Tense dinner showdown in ‘Beggars Banquet’

Given that last week’s MobLand concluded with the shocking murders of Fisk (Luke Mably) and Mukasa (Gemma Knight Jones), you’d be justified in having a hazy memory of anything that happened before that bloody cliffhanger. But one of the episode’s more significant, albeit far more subtle, mysteries presented itself about 20 or so minutes prior, when Maeve (Helen Mirren) mentioned Kevin’s “other brother.” 

With Brendan (Daniel Betts) freshly butchered by Richie’s (Geoff Bell) Mexican cartel associates, what other male sibling was Maeve referring to? Well, episode 9 of the crime drama, dubbed “Beggars Banquet”, answers that question with its very first line. “Morning son, let’s have a little chat,” Conrad (Pierce Brosnan) says as he wakes Eddie (Anson Boon) in his bedroom. 

We’re not privy to the conversation, but based on the next scene, which finds Eddie pouring a flask into his morning coffee, Conrad clearly wasn’t just rousing him for breakfast. While we ruminate on that bombshell, Bella (Lara Pulver) asks Paul (Emmett J. Scanlan) to do her a favor he’s not comfortable with. The Harrigan henchman reluctantly helps sneak her off the property so she can make her meeting with Antoine in London.

When we return to Conrad, he’s having another little chat, this time with Harry (Tom Hardy). They discuss the upcoming sit-down with Jaime Lopez (Jordi Molla) regarding the Harrigans’ plan to steal Richie’s piece of the fentanyl pie. Given Conrad’s troubled past with the cartel leader’s deceased dad, the two wonder if they might be walking into a trap.

Following the opening credits, we get some closure on last episode’s blood-soaked conclusion. Former Deputy Chief Inspector Colin Tattersall (Toby Jones) is holding a press conference regarding Fisk and Mukasa’s murders; of course, he lies about the circumstances surrounding their deaths. He also uses the platform to announce he’ll be taking over the organized crime task force.

After the press conference, Tattersall meets with Alice (Emily Barber). We learn that Jan’s (Joanne Froggatt) fake friend’s real name is Nicola. She’s been working undercover for eight years and has no problem bending the rules — including planting evidence — to put her marks behind bars. Alice/Nicola initially tells Tattersall she won’t risk her life by going to the Harrigans’ place for dinner, but the equally corrupt lawman tempts her with a promotion and credit for putting Conrad away. 

Back in the Cotswolds, Maeve and Gina (Teddie Allen) are taking a lovely stroll through the horse stables. Things turn ugly fast, however, when the Harrigan matriarch informs Harry’s daughter that she’s seen everything her and Eddie have been up to via security cameras. She then tells the mortified girl she’ll eat her eyes and have her tongue if she doesn’t steer clear of her grandson/stepson.

Meanwhile, Conrad, Harry, Seraphina (Mandeep Dhillon), and Paul arrive at the Falkland Arms pub, where they’re to meet with Jaime. The two crime bosses sit across from each other, but Conrad does all the talking. He tells Jaime he doesn’t blame him for Brendan’s death, as he understands he was just a “tool” following Richie’s orders. He also unconvincingly apologizes for insulting his deceased dad many years ago. 

Seraphina lays out the specifics of the deal, stressing the Harrigans can offer the cartel twice what Richie was paying for the fentanyl trade. Jaime won’t look at Conrad or Seraphina, but instead addresses Harry directly. He tells the fixer he’ll think about the deal. Conrad pipes back up, telling Jaime he has just four hours to make a decision. Speaking to Harry again, Jaime says, “No wonder Kat wants you. And no wonder you want to leave.”

Another awkward meeting is taking place in London, where Bella and Antoine are moving forward with their shady deal. The two are joined by Bella’s dad, Home Secretary Suri Sharma, and an apparent Syrian arms dealer. Before the group gets down to business, though, a close-up of Antoine’s tie reveals a hidden camera secretly recording the proceedings.

When the episode finally catches us up with Kevin (Paddy Considine), the troubled Harrigan son is sitting outside the nursing home having another flashback of Rusby (Nigel Lindsay) raping him. When the retired prison guard exits the facility, Kev pretends to be his rideshare driver. Upon learning that Rusby lives alone in Plaistow, Kevin takes him home.

When they arrive, he politely asks to use Rusby’s bathroom. Inside, Harrigan confronts his abuser, but the man has no recollection of Kevin or his 1998-2002 stint in Newgate Prison. Rusby claims to suffer from memory gaps, but still apologizes to his victim. 

As Rusby talks of finding god and becoming a better man, Kev screws a silencer onto his pistol. Rusby begs for his life, leading Harrigan to frustratingly let him go. But as Harrigan begins sobbing, the old man tries to comfort him by asking him if he has children. This sets Kevin off, prompting him to put a bullet between his abuser’s eyes.  

When we return to Tattersall, he’s convening with Richie, giving the crime boss the lowdown on Alice’s/Nicola’s upcoming dinner at the Harrigans’. He tells Stevenson the undercover officer won’t be wearing a wire, but will have a smartphone outfitted with a listening device. Tattersall will also support her with a nearby tactical team in case things go south. 

Richie tells the lawman that Harry is smart, but unhappy with his current employment with Conrad. He claims to have been told this by Maeve, with whom he says he’s old friends. Or at least he was, before having Brendan brutally executed. Stevenson tells Tattersall to get the Harrigans into London, and he’ll take care of the rest. “Leave it to me, Lionheart,” the inspector replies.

Meanwhile, at the Harrigan mansion, Harry gets a call from Jaime. He tells the fixer he’ll accept Conrad’s deal, but only if Harry takes care of the rat they have in their camp. Harry gets off the phone, tells Seraphina that Jaime has accepted the terms, but doesn’t share the rat caveat. He then gets on the horn with Harrigan family attorney O’Hara. She tells Harry she believes getting into the fentanyl business is a bad idea, an opinion Archie shared just before Conrad killed him. Harry pauses, then responds by demanding she meet him the next morning.

Harry quickly gets a taste of his own medicine when a call comes in from Kat McAllister (Janet McTeer). He immediately tells her how grateful Harrigan is for her brokering the meeting between him and Jaime. But she doesn’t care about Conrad. “Harry, it’s you and me now.”, she says matter-of-factly before insisting he not be late for a meeting with her in London the next day. 

Harry might be indebted to Kat, but at least Conrad appreciates his sacrifice. Harrigan meets with his loyal fixer to tell him he’s deposited a nice bonus into his bank account. He also shakes Harry’s hand and thanks him for facilitating the deal. But his gratitude soon turns to a grilling. He questions why Harry killed Freddie (Bradley Turner), then asks him what Jaime was referring to when he said Harry wanted to leave.

But just as Harry asks his boss if he’s doubting his loyalty, Seraphina interrupts to announce Alice’s/Nicola’s arrival. Jan’s faux friend arrives with a big smile and a bottle of champagne, but things go downhill quickly from there. As dinner kicks off, Maeve suggests that Eddie check on Gina, who’s apparently not feeling well. Both Jan and Harry glare at the Harrigan boy.

Maeve continues to cause trouble, asking Alice about her marital problems. While she offers the nervous, undercover officer advice, she inappropriately gropes Eddie’s thigh. The conversation gets more awkward when Conrad shoots Seraphina a quick wink, prompting her to directly question Alice about what she knows of the Harrigan family. Seraphina presses her, asking if she was afraid to attend the dinner. Maeve rejoins the conversation to suggest that Conrad only invited her over to add another notch to his bed post.

As the family begins bickering, Alice/Nicola excuses herself from the table. She heads to the home’s entryway, where Maeve had previously placed her empty wine glass. She collects the cup — which also contains Conrad’s doused cigar — and seals it in a plastic bag. Harry catches her in the act and calls her out for planning to plant fake DNA evidence. She cops to the accusation, but tells Harry the police are only a minute away. He allows her to keep the tainted evidence and tells her to leave.

Back in the dining room, the family argument escalates. Conrad screams at Maeve, insisting Eddie tell everyone what he shared about her earlier. Seated between Maeve and Seraphina, Eddie looks uncomfortable and a bit terrified. Conrad speaks for him, revealing that his wife leaked the whereabouts of Archie’s corpse. He goes on to say Maeve also led Richie right to Brendan and Seraphina in Antwerp. Maeve doesn’t deny the accusations, but rather doubles down, admitting she’d actually intended for her stepdaughter to be “chopped up.” 

Conrad rises and pulls a steak knife on his wife. She breaks a wine bottle and wields its jagged edge toward her husband. Before any blood is spilled, however, the sound of sirens and a hovering helicopter stops them. They initially panic, but then decide to resume acting like a “normal” family before the police barge in. 

With the dysfunctional clan back at their dinner seats, the tactical team busts through the door. They arrest Conrad and Maeve on suspicion of murder. As the couple is escorted out, Maeve begins loudly singing “20 Men from Dublin Town.” Conrad soon joins the chorus of the Irish folk song, proudly belting it out alongside his wife. While the two are put into separate police cars, Tattersall watches from the back seat of another cruiser.

Inside the house, Gina watches the chaos from her bedroom before turning to Harry and hugging him tightly. The episode’s final shot returns us to the dining room, which is now illuminated by the helicopter’s searchlight. Jan sits alone at the table, stunned and bathed in the bright beam shining through the window.