The Means

The Means is a dramatic thriller television pilot that chronicles both sides of the law in New York City, where the rent is high and so is the cost of living. For one rag-tag band of thieves, crime pays. Dealing with themes of nature versus nurture, learning to shed societal expectations, and the perils of navigating a fractured justice system, this show balances the gritty authenticity of The Wire, with the no-holds-barred thrill seeking approach of TNT’s Animal Kingdom. The crime is slick and adrenaline-inducing, the consequences harsh and austere.

Terrence and young Nate pull off robberies for creepy ringleader Ed Meyers, who's arranged for them to heist a horse track upstate. Their successful criminal antics act as a buffer to an unstable home-life for Nate, and a troubled past for Terrence. The third member of Ed’s stick up crew is former federal investigator Angela, the most professional member of the group, and the most experienced. Her skills and superior intellect should flourish in the criminal underworld, but an opiate addiction she picked up after a violent incident from her past threatens to undermine it all.

Detective Ethan Strand of the Robbery Division suspects that his partner and wife are having an affair. His methods for dealing with this are unusual to say the least. Professionally, he’s got a hard-on for Ed Meyers - and a rat in Ed’s crew. Gangster Mario moves drugs throughout the city and invests his profits in a string of underground taverns and nightclubs. When Ed becomes obsessed with targeting Mario's operation for their next score, his team becomes suspicious that this job might be personal.
Nate takes center stage in the pilot, torn between an overbearing stepfather he resents and a gaggle of father-figures who may not have his best interests at heart. Does embracing a life of crime mean leaving his mother behind? Can he trust Detective Strand? He looks up to Terrence, but Terrence has his own issues to deal with. One thing’s for certain - Ed’s marching orders lead anywhere but the straight and narrow.