'M.I.A.' Review: Peacock Brings Bold Energy With New Revenge Series
Shannon Gisela shines in a new high-stakes drama in Miami's criminal underworld
From the creators of Ozark comes M.I.A.—premiering Thursday, May 7, on Peacock—and it brings with it a type of energy that breathes new life into original content on the streaming platform.
The series is described as a revenge drama where Etta Tiger Jonze (Shannon Gisela) sets out to avenge her family after her family’s drug-running business shatters in tragedy.
But beneath its framework are the themes of family, loyalty, corruption, deception, and access. Every character moves with their own intentions and selfish needs to protect a loved one or their business. And once threatened, everyone must ask themselves:
How far will they go for what they desire the most?
The series also stars Brittany Adebumola, Cary Elwes, Danay Garcia, Dylan Jackson, Alberto Guerra, Maurice Compte, Gerardo Celasco, Marta Milans, Billy Burke, Edward James Olmos, Sonia Braga, Tovah Feldshuh, Tyler Tomas Perez, Paul Ben-Victor, David Denman, and Loretta Devine.
In the wake of tragedy, Etta (Gisela) embarks on the journey of a lifetime—seeking to acquire the appropriate skills and intelligence to enact retribution on the organization that destroyed her life.
During this process, she develops a friendship with Lovely (Adebumola) who supports her even if Etta’s path leads to dangerous roads she cannot foresee. However, in her quest for revenge, Etta creates a new family—not only in Lovely but in those she encounters along the way, forcing her to face the hard decision about choosing a path from which she can never return.
Across all nine episodes, M.I.A. takes you into the underbelly of Miami—crime, drugs, parties, illicit business—where those who smile and look clean in the daytime turn into monsters under the night sky.
And in that world, those same themes—family, loyalty, corruption, deception, and access—stop being abstract ideas and become the very concrete forces that shape decision Etta makes.
So the question then becomes:
Will Etta be consumed by blind revenge or find a path toward a better future?
Final Review
M.I.A. is daring, spicy, and revitalizing. Shannon Gisela perfectly balances boldness with vulnerability, anguish, and quiet power—a feeling that takes flight within a young woman who feels she no longer has anything to lose.
For fans of films like Tomb Raider, Resident Evil, and Kill Bill, M.I.A. takes its rightful place next to them—introducing a new protagonist amongst legends of women action heroes.
All nine episodes will air at once Thursday, May 7, on Peacock, and, in a bold move, NBC will air the pilot episode as a special telecast on Thursday, May 14, at 10 p.m. ET.
Check out the trailer below.