James Norton's "likeable TV hero": British crime drama hailed as "gripping" to binge-watch now

James Norton has a British crime drama on streaming that is definitely one to catch if you're looking for a good binge watch. McMafia first hit the BBC back in 2018, and sees the House of the Dragon star play Alex Godman, the son of a Russian mafia boss in London.

Based on the book McMafia: A Journey Through the Global Criminal Underworld by Misha Glenny, the story follows Alex as he tries to live on the straight and narrow away from his family. However, when tragedy strikes, he is drawn into the dark underworld.

The series is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer, with all eight episodes on the site.

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McMafia comes from Drive's Hossein Amini and Clayface director James Watkins, and also stars The Expanse's David Strathairn, Perry Mason's Juliet Rylance, Conclave's Merab Ninidze and Leviathan's Aleksei Serebryakov.

The series was well received by critics, with a 71% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 38 reviews, The Post NZ calling it a "thrilling watch that's filled with provocative gestures, portentous moments and the same gripping tension" of "binge-worthy" shows like Bodyguard and The Night Manager.

"McMafia has a Night Manager-level budget and a United Nations cast of actors," echoed The Herald. "It oozes quality, and in Norton it has a leading man who can both act and look good in a DJ.

Metro also praised Norton's performance, noting that "it takes a lot to turn a caviar-necking banker son of a Russian crime dynasty into a likeable TV hero, but Norton somehow imbues his character Alex with a sense of fundamental decency".

"McMafia charts a middle course of briskly paced fun that feels good to watch without being too feel-good," added The Ringer. "Along the way, it offers some replicable pointers for how to update a retro genre forever bound to the Cold War for 2018."

In Digital Spy's own review at the time, we said: "If you were hoping for a feast for the senses you'd be disappointed, but if you were looking forward to a picture of modern crime then you have it."

McMafia is streaming on BBC iPlayer.

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Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International.  Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.