Pierce Brosnan's Conrad Harrigan is vicious to begin with, but his abuse of his associate Paul is one of the strangest (and funniest) running gags in Harrigan crime organization. Harry might be the primary fixer for the Harrigans, but Paul is similarly capable of executing their wishes, murderous or otherwise.

It's important to note that Paul does not seem to answer directly to Harry as Zosia or Kiko do. In fact, he seems to be an integral alternative to Harry, and has been called upon to execute Conrad or Maeve's wishes when they know Harry won't, or if the ask is directly related to Harry himself. For example, it was Paul that Conrad sent to tail Jan on multiple occasions when he suspected her as a leak in the organization. Episode 9 saw Paul's relationship with Conrad played for laughs, as he became the target of the mob boss' ire.

Conrad Being Mean To Paul Is A Running Gag In MobLand Episode 9

It Extends A Bit That Has Gone On All Season

Episode 9 of MobLand saw Paul featured heavily as comic relief, as he has been for virtually every one of his appearances in the series. It's a running joke that Paul waits outside a room for Conrad to yell for him to come in, but Conrad's abuse was brought to the forefront this time. After helping Bella make her way off the locked-down property, Paul attempted to do his duty of reporting it to Conrad (on a delay, unbeknownst to anyone else). Conrad cursed him out and dismissed him, only to then chastise him minutes later for not telling him about Bella sooner.

The season finale of MobLand will stream on Paramount+ on Sunday, June 1st, 2025.

Paul is later brought as backup to the sit-down with Jaime Lopez, and when the Harrigans enter the bar Conrad orders a drink for himself, Seraphina, and Harry. However, he simply glares at Paul and doesn't offer to get him anything. Paul buys a bag of crisps for himself, then draws Conrad's anger one more time by noisily opening the bag and beginning to eat just as Conrad begins to negotiate with Jaime. It's one of the funniest bits in the entire show, and Scanlan's ashamed and offended looks elevate it to high comedy.

What's Behind Conrad Being So Mean To Paul?

He's A Fixer Like Harry, But The Level Of Respect Is Nowhere Near The Same

Conrad's annoyance with Paul seems somewhat out of place given the man's high standing in the Harrigan crime organization. Conrad trusts him enough to tail Harry's wife and report back (all while remaining discreet about his actions), so the fact that he alternates between using him for important tasks and treating him like a peon seems almost jarring. Part of the explanation is likely just that Conrad is a volatile, often angry person, and the soft-spoken Paul is an easy, ever-present target. It almost becomes a habit at a certain point in time.

Emmett J. Scanlan, who plays Paul in MobLand, is no stranger to crime dramas; he had a noteworthy ing role as Billy Grade in Netflix's ultra-popular Peaky Blinders. More recently, he acted as the villain Viper in the 2025 Jason Statham action movie A Working Man.

However, it could have something to do with the fact that Conrad knows Paul does Maeve's bidding independent of his knowledge. While Conrad took credit for making the decision to kill Vron Stevenson, it was clearly Maeve who made the call, and Paul who executed the bomb placement. In a particularly funny bit in episode 6, Conrad rattles off a line of incorrect details about the assassination, while Paul mutters the correct details under his breath. He knows Paul can be trusted, but he also knows that his loyalty is not exclusive to Conrad, which constantly irritates the MobLand patriarch.