1868. Benjamin Guiness, founder of the Guiness brewery, just died. The man brought prosperity by developping his business from Dublin to all continents. He leaves his business and considerable fortune to only two of his four children. The eldest, Arthur and Edward, will have to manage the business together, or lose their inheritance if they leave this forced partnership.
The two young men have very different personalities and backgrounds, as do their other siblings. But faced with profiteers of all stripes, Irish nationalists and religious opponents (the Guinnesses are Protestant), the family nevertheless managed to hold its own by mobilizing allies and strategic capabilities. Including marriage alliances and matters of the heart, of course.
Romantic and sweeter than a Guiness, but with a fine cast of characters
Coming from the creator of Peaky Blinders, and set in a troubled period following the Great Irish Famine, one might have expected a more violent story. There’s action, but not that much, ultimately. The showrunner wanted to balance things out with romance, a little too much for my taste.
But the story remains compelling, well constructed with a twist at the end of each episode. The historical facts are mostly accurate, and the sets and costumes are superb. Above all, the colorful and well-written characters capture the viewer’s attention.
It’s not quite on par with Peaky Blinders or A thousand blows, but I’m still eagerly awaiting the next season.
1 season, 8 episodes (50 mn), 2025 -, on Netflix
Created by Steven Knight, WITH :
- Family : Anthony Boyle as Arthur, Louis Partridge as Edward, Emily Fairn as Anne, Fionn O’Shea as Benjamin Lee, Jack Gleeson (Game of Thrones, Sandman) as Byron Hedges, Dervla Kirwan as Aunt Agnes, Michael Colgan as Reverend Henry Grattan
- Spouses, partners, business partners and others : James Norton as Sean Rafferty, Niamh McCormack as Ellen Cochrane, Seamus O’Hara as Patrick Cochrane, Danielle Galligan (Shadow and Bone) as Lady Olivia Hedges-White, Ann Skelly (Sandman) as Adelaide, David Wilmot (Bodkin) as Bonnie Champion, Michael McElhatton (Game of Thrones, the Wheel of Time) as John Potter, Hilda Fay as Sultan