‘Boardwalk Empire’ Fans May Have Finally Found Their Next Must-Watch Crime Drama

The past two decades have seen a rise in compelling crime dramas, and one standout is definitely Boardwalk Empire. Alongside The Sopranos and The Wire, Boardwalk Empire helped set the stage for crime dramas to flourish and for HBO to become the home for prestige TV. It did this by squarely placing its story in the middle of the Prohibition era, exploring the bootlegging business and how it intersected with both crime and politics; it also featured an incredible cast headlined by Steve Buscemi as Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, while none other than Martin Scorsese ​​​​​​directed the pilot episode. And while fans of Boardwalk Empire might miss the series, they should definitely stay tuned for the upcoming crime drama, The Westies, on MGM+.

The Westies follows the titular Irish-American street gang at the height of their infamy in the 1980s, as they throw their might behind the construction of the Jacob Javits Convention Center. Constructing the center will bring some much-needed money into the Westies’ coffers, but they face opposition from rival gangs and the police. Already, The Westies feels like a perfect spiritual successor to Boardwalk Empire, both as a period piece and in its exploration of the different ways that crime and politics intersect. But the similarities don’t stop there.

‘The Westies’ Boasts a Star-Studded Cast to Rival ‘Boardwalk Empire’

Image via MGM+

Perhaps the most notable thing about The Westies is its cast, which includes two iconic character actors:J.K. Simmons as Eamon Sweeney and Titus Welliver as Glenn Keenan. While details about the series have been scarce, The Westies will focus on the dynamic between Sweeney and Keenan, with the former as the head of the Westies and the lattera police officer. Further complicating matters is the fact that they’re childhood friends. This is exactly the kind of juicy drama that powers some of the best crime dramas, including Boardwalk Empire.

What makes this potential conflict better is that Welliver is playing against type. While many know him as the titular dogged detective in Bosch, Welliver was quick to point out in an interview with Collider that Keenan is immensely corrupt and walks in “a very, very dark world.” Dark worlds are Simmons’ bread and butter, as anyone who’s watched Invincible or Whiplash knows he’s capable of playing characters with very dark impulses who commit very terrifying deeds. Sweeney sounds no different, as he’s the head of one of the most ruthless gangs in history. In casting Welliver and Simmons, The Westies set the stage for the next big television rivalry.

The Creator of ‘The Westies’ Is Behind Several Iconic Crime Dramas

The Westies is being brought to the screen courtesy of Chris Brancato, who’s brought some of television’s biggest crime dramas to life in the past few years​​​​​​. Not only did Brancato create another hit series for MGM+ with The Godfather of Harlem, but he also created Narcos for Netflix; both series are snapshots of a certain era in crime history, and feature top-tier casting in the form of Forest Whitaker and Pedro Pascal, respectively. What makes The Westies stand out is that it’s a personal project, according to Brancato.

“The Westies has been a passion project of mine, and I can’t wait to bring it to life. This is a story about ambition, loyalty, and power, set against the backdrop of 1980s New York.”

Boardwalk Empire succeeded due to a combination of factors: it premiered at a time when prestige TV was truly taking off, it had an incredible cast, and it stayed true to its historical roots while also using that history to craft compelling drama. The Westies is pulling from the same playbook, and if it follows in Boardwalk Empire‘s footsteps, or even the same path as Chris Brancato’s other work, then MGM+ might truly have the next great crime drama on its hands.

Boardwalk Empire is available to stream on HBO Max. The Westies premieres on MGM+ on July 12, 2026.