Fear City: New York vs The Mafia is an American true crime docuseries about New York City's Five Families: the Gambino, Colombo, Bonanno, Lucchese, and Genovese crime organizations.[1]
| Fear City: New York vs The Mafia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | |
| Directed by | Sam Hobkinson |
| Music by | Paul Moessl |
| Opening theme | "Hard Times" by Baby Huey & the Babysitters |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 3 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producer | Bernadette Higgins |
| Cinematography | Tim Cragg |
| Editors |
|
| Running time | 44–62 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Release | July 22, 2020 |
Premise
editThe series is told from the point of view of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, detailing how the implementation of wiretaps were able to bring down the mob in the Mafia Commission Trial.[1] The series, released on Netflix on July 22, 2020, also featured appearances from Donald Trump (in archival footage), Rudy Giuliani, Michael Franzese and John Alite.[1][2]
Episodes
editSeason 1 (2020)
edit| No. | Title | Directed by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Mob Rule" | Sam Hobkinson | July 22, 2020 | |
|
As New York runs amok, the mob operates with impunity, until a little-known law and some innovative surveillance tactics give federal agents a leg up. | ||||
| 2 | "The Godfather Tapes" | Sam Hobkinson | July 22, 2020 | |
|
As the FBI takes daring steps to wiretap the heads of the five families, the new US Attorney for the Southern District of New York joins the fight. | ||||
| 3 | "Judgment Day" | Sam Hobkinson | July 22, 2020 | |
|
In order to prove a conspiracy among the mafia bosses, the FBI tries to tie "The Commission" to a high-profile gangland murder. | ||||
Release
editFear City: New York vs The Mafia was released on July 22, 2020, on Netflix.[3]
Reception
editOn review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 71% based on 17 reviews, with an average rating of 7.25/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Compelling interviews and a slick style help Fear City entertain, but those already familiar with the case will find few new insights."[4] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 61 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[5]
Reviewing the series for The Hollywood Reporter, Daniel Fienberg said it featured "by-the-numbers storytelling with a law enforcement perspective" and wrote: "I wish there were more consistency to when and how the reenactment device is used, but there are general potholes of sloppiness throughout Fear City."[2] John Anderson of The Wall Street Journal said the series "offers a skewed history of the investigations into organized crime in 1970s-80s New York".[6]
References
edit- ^ a b c Horton, Adrian (July 22, 2020). "Fear City: Netflix docuseries recounts a time when the mob ruled New York". The Guardian. Archived from the original on January 2, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
- ^ a b Fienberg, Daniel (July 21, 2020). "'Fear City: New York vs. the Mafia': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 7, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
- ^ Jensen, Erin (June 24, 2020). "New on Netflix in July 2020: 'Kissing Booth 2,' 'Baby-Sitters Club,' Charlize Theron". USA Today. Archived from the original on July 19, 2020. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
- ^ "Fear City: New York vs The Mafia: Season 1 (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
- ^ "Fear City: New York vs The Mafia: Season 1 reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
- ^ Anderson, John (July 21, 2020). "'Fear City: New York vs. the Mafia' Review: Cracking Down on La Cosa Nostra". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on July 21, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
External links
edit
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