Grid Effect

I have never seen a dramatic series operate like The Black Donnelly’s, so much has happened over the course of three episodes (four if you count the online exclusive) and we haven’t really seen any of the characters question their past actions or been fed any motivation from any of them. Every human emotion about the four brothers comes from the mouth of Joey “Ice Cream”, so at this point it is still a pressing task to take any of them seriously. I’d feel the same way about anybody whose explanations came solely from the mouth of someone with the words “Ice Cream” in their nickname.

Last nights episode revolved around the funeral for Huey, the Irish mob boss Tommy killed in order to ultimately save his brother Jimmy and to take out vengeance for his younger brother Sean. Despite the fact he was setting up Jimmy, Tommy had no intention of murdering Huey, he was sort of collateral damage as he was conspiring with the Italians.

Either way, Huey’s younger brother Dokey (and presumable new boss of The Irish Outfit) has managed to piece together through a series of events that the Donnelly’s were responsible for his brothers death. He doesn’t know in what capacity, but he is certain enough to threaten Erin (Tommy’s crush) in order to hail Jimmy and Tommy down to the basement during his brothers wake in the Donnelly’s bar.

Eventually, Tommy and Jimmy get the drop on Dokey and his muscle after persuading them to let Erin leave. Tommy goes into a really detailed fabrication about who they killed and everything else to try and make amends… it works.

Needless to say there needs to be more illustration of an internal struggle with Tommy, some sign of self-doubt to make him likable. As of now, we are supposed to be rooting for him but are not provided any real incentive to do so. He spends the entirety of every episode bossing around his perpetual trembling voice brother Kevin and measuring his dick with Jmmy. It seems like he has supplicated matters for the Irish for the time being, but now the Italians (the most cringe worthy Italian crime family in the history of television or film, by the way) have a bone to pick with the Donnelly’s, will there be any self-reflection or is everything still going to be hammered home by Joey “Ice Cream” and his emotionless tale of the four brothers? My guess is the latter.

Another folly of this series, seeing the web exclusive episode was almost imperative to being able to follow this episode properly. They alluded to it in a couple flashback scenes but never took the time to address how Kevin attempted to get Jimmy out on bail and what transpired between Tommy, Erin and her dad. Very strange that they would make a key plot development so pivotal to the story “web exclusive”, then not make an effort to advertise the exclusive (I only heard about it from reading Pop Candy).

Also, for all the arguing between three of the four brothers, there discourse seems fairly stagnant. It mainly consists of Tommy berating either Kevin or Jimmy with questions, Kevin trying to earn the respect of his two brothers and Jimmy attempting to prove he is still the alpha dog when standing next to Tommy. They always explain what they are going to do, but never explain how or why. Occasionally Joey “Ice Cream” will voice over the description and/or reasoning, but it simply doesn’t resonate with the audience when the main characters are never forced to explain themselves.

Hopefully something changes in their narrative style because my interest is teetering in the balance, and judging by the nielsen’s, Haggis and Moresco are going to need every viewer they can get.