Apple TV+'s catalog this spring was joined by the series “Dope Thief,” in which hapless friends find themselves on the run from a cartel. Find out what else makes the project interesting in our review.

If the Coen brothers had once decided to make a series about how losers disguised as drug enforcement agents become victims of their own cleverness, they might have come up with something like “Dope Thief” from Apple TV+. Only here, instead of trademark absurdity, there’s a viscous Philadelphia hopelessness where every mistake comes at a high cost.

The plot revolves around Ray (Brian Tyree Henry) and Manny (Wagner Moura) — two friends whose criminal creativity is striking. Their scheme is simple: dress up as DEA agents, bust in on small-time dealers, take the goods and money, then vanish into the foggy Philadelphia morning. Everything goes according to plan until a freshly released ex-con named Rick joins them and suggests they go big. The result is a bloody raid, a real undercover agent among the casualties, a Mexican cartel, and a hunt where the heroes turn from hunters into prey.

On paper, “Dope Thief” looks like a dream for any fan of crime dramas: the pilot was directed by Sir Ridley Scott himself (“American Gangster”), the script was written by Peter Craig (author of “The Town”), and in the frame is Brian Tyree Henry, whose natural charisma is beyond doubt, as is his versatility across genres.

And the first episode indeed grabs you: the “raids” are shot with nervous energy in the best traditions of the genre, the action is gritty, and the atmosphere is timely lightened by fitting jokes (the friends love to rib each other about how they behave during jobs and what they say).

However, as often happens with expensive streaming projects, the series starts to stall. The eight-episode season drags on like gum that has lost its flavor: after a powerful start, the characters suddenly fall into philosophical musings, reminisce about childhood, sort out their personal lives, and only occasionally remember that a cartel is actually chasing them. At some point, it feels like the writers themselves got tangled in a web of flashbacks and side plots. A story that could easily fit into three or four episodes or a brisk feature film is stretched to nearly eight hours of screen time — and that doesn’t always benefit the pacing.

Among the strengths is the acting. Brian Tyree Henry literally pulls the series out of the quagmire of monotony. His Ray is not a superhero, not a poster gangster, but a tired, ironic, sometimes desperate guy with complicated relationships with his father and stepmother — you believe him every minute. Moura is also good in a supporting role, though the potential of his character is clearly underdeveloped. Otherwise, everything is at a high level: stylish visuals, a lively soundtrack, the atmosphere of modern noir is almost palpable.

The impression after the finale is like after a long walk through a rainy city: you’re wet and tired, but you recall a couple of bright moments with a smile. “Dope Thief” from Apple TV+ is not the new “The Wire” or even “The Town,” but rather a solid genre entry where talented actors and directors try to squeeze the most out of a decent premise that doesn’t quite warrant a full series.

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