 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Black Donnellys
Common Sense Media says
Revenge and loyalty drive violent NYC crime drama.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that even though this is a network show, the violence -- both depicted and alluded to -- is extreme, including kidnapping, assault, and murder. An example: One scene involves disposing of a body by stuffing it into a barrel; when it doesn't fit, the body is smashed with a sledgehammer until it does (the person wielding the weapon is seen with blood spatter on his face after each blow). While loyalty and the importance of family are central themes, the Donnelly brothers are involved in everything from gambling and petty theft to cold-blooded executions. Many scenes occur in a bar, and drinking and smoking are common. Some scenes include passionate kissing.
What's the story?
THE BLACK DONNELLYS is a dark crime drama about four Irish-American brothers who've spent their whole lives in New York City's Hell's Kitchen. The fresh-faced Donnelly "boys" have ties to both the Irish and Italian mobs and are constantly getting in trouble. They start out with gambling and theft but soon graduate to kidnapping and murder, forcing the most responsible brother, Tommy, to come to the rescue. Tommy -- who's played by dark, brooding Jonathan Tucker (Criminal) -- is an art school student trying to escape his rough-and-tumble neighborhood. But family loyalty keeps dragging him back into the fray.
Is it any good?
Tucker tries to balance tough-guy intensity with tortured sensitivity, but his portrayal of Tommy is a little stiff, and his facial expressions hardly vary from scene to scene. With so much of the emotional weight of the show resting on his shoulders, he needs to bring more nuance to the role for The Black Donnellys to live up to the credentials of the show's creators (Oscar winners Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco). Like any good drama series, Donnellys has several plot lines in play at all times. But with all the different characters, as well as an unreliable narrator, only the most astute viewers will be able to keep track of everything that's going on. The recaps that start each episode help, but those who come to the show late might still have difficulty piecing all the parts together.
Speaking of piecing parts together... Taking a page from The Departed and The Sopranos, Donnellys is intensely violent -- though slightly tempered for network television. For example, while both Donnellys and Sopranos might feature mobsters trying to dispose of a dead body, Donnellys "only" shows the blood spray on Tommy's face as he bashes the corpse into pieces with a sledgehammer -- while Sopranos might zoom in on the hammer as it connects with the body. (In other words? Network television or no, this isn't one for kids or the weak of stomach.)
What families can talk about
Families can talk about family loyalty. What would -- and wouldn't -- you do for your family members? Would you commit a crime? Cover up someone else's crime? How would you deal with a family member who had problems with drinking, gambling, or crime? Families can also talk about how this show is similar to and different from big-screen crime dramas like The Godfather and The Departed. What can they do in the movies that they still can't do on network TV? Does stronger content (more swearing, more sex, even more violence) make crime stories more convincing? Why or why not?
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AGE
Blacklist the Black Donnellys.
Don't waste your time watching this show, which focuses on a family of four brothers. One of the four has to think for all of them because the others are lamentably brainless. Every week three predictably get into big trouble, and big brother has to save them, even if that means knocking some sense into them. The violence is appalling and senseless; for four adult men supposedly standing up for each other's honor, violence seems to be the only method they know how to use. It also comes in handy when they commit crimes, which don't seem to conflict with the issues of honor. Stereotypical characters abound; the plots develop like re-runs of old hackneyed scripts. Television has much better to offer than this program.
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AGE
Bad,Bad,Bad,Bad, Bad
I dont know what to say about this show it is so bad. Are they trying to ride on the back of The Departed? Not even close. The acting is marginal at best. The story...what story? Is Joey Ice Cream Italian? I am Irish and Italian from a big city with plenty of underworld characters and I cant even relate. A total waste of time. Read a book or just sit in a dark room quietly
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AGE
One of the best TV shows
I thought it was going to be lame, this was anything but. I mean, some shows make failed efforts to hold viewers attention. This will keep your attention and you will love it! Watch this show!!!
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AGE
So it's no "Sopranos" or "Goodfellas", but it still invokes the same feel
I have to say, if it weren't for the fact that I watch "The Sopranos" and have seen all of Scorsese's films, I probably would've given this show 5 stars. As it is, the difference between broadcast shows and cable show/movies can show, especially content-wise. The violence, sex, and language, are all a million times lower than in the above mentioned media, which is not a bad thing for those looking for a tamer alternative. The show does borrow elements from all of the past forays into organized crime, like ShowTime's "brotherhood", which is about two Irish brothers in organized crime. But in case you couldn't tell, mob movies and shows are one of my favorite types to watch, so I no doubt have a partiality built into liking this show. But all comparisons to "Sopranos", "Brotherhood", and Scorsese films aside, this show does what it set out to do quite well, and if you don't have access to any of those other shows or movies, then this is a very good pick (based off of the Pilot, not the rest, since I have heard that the next few episodes decline in quality, but I cannot testify to this yet.) Violence isn't as bad as it is made out to be, and language isn't much of a problem. So if you have a mob or organized crime fix and want a much tamer alternative, this is the show to go with.
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AGE
Puts Family First
i think that this show is good because it gives you a understanding of how family is very important
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AGE
keeps me wanting more.
I love this show. It does have mature content, but it is about time. I honestly hope NBC keeps this one because I am so tired of cut and dry drama. This show keeps you on the edge of your seat and this might be the first time that I have ran to my computer to check the previews for next week. Bravo, NBC! Finally, good television.
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| TV rating: | TV-14 |
| Network: | NBC |
| Cast: | Billy Lush, Jonathan Tucker, Tom Guiry |
| Genre: | Drama |
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