MGM+ released The Westies on Sunday. It is a new eight-episode gangster show set in the 80s Hell's Kitchen. J.K. Simmons and Titus Welliver play the top gang bosses. Watchers say the Irish mob tale feels original. It combines fights and dark comedy. Critics call the script okay but not new . People keep debating the show's quiet brutality . Some like the twist on gang stories. Others say it echoes old crime hits . The series still sparks talks among fans post premiere .