Kin
GenreCrime drama
Created by
Written byPeter McKenna
Directed by
  • Diarmuid Goggins
  • Tessa Hoffe
Starring
Theme music composerDavid Holmes
Country of originIreland
Original languageEnglish
No. of series2
No. of episodes16 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Peter McKenna
  • Ciaran Donnelly
  • David Davoli
  • Samantha Thomas
  • Steven Thibault
  • Aaron L. Gilbert
Producers
  • James Flynn
  • Edmund Sampson
Production locationDublin
CinematographyJames Mather
EditorEdel McDonnell
Running time50 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network
Release9 September 2021 (2021-09-09) –
present

Kin is an Irish television crime drama series, co-created by Peter McKenna and Ciaran Donnelly, that first broadcast on 9 September 2021, on RTÉ. The series, which revolves around a fictional Dublin family embroiled in gangland war, stars Aidan Gillen and Ciarán Hinds as rival gang leaders, Frank Kinsella and Eamon Cunningham.

The series was first announced in November 2020, with co-creator Peter McKenna set as showrunner and Diarmuid Goggins as director of the first four episodes.[1] Tessa Hoffe was later announced as director of episodes five to eight.[2] In February 2022, the series premiered in the United States and Canada on AMC+,[3] with Sundance Now premiering the series in the UK. A second series was announced on 10 February 2022, with production beginning in July.[4][5]

Background

Prior to the series' premiere, several news outlets stated the series was inspired by the Kinahan gang and the Hutch–Kinahan feud, and noted similarities to former RTE staple Love/Hate. A show "insider" stated that "This is not the Kinahans' story, but people can draw their own conclusions. Viewers will be able to make up their own mind about it."[6][7]

Cast

Main

Supporting

Episodes

Series overview

SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1812 September 2021 (2021-09-12)31 October 2021 (2021-10-31)
2819 March 2023 (2023-03-19)7 May 2023 (2023-05-07)

Series 1 (2021)

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date [8]Ireland viewers
(millions)
1"Episode 1"Diarmuid GogginsPeter McKenna[9]12 September 2021 (2021-09-12)N/A
A feud between local gang leaders Frank Kinsella and Eamon Cunningham is intensified when Frank's son Eric tries to take out one of Eamon's dealers, Caolan Moore, over a petty feud.
2"Episode 2"Diarmuid GogginsPeter McKenna19 September 2021 (2021-09-19)N/A
3"Episode 3"Diarmuid GogginsPeter McKenna26 September 2021 (2021-09-26)N/A
4"Episode 4"Diarmuid GogginsPeter McKenna3 October 2021 (2021-10-03)N/A
5"Episode 5"Tessa HoffePeter McKenna10 October 2021 (2021-10-10)N/A
6"Episode 6"Tessa HoffePeter McKenna17 October 2021 (2021-10-17)N/A
7"Episode 7"Tessa HoffePeter McKenna24 October 2021 (2021-10-24)N/A
8"Episode 8"Tessa HoffePeter McKenna31 October 2021 (2021-10-31)N/A
Amanda’s plan to take down Eamon comes into fruition.

Series 2 (2023)

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date [8]Ireland viewers
(millions)
91"Episode 1"Felix ThompsonPeter McKenna19 March 2023 (2023-03-19)N/A
102"Episode 2"Felix ThompsonPeter McKenna26 March 2023 (2023-03-26)N/A
113"Episode 3"Christine Molloy and Joe LawlorPeter McKenna2 April 2023 (2023-04-02)N/A
124"Episode 4"Christine Molloy and Joe LawlorPeter McKenna9 April 2023 (2023-04-09)N/A
135"Episode 5"Kate DolanPeter McKenna16 April 2023 (2023-04-16)N/A
146"Episode 6"Kate DolanPeter McKenna22 April 2023 (2023-04-22)N/A
157"Episode 7"Felix ThompsonPeter McKenna30 April 2023 (2023-04-30)N/A
168"Episode 8"Felix ThompsonPeter McKenna7 May 2023 (2023-05-07)N/A

Reception

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 7.0/10, based on 9 critic reviews.[10]

Alex McLevy of The A.V. Club gave the series a B− and wrote: "It's simply an opportunity to watch some gifted actors do what they do, very well, with a story that glides along in entertaining but unoriginal manner."[11]

The series was acquired by the BBC and began showing on BBC One on 18 November 2023.[12]

References

  1. ^ White, Peter (5 November 2020). "Aidan Gillen, Charlie Cox & Clare Dunne To Star In Irish TV Drama 'Kin' From Bron Studios, Headline Pictures & NENT Studios For RTÉ". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 6 November 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  2. ^ Del Rosario, Alexandra (18 February 2021). "AMC+ Acquires Trio Of Crime Dramas; AllBlk Greenlights Kaye Singleton's Biblical Drama Series 'Covenant'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 18 February 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  3. ^ "New Irish drama Kin set for global release". RTÉ.ie. 22 February 2021.
  4. ^ "'Kin': Charlie Cox's Crime Drama Renewed for Season 2 at AMC+". Collider. 10 February 2022.
  5. ^ Ravindran, Manori (8 July 2022). "Irish Crime Drama 'Kin,' From BRON Studios, Starts Production on Season 2 (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  6. ^ Brent, Harry. "RTÉ airing new drama inspired by 'notorious' Irish gangsters". The Irish Post.
  7. ^ Gallagher, Jim (10 January 2021). "RTE hoping new drama inspired by Kinahan mob will be as successful as Love/Hate". Irish Mirror.
  8. ^ a b "Kin – Listings". Next Episode. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  9. ^ RTÉ (20 August 2021). "A Dublin crime family goes to war in new drama Kin". RTÉ. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  10. ^ "Kin: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  11. ^ Alex McLevy (30 August 2021). "Daredevil himself, Charlie Cox, leads a stellar cast in by-the-numbers crime drama Kin". The A.V. Club.
  12. ^ "BBC acquires star studded Irish crime drama Kin". BBC Media Centre. BBC. Retrieved 18 November 2023.

External links

AMC original programming
Home-produced drama on RTÉ Television
Categories