An OK Show

Just watched the first episode. I've understood that most complaints regard the pace and what they think is a lack of proper focus on what is going on (but they really mean the action). Mainly pointing out weird camera angles and the jazz band playing. I don't agree with these opinions. I think it is there to set an atmosphere. I do however think that it can come across as a bit pretentious.

First off, it does not pay much tribute to the Film Noire genre, which I expected since it's original title was LA Noir (LA Noire?), except for the occasional strong shadow, brief interaction with the mysterious femme fatale-like woman behind the bar and the fact that the leading man is a strong silent type who goes by his own moral code, seemingly not bothered by which side of the fence that puts him on.

Stylistically it blends something like Public Enemies type action with something more art house. The opening shootout is your typical over the top invincible bad guys just mowing down four or fives times as many bad guys, whose bullets seemingly just vanish into space and time somewhere in the physical space between them, rendering them helpless in the face of Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky and Sid Rothman.

Then on the other hand there are some great artistic elements what with beautiful shots scattered throughout the episode. The inclusion of the jazz band and the wide shot when Teague shoots the flare. The music also sets the tone well.

Story wise, it is nothing special. A simple backstabbing with a minor twist at the end.

It does seem like they are trying to blend these two styles in a similar way that Twin Peaks did 23 years ago. The only difference is that Twin Peaks was all about slowly exposing the disgusting underbelly of a seemingly innocent small American town. Here the underbelly is instead exposed (in the form of the criminals) from the very beginning and is not really that shocking. Instead we are left with blank iron like men just killing each other off to make the plot move forward.

That being said I think the show is quite "Meh" to most people. Some might watch it, some might not. Which seems right, it is pretty mediocre and everyone has to make their own mind up. There are no exceptional overall qualities to point at, but there are no disastrous plot holes neither. My hopes are that they show us more decadence, corruption and ruthless murders. Never mind reality, this is TV fiction.

Lastly, the name. "Mob City" REALLY?
I understand there might have been copyright issues with LA Noir (Noire or whatever it was) but this was their second choice? It's almost as bad as Police Story. Other suggestions: Mafia Town, Gang-Land, Hood In The Neighborhood.