Built on Grief, Fueled by Ambition

MOVIE REVIEW
M.I.A.
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Genre: Crime, Drama
Year Released: 2026
Runtime: 9 x 1h episodes
Director(s): Alethea Jones, Gwyneth Horder-Payton, Marizee Almas, Ben Semanoff, John Dahl
Writer(s): Bill Dubuque, Karen Campbell
Cast: Shannon Gisela, Cary Elwes, Danay Garcia, Brittany Adebumola, Dylan Jackson, Alberto Guerra, Maurice Compte, Gerardo Celasco, Marta Milans
Where to Watch: all episodes available on Peacock May 7, 2026

RAVING REVIEW: Etta Tiger Jonze (Shannon Gisela) isn’t introduced as someone who is in control, and the series makes sure you feel that before anything else has time to take shape. What starts as ambition quickly turns into survival, and the line between those two ideas keeps shifting the longer the season goes on. M.I.A. builds its foundation on that uncertainty, letting every decision feel reactive. That choice gives the entire series a sense of tension that never lets it settle into anything predictable.

M.I.A. doesn’t present itself as a flashy crime saga, even though the setting easily could have pushed it in that direction. Miami is there, the neon shine is there, the underworld is there, but the series treats all of it as background noise to something more personal. This isn’t about extravaganza or excess. It’s about recalibration. About someone realizing that the version of their life they thought they understood never actually belonged to them.

That shift is where Gisela does her best work. Etta isn’t written as someone stepping into power with confidence or clarity. She’s reacting and adapting at the same time. Gisela plays her with a kind of controlled hesitation that never feels weak, just unfinished. You can see the gears turning in real time, decisions forming not because she wants them to, but because there’s no other option left. It gives the character a sense of unpredictability that carries the entire season.

What stands out most is how the show resists turning her into something recognizable. There’s no rush to label her as a mastermind or a queenpin, even though the premise could have easily forced that. Instead, it lets her exist in a space where she’s still figuring out what she’s capable of, and more importantly, what she’s willing to become. That distinction keeps the character rooted in who she is, even as the stakes around her keep growing.

The supporting cast plays into that same sense of uncertainty. Cary Elwes brings a controlled presence that feels intentionally measured, like someone who understands the rules of the game but isn’t revealing all of them. Danay Garcia and Maurice Compte add layers of tension without overplaying their roles, allowing the scenes to breathe rather than pushing them toward confrontation. There’s a noticeable restraint across the ensemble, and it works in the show’s favor.

Instead of building toward obvious turning points, it often lets moments remain longer than expected. Conversations stretch, decisions take time, and consequences don’t always arrive on cue. That pacing choice gives the show a distinct identity. It’s less concerned with keeping things constantly moving and more focused on making sure each shift in the story actually means something.

The structure across the nine episodes also leans into a slow accumulation of tension rather than immediate payoff. When the show hits, it hits in ways that feel earned, but there are moments where it feels like it’s holding back just a little too much. Not in a way that breaks the experience, but enough that you can sense opportunities where it could have pushed further without losing its tone.

What keeps M.I.A. so engaging is its commitment to perspective. It never forgets that this is Etta’s story first, and everything else exists in relation to her evolution. Even as the story expands outward, it always circles back to how those events shape her understanding of herself and the world she navigates. That consistency gives the series a strong foundation, even when individual episodes fluctuate in momentum.

What ultimately defines the first season is how it treats transformation, not as just an arc or even a triumphant rise, but as something jagged and, at times, uncomfortable. Etta’s journey isn’t framed as a victory, even when she gains ground. There’s always a sense that each step forward comes with a cost that hasn’t fully revealed itself yet. That lingering weight is what gives the series its edge. It’s not interested in offering catharsis or resolutions. Instead, it builds toward a version of success that feels complicated, maybe even hollow at times. And that choice makes the story feel more honest than many entries in the genre.

In the end, the question isn’t whether Etta has become powerful. It’s whether that power has actually given her anything she thought she wanted. The show doesn’t rush to answer that, and it’s better for it. M.I.A. might not always move with the urgency some viewers expect from a crime drama, but it makes up for that with a clear sense of identity. It knows what it’s interested in exploring, and it commits to that perspective even when it slows things down. That confidence, paired with a strong central performance, keeps the series grounded in something beyond its premise. It doesn’t try to redefine the genre, but it doesn’t settle into expectations either. It finds a space in between, and for the most part, it holds that space with purpose.

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[photo courtesy of MEDIA RIGHTS CAPITAL (MRC), PEACOCK, HBO MAX, NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY (NBC)]

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