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Titus Welliver became one of the biggest stars in the crime drama genre thanks to his tenure as Harry Bosch in Prime Video's Bosch and Bosch: Legacy. Meanwhile, J. K. Simmons has extensive experience in the TV crime genre, starring in HBO's Oz, Law & Order, and The Closer. Now, together they are dominating streaming with their latest crime series.
Per FlixPatrol, The Westies is currently the No. 1 most-watched show on MGM+ in the United States. The series is also a hit in Italy and Germany, where it holds the No. 2 spot on MGM+, and in Spain and the United Kingdom, where it is the No. 3 most-watched show. This comes after its 2-episode premiere on July 12.
What Is The Westies About?
The Westies is an MGM+ crime drama series set in the 1980s. The series follows the Irish-American criminal gang known as the Westies, led by Eamon Sweeney (J. K. Simmons). Sweeney has to deal with impulsive young enforcers and a tense relationship with the Italian mafia, as he tries to keep control of his part of Hell's Kitchen.
On the other side is NYPD Officer Glenn Keenan (Titus Welliver), who has a history with the Westies and is trying to keep his son away from the gang. The Westies was created by Chris Brancato, known for Narcosand Godfather of Harlem, and Michael Panes, who also worked on Godfather of Harlem as a writer and executive producer.
Alongside Titus Welliver and J. K. Simmons, the period crime drama series also stars Tom Brittney, Jessica Frances Dukes, Stanley Morgan, Sarah Bolger, and more. The Westies will air new episodes every Sunday, and Season 1 of the crime drama series is set to consist of 8 episodes. And so far, it has received positive reviews from critics.
The Westies Has an Overall Positive Score on Rotten Tomatoes
The MGM+ crime drama series currently has a 67% Tomatometer score based on critics' reviews. And on IMDb, the series has a 7.2 rating with over 300 reviews so far. Richard Roeper at RogerEbert.com wrote, "This plays like a well-crafted, B-movie version of Scorsese—elevated by electric performances from a stellar cast led by J.K. Simmons and Titus Welliver."
Meanwhile, Alison Herman from Variety said, "Despite the presence of veteran actors like J.K. Simmons and Titus Welliver as a local crime boss and the crooked cop he keeps on the payroll, The Westies is unable to deliver a distinctive take on a well-worn genre." But despite the mixed reviews, The Westies remains the most-watched show on MGM+.
Possibly, The Westies' Rotten Tomatoes score might change as more episodes air. The series opened with a solid 80% before dropping to 67%, but it still has fewer reviews than some of the most popular streaming shows. With time, The Westies might win over critics and viewers, becoming one of the best shows while continuing to dominate the charts.
The Westies is available to stream on MGM+.
