While many may cry foul that NBC's timing of releasing "The Black Donnellys" to the television world had solely to do with the timing of Oscar-heralded "The Departed", which is very similar in its genre, I say to these naysayers--just watch and see.
The show started off at first like a very cheap imitation of "Goodfellas", but as the first two episodes have unraveled, we not only get the family closeness that is evidenced in "The Sopranos", we also get a rawness that is only matched on television to "24".
Greek tragedies once thrived off of the concept of catharsis, which basically means that a person who watches all of the terrible things that happen onstage gradually feels so much better about their own life after all is said and done. "The Black Donnellys" not only brings this concept back to its core element, but it continues to writh and bring that pit in your stomach to new levels of panic, wondering about how bad this can actually get for the four brothers.
It would be trivial to basically explain the entire story as it has begun because of the complexities and subtle nuances of each character, but a nutshell version would be that there are a series of events which tumble down upon the brothers like barrels at Niagara Falls, and the central character, Tommy, is the glue that holds the boys together. Each brother has his own fatal flaw, and each brother brings something different in terms of strength to the crew.
What you get is more riveting television: while many shows are banking off of the reality factor, including competitions and game shows, others are still sticking to formulas that have worked over time: comedy, soap-opera type drama, and action.
"The Black Donnellys" creates yet another genre of television that, if watched fully and understood for its thematic "family is everything" concept, this could be the next big hit to ride the television airwaves. It is acted wonderfully, the intensity of the four brothers is palpable, and the tension of "oh-my-goodness-what-can-happen-next" brings a new appreciation in terms of doing whatever it takes to make sure your family is above all, even something that "24" can't manipulate.
I strongly advise anyone who is a fan of "The Sopranos", "The Shield", "24", "The Godfather" or simply looking for a new twist on their TV viewing to give this a shot. It really will not dissapoint you! One note--this does get very graphic at times; please be warned that some of the imagery can be a little much for the unsuspecting viewer. However--truth be told--this again brings the rawness and the idea that "Wow, my life really ISN'T that bad!" full circle.
Enjoy!
GooseyLabels: dramas, Kevin Conley, Kevin-Conley, NBC, television, The Black Donnellys, the sopranos, The-Black-Donnellys, tv |
