Mafia and the FBI. Tom Brittney plays Jimmy Roarke, a younger member whose ambitions push against the established order, and Titus Welliver plays FBI agent Glenn Keenan. Made by Chris Brancato and Michael Panes, the series mixes gangland conflict with FBI investigations, Mafia politics and an IRA storyline.
Quick Verdict
The Westies is a good fit for people who like tough organized-crime shows, historical settings, and stories about divided loyalties. What drives it most is the conflict between the Westies' longtime leaders and a younger group wanting more power, as pressure from the Mafia and the FBI builds on the outside. J.K. Simmons, Tom Brittney and Titus Welliver lead the cast.
The Westies is a 2026 crime drama that takes place in Hell’s Kitchen, New York, during the early 1980s, where the Irish-American Westies gang seeks to cash in on the construction of the Jacob Javits Convention Center. The gang functions under the shadow of New York’s Italian Mafia, whose far larger organizations place continuous pressure on the Westies’ territory and business interests. The story centers on Eamon Sweeney, the gang’s boss, whose bond with younger member Jimmy Roarke grows increasingly strained as the next generation demands a different future. The series also tracks FBI investigations, Mafia politics, and an IRA-related plot that brings an added layer of danger to the gang’s internal conflicts. J.K. Simmons heads the cast as Sweeney, alongside Tom Brittney as Roarke and Titus Welliver as FBI agent Glenn Keenan. Created by Chris Brancato and Michael Panes, the series debuted on MGM+ on July 12, 2026, releasing its first two episodes together before continuing on a weekly basis. Season 1 consists of eight episodes, each running roughly 50–59 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Westies about?
Westies gang leader Eamon Sweeney (J.K. Simmons) faces internal conflict with younger members and attention from the FBI after a deal is made with the Gambino Crime Family in the 1980s New York City-set drama series created by Chris Brancato and Michael Panes.
Who created, wrote, or directed The Westies?
Created by Chris Brancato and Michael Panes
How many episodes does The Westies have?
Season 1 has eight episodes, released from July 12 through August 23, 2026.
Who stars in The Westies?
The main cast includes J.K. Simmons, Titus Welliver, Tom Brittney, Stanley Morgan, Sarah Bolger and Jessica Frances Dukes.
Is The Westies based on a real gang?
Yes. The series centers on the real-life Westies, an Irish-American criminal organization associated with Hell’s Kitchen. The television story dramatizes their activities and relationships with other organized-crime figures.
Story — Spoiler Free
Taking place in Hell’s Kitchen during the early 1980s, the series centers on the Westies as a big construction project brings the gang a chance to make a lot of money. Eamon Sweeney tries to keep his ties with the Italian Mafia intact, but his protégé Jimmy Roarke has goals that put the old power structure at risk. At the same time, FBI investigations grow more intense, and an IRA operation drags another set of characters into harm’s way. As these storylines come together, the Westies feel pressure from enemies on the outside as well as from splits within their own group.
8.5
TheNextHint Score
8.5 / 10
The Westies is a good fit for people who like tough organized-crime shows, historical settings, and stories about divided loyalties. What drives it most is the conflict between the Westies' longtime leaders and a younger group wanting more power, as pressure from the Mafia and the FBI builds on the outside. J.K. Simmons, Tom Brittney and Titus Welliver lead the cast.
Rating breakdown
Story
8.6
Acting
9.0
Direction
8.4
Visuals
8.4
Sound
8.2
Entertainment
8.4
External Ratings
Scores from other sources, shown in their own scale. These are not TheNextHint's rating.
Multiple storylines can feel complicated at times.
The dark tone may not suit every viewer.
Some plot developments move at a slower pace.
Violent themes make it unsuitable for casual viewing.
Who Should Watch
Crime Drama Fans
Gangster Drama Fans
J.K. Simmons Fans
Mafia Story Fans
Who Should Skip
Comedy Fans
Family Viewing Audiences
Viewers Avoiding Violent Crime Stories
Release Date
2026-07-12
Runtime
Approximately 50–59 minutes per episode
Director
Alan Taylor, John Fawcett, Chris Grismer, Adam Kane
Producer
Chris Brancato, Michael Panes, Ray Quinlan, Frank Siracusa, Alan Taylor, John Weber
Writer
Chris Brancato, Michael Panes
Cast
J.K. Simmons, Titus Welliver, Tom Brittney, Stanley Morgan, Sarah Bolger, Jessica Frances Dukes, Hamish Allan-Headley, Allen Leech, Vincent Walsh, Hilary McCormack, Aidan Wojtak-Hissong, Jeremy Walmsley, Dylan Taylor
The Westies' boss and one of the central figures in the gang's power structure.
Tom Brittney
as
James "Jimmy" Roarke
Sweeney's protégé whose ambitions create tension with the older leadership.
Titus Welliver
as
Glenn Keenan
An FBI agent investigating the criminal network.
Stanley Morgan
as
Mickey Flanagan
A member of the Westies whose return affects Roarke's crew.
Sarah Bolger
as
Bridget Walsh:
A character caught up in an IRA-related mission.
Jessica Frances Dukes
as
Birdie Polk
An FBI figure involved in the investigation.
Hamish Allan-Headley
as
John Gotti
The prominent Mafia figure who becomes involved in the Westies' affairs.
Allen Leech
as
Brendan Cahill
A key figure connected to Bridget's IRA storyline.
Vincent Walsh
as
Eddie Breen
A member of the wider Westies ensemble.
Hilary McCormack
as
Hilary McCormack
A supporting character in the gang's world.
Seasons & Episodes
Season 1
8 episodes July 12, 2026Completed
In Season 1, the Westies are shown as their shaky relationship with the Italian Mafia starts to fall apart.↻ Eamon Sweeney tries to keep the organization's place secure, while Jimmy Roarke keeps pushing back more and more against the older leaders. FBI investigations bring outside pressure, and Bridget Walsh gets caught up in an IRA operation, which opens up another risky thread. Over eight episodes, business deals, criminal partnerships, family troubles and personal loyalties slowly drive the gang toward a split from within.
1The Troubles
52 min July 12, 2026
A kidnapping disrupts the Westies' arrangement with the Italians while Flanagan returns to Roarke's crew and Keenan joins an FBI task force.
2The Houdini
51 min July 12, 2026
Roarke and the Westies attempt to hide a dead mobster while Gotti threatens retaliation.
3The Starship
50 min July 19, 2026
Sweeney makes a deal with Castellano involving a robbery intended to secure Flanagan's freedom.
4Favors and Funerals
54 min July 26, 2026
Roarke and Sweeney clash over stolen cocaine as Gotti orders a hit and Bridget learns more about Cahill's target.
5A Right Rose Tree
54 min August 2, 2026
Roarke enters the cocaine business on his own terms while Bridget helps Cahill with explosives and Keenan faces pressure to wear a wire.
6Rad Tad
52 min August 9, 2026
Roarke borrows money for a cocaine deal that collapses, while Keenan targets an older Westie and Bridget's IRA mission advances.
7A Boy Made of Trouble
56 min August 16, 2026
A Westie's arrest intensifies the conflict between Sweeney and Roarke, while Keenan uses the case to pressure Sweeney.
8The Irish Goodbye
59 min August 23, 2026
The dispute between Roarke and Sweeney divides the Westies as Bridget, Polk and Keenan face major personal and professional consequences.
Leave a Reply