Lesser-known than its other crime drama competitors, but equally as “thrilling”, this short series has left fans begging for more epsiodes.

Across eight episodes, this highly rated TV series tells the story of the dangers of a life in organised crime as we step into the world of the Russian mafia.

McMafia stars James Norton as Alex Godman, the son of a Russian mafia boss living in London, as his father is plotting to escape the organisation. As his family’s dark past is brought to the surface, he’s left with no choice but to face the underworld of syndicates, money laundering and corrupt political leaders.

One critic, James Croot, described the show, writing: “A thrilling watch that’s filled with provocative gestures, portentous moments and the same gripping tension that made fellow recent British series like Bodyguard and The Night Manager so binge-worthy.”

It first premiered in January 2018, and as fans eagerly anticipated an addition to the gripping storyline, they were left waiting forever, as it never went past its eight-episode run.

One fan of the series shared their admiration for the miniseries on Rotten Tomatoes. They wrote: “McMafia was the best and smartest TV show about money laundering I’ve ever seen on TV. The writing was well researched; the writers knew their subject matter.

“The scripts were very good, and James Norton’s performance was awesome. I hope Norton is strongly considered for the role of James Bond before he gets too old.”

Alongside a leading Norton, McMafia stars Juliet Rylance as Alex’s fiancée, and playing his dad is Aleksey Serebryakov. Joining them on screen are David Strathairn, Merab Ninidze and Faye Marsay, but it’s Norton’s performance which has fans singing its praises.

Fans have made note of the way in which the actors “disappear” into the character, which is “fascinating to watch”. He is no stranger to a crime series, having played the likes of Tommy Lee Royce in the renowned Happy Valley and Sidney Chambers in the detective series Grantchester.

Another fan of McMafia shared: “Well-put together show with a strong plot that constantly keeps you on the edge of your seat. Props for casting real Russian actors with authentic accents! Disappointing that there are only 8 episodes in the very first season, I want more!”

Although they never got more. The series was never renewed for a second season, despite being well-received at the time of its release, and whatever was in the works was dropped by the BBC.

After years of being left in the dark, Misha Glenny, whose book inspired the show’s storyline, confirmed in 2025 “with great sadness” that McMafia had been cancelled and was “close to filming” the second series twice. The reason for its cancellation remains unknown.

All eight episodes of McMafia are available to stream now for free on BBC iPlayer.