# The Black Donnellys (2007)

> Four Irish-American brothers in New York are drawn from street mischief into organized crime, with their loyalty to each other tested at every step.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/590

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 13
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: crime, drama
- Created by: Paul Haggis, Bobby Moresco
- Network: NBC
- Cast: Jonathan Tucker, Tom Guiry, Olivia Wilde, Billy Lush, Michael Stahl-David, Kirk Acevedo, Keith Nobbs, Peter Greene
- TMDB rating: 8.1/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0805661/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: moderate
- Tone: gritty, melancholic, raw, pulpy, intense

## What critics say

Audience reception is positive, with viewers praising the brothers' bond and the gritty Irish-American crime world of Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen.

## Synopsis

The Black Donnellys (2007) is an American crime drama miniseries created by Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco for NBC. Across thirteen hour-long episodes, four Irish-American brothers, Tommy (Jonathan Tucker), Jimmy (Tom Guiry), Kevin (Billy Lush) and Sean (Michael Stahl-David), are pulled from neighborhood scrapes into the rougher business of organized crime. Their protagonist-style pull is simple: they will lie, cheat, steal and occasionally call the cops to protect one another, and every favor they owe or collect draws them deeper. Olivia Wilde plays Jenny Reilly, whose tangled relationship with the family adds personal stakes, while Kirk Acevedo's Nicky Cottero brings menace to the criminal orbit. The story is narrated by wannabe gangster Joey Ice Cream (Keith Nobbs), whose romanticized voice frames the brothers' rise. Each episode weaves street-level jobs, debts and betrayals into a larger arc about how their new life strains friendships, family bonds and love. Set in gritty working-class New York, the series has a raw, melancholic and pulpy register, with the mood of a neighborhood tale that keeps tightening around its characters. Fans of The Sopranos, Goodfellas and Boardwalk Empire will find resonance in its blend of mob mythology, loyalty and moral compromise.

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