Hulu’s reality competition “The Mob,” hosted by Parker Posey, premiered Monday with a dozen celebrities playing a mafia-themed elimination game at an Italian villa. The first two episodes are streaming on Hulu, with new ones due each Monday. Disney+ will carry the series internationally on a date to be announced. The contestants complete jobs modeled on classic gangster films. They compete for up to $250,000 in prize money. The group chooses a “don” who decides who earns money, who stays and who gets “whacked,” though the others can try to topple that leader.
The format invites comparison to “The Traitors,” and the pedigree supports it. The show comes from the executive producers of that hit, and Studio Lambert and Primal Media produce it. Adam Wood and Mat Steiner of Primal conceived the format, and Susan House is showrunner. Posey is also an executive producer. The timing is favorable: Peacock recently ordered three more seasons of “The Traitors” after its strong Emmy night.
The cast mixes reality veterans with actors who carry real mob credentials. Aida Turturro played Janice Soprano on “The Sopranos,” and Debi Mazar appeared in “Goodfellas.” Joe Gorga represents “The Real Housewives of New Jersey.” Willam Belli (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”), Harry Jowsey (“Too Hot to Handle”), Chelsea Lazkani (“Selling Sunset”) and Bruno Tonioli (“Dancing With the Stars”) fill out the roster, alongside Demi Engemann, Maria Georgas, Bella Palk, Shane Parton and the rapper Romeo.
Posey, best known for “Dazed and Confused,” “Best in Show” and “The White Lotus,” anchors the series with a wry persona. “I may look cute, but I kinda run the place,” she says in the promotional material. Hulu announced the series in April at its Get Real event. A producer described the design as an addictive format built around the most powerful contestant in reality TV history. That promise carries the risk common to copycat formats. Viewers have already seen betrayal-driven games, and a gangster costume alone may not set this one apart. The show will have to deliver real turns in its power struggle.
