"Have to have that thick skin": MobLand stars discuss how their characters are intertwined with the complex Harrigan clan dynamics 

MobLand, a hard-hitting British crime drama, immerses viewers in the dysfunctional world of the Harrigan family, a powerful but broken crime family in London. The show navigates intricate family relationships, power, loyalty, and betrayal, especially with adversary families like the Stevensons. Ultimately, it's a show about the emotional and psychological price of a life based on crime.

In an interview with Collider, MobLand stars discussed how their characters are intertwined with the complex Harrigan clan dynamics.

Seraphina's complicated relationship with her family in MobLand

Seraphina Harrigan, played by Mandeep Dhillon, in MobLand is one of the most important roles in exploring family conflict in the show. Though her origin involves being an outsider and having a strained relationship with her mother, an exotic dancer, the show does not see fit to explicitly explore her mother's role during the first season.

While talking about the character Seraphina, she said:

"Yeah, she was a stripper at Stringfellows. I know. So you've got to have thick skin, right? I mean, I think even if I, even if Seraphina never came to her fatherhwhen she came to her father, I think being the daughter of a stripper, you have to have that thick skin because people are going to talk about your mom."

Dhillon talks about how Seraphina was raised:

"How do you think the complexities of her birth affect how she acts in her family? I can confirm you don't get to see her mother in this series."

She continues:

"Who knows for future seasons? I think her birth and the way that she's turned up in the world, obviously being the daughter of a stripper is something that's going to give you. (0:55) Yeah, she was a stripper at Stringfellows. I know."

Seraphina's rough demeanor and desire for power are core to her personality, as she attempts to secure herself in the Harrigan family despite the evident tension with Maeve. As Dhillon summarizes:

"She's a hustler. And I think if she has that, no one can take that away from her. No one can say anything for her."

Jan and Harry: A complicated, non-romantic relationship in MobLand

It should be mentioned that Jan is not married to Harry Da Souza (played by Tom Hardy) in MobLand. Harry, the family "fixer," has a complicated, near-familial relationship with Conrad Harrigan but is not romantically involved with Jan. Jan, portrayed by Joanne, is wedded to another character, Kevin, and they share an emotionally distant relationship.

Joanne explores Jan's disillusionment with Kevin's emotional unreceptiveness, saying:

"Look, she loves this man with all her heart. And like, yes, she wants more from him emotionally. She's evolved as a person as she's got older."

Though she had been an enabler of Kevin's criminal enterprise, Jan is now happy with their dysfunctional relationship. As Joanne describes it:

"She wants to feel like their family is more important than the arrogance to him. Good luck with that. Well, I mean, Laura, just moving on to you, obviously, immediately when I watched the first episode, I could already sense that there was something happening there."

Jan's changing needs and her need for greater emotional satisfaction create the stage for possible conflict with Kevin.

Bella's relationship with Kevin and Harry in MobLand

Bella in MobLand, played by Laura, has a troubled marriage with her husband, Kevin. The two live separate lives, and Bella feels disconnected from him emotionally. Yet, her relationships with Harry Da Souza bring another level of depth to her character. As Laura describes:

"I think Bella and Kevin are sadly in quite a loveless marriage. I think they live very separate lives. And for whatever reason, neither of them have chose to really address that situation. I think Bella finds fun and almost like a reprieve in Harry. I think they share wit and humor."

Their relationship is more due to their history together and family dynamics than romantic relief. Bella and Harry have a quick-witted, cat-and-mouse relationship, and Bella will sometimes push limits. Laura said:

"And look, I'm not sure whether she emotionally or physically wants to get involved with Harry, but she has a lot of fun poking at the bear. Like, it's kind of a bit cat and mousey, a bit of just pushing boundaries. And I think she's a bit sick of the identity and the place that she's been in for quite a while."

Bella's trouble getting her son to listen, now closer to Maeve, highlights her inner turmoil. She continued:

"Yeah, it's hugely problematic. And I think it's disturbing and conflicting that her son is really under the influence of Maeve. In that sense, I do not have his ear."

Character motivations and family dynamics in MobLand

The interview illuminates the strong undertows of tension and strife among the characters, each seeking to assert control and dominance within the Harrigan crime family. Seraphina's quest to be seen, Jan's need to be loved, and Bella's frustration with her marriage all lead to the family drama. The motivations create a dynamic of power, loyalty, and family ties that are constantly shifting.

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The revelations about the characters add depth to the viewer's understanding of the emotional stakes involved in MobLand, where every character's move is motivated by individual wants that pit against the aggressive, volatile world they live in.

Also read: MobLand review – A blood-soaked symphony of power and betrayal

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