The Black Donnellys is an American drama television series that debuted on NBC on February 26, 2007, and last aired on May 14, 2007. Thereafter, NBC began releasing new episodes weekly on NBC.com[citation needed] until the series was canceled. The Black Donnellys was created by Paul Haggis and Robert Moresco featured in the cast Jonathan Tucker, Olivia Wilde, Billy Lush, Tom Guiry, Kirk Acevedo, and relative newcomers Michael Stahl-David and Keith Nobbs.
The series follows four young Roman Catholic Irish-American brothers in New York City's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood and their involvement with petty and organized crime, specifically the Irish Mob.[1] Set in the present day, the show draws heavily upon Irish-American history and iconic themes. The pilot episode illustrates a clear tension and rivalry between Irish and Italians. The episodes are narrated by a childhood friend, Joey "Ice Cream", whom the show depicts as an unreliable narrator.[2]
In creating the show, Haggis, a native of London, Ontario, strongly referenced his hometown's local history about the real-life Black Donnellys and the massacre associated with their name. In the pilot episode, Joey says the neighborhood is populated primarily by "Black Irish", whom he calls "a race of dark-haired people" the Celts had failed to wipe out in Ireland. Hell's Kitchen in the series is also a fairly faithful depiction—a traditionally working-class neighborhood with a deeply entrenched ethnic Irish population and an Irish Mob with control over illegal gambling and loansharking, and heavy involvement in the unions.
On May 14, 2007, the series was canceled by NBC.[3] On June 5, 2007, it was announced that HDNet had acquired the rights from NBC Universal to broadcast all 13 episodes of the series, beginning June 13, 2007.[4] A DVD collection entitled "The Black Donnellys: The Complete Series" was released on September 4, 2007.
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | U.S. Viewers (million)[5][6][7] | |
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1 | "Pilot" | Paul Haggis | Paul Haggis & Robert Moresco | February 26, 2007 (2007-02-26) | 7.93 | |
Tommy, the Donnellys' only honest man, has to make a difficult choice — fight for his family or turn his back on them and keep to the straight and narrow – as he becomes embroiled in a plot hatched by his brother Jimmy to help out his brother Kevin. Kevin owes money to the wrong guys, and Jimmy tries to pay it off for him by abducting his bookie. Nicky Cottero, working for mob boss Sal takes matters into his own hands, leading to drastic consequences for the Donnelly brothers. | ||||||
2 | "A Stone of the Heart" | Paul Haggis | Kim Clements & Paul Haggis | March 5, 2007 (2007-03-05) | 6.88 | |
As Sean's fate becomes clear to the Donnelly siblings, an antsy Jimmy stews in a holding cell. Meanwhile, an unsettled Tommy finds comfort in Jenny as their friendship begins to morph into something more serious. Nicky grasps control of the Italian mob. | ||||||
3 | "God Is a Comedian Playing to an Audience Afraid to Laugh" | Dan Lerner | Robert Moresco & Jeff F. King | March 5, 2007 (2007-03-05) | N/A | |
Kevin's attempts various ways to bail Jimmy out of jail, despite Tommy's protests. Meanwhile, due to a shortage of beds, Sean is moved out of ICU and Tommy desperately needs to find a way to get his brother back in. Dokey, Alo and Nicky come close to a confrontation. | ||||||
4 | "The World Will Break Your Heart" | Deran Sarafian | Bob Lowry & Kim Clements | March 12, 2007 (2007-03-12) | 6.53 | |
Tommy is plagued with guilt when Kate, widow of Irish mob kingpin Huey, asks him to host her slain husband's wake. Meanwhile, Kevin and Joey go on a quest to find booze for the wake; Huey's brother Dokey begins to suspect that drug-addled Jimmy may be his sibling's killer. | ||||||
5 | "Lies" | Gloria Muzio | Sean Whitesell | March 19, 2007 (2007-03-19) | 5.53 | |
Tommy realizes the Italian's new mob boss Nicky Cottero means business on collecting his debt when he threatens the boy's mother, Helen. After exhausting all options, Tommy takes Dokey's bribe and while visiting Huey's widow, steals a box that Dokey wants. Jimmy and Joey Ice Cream find the former Louie Downtown's cellphone and, after realizing he was running a gambling circuit, start to collect on his payments. Sean finally comes home from the hospital while Jenny wakes up after sleeping with Samson and gets blown off by Tommy when she tries to explain. | ||||||
6 | "Run Like Hell" | Ed Sherin | Laurie Hutzler & Gary Lennon | March 26, 2007 (2007-03-26) | 5.43 | |
Tommy gets pulled into Jimmy and Kevin's bookmaking action when he realizes the guy about to get busted for not paying is his friend Maxwell. When Tommy decides to track the money down himself, he gets played by his friend and ultimately ends up doing the busting. As Jimmy has Kevin toss Louie Downtown's phone, we meet Whitey who helps him transfer the numbers — but a flash into the future shows this relationship is headed for trouble. Jenny discovers her father's medical condition when the diner deposits never make it to the bank. | ||||||
7 | "The Only Thing Sure" | David Straiton | Allan Steele | April 2, 2007 (2007-04-02) | 5.3 | |
Tommy and Jimmy have a role-reversal when it's Jimmy who's painting the bar and protecting Sean from the business. Meanwhile, Tommy is collecting on payments with Kevin. A flashback to Kevin's childhood shows why he believes he's truly lucky as a gambler. Jenny struggles to maintain the family's diner and watch over her ailing father. | ||||||
8 | "In Each One a Savior" | Anthony Hemingway | Rafael Alvarez & Mick Betancourt | April 9, 2007 (2007-04-09) | N/A | |
While Tommy helps a woman who wants to evict drug dealers from her building, he discovers that this simple thing is much more complicated than he thought. Meanwhile, Jimmy continues his attempts to take over the neighborhood and stoops to a new low when he demands payment from Jenny. During the meantime, Nicky finds out what really happened to Louie Downtown. | ||||||
9 | "All of Us Are in the Gutter" | TJ Scott | Alissa Haggis & Amanda Moresco | April 16, 2007 (2007-04-16) | N/A | |
Tommy is finally able to do the only thing he wants to do, art. With the help of Kate, he gets a job at an art studio. But when he thinks he's now able to separate himself from the "business" of his family, he learns that it won't happen. Nicky, who decided not to kill Kevin, wants to use Louie Downtown's cell phone and offers a partnership to the Donnellys but will only deal with Tommy. | ||||||
10 | "When the Door Opens" | Jeff F. King | Robert Moresco | April 23, 2007 (2007-04-23) | N/A | |
Things go horribly wrong for the Donnellys when their loyalty is put to the test. | ||||||
11 | "Wasn't That Enough?" | Kevin Bray | Alissa Haggis & Amanda Moresco | April 30, 2007 (2007-04-30) | N/A | |
Tommy helps the Reillys after their diner is put up for eviction. Tommy and Kevin find out more about their father's past and how he died. | ||||||
12 | "The Black Drop" | Dan Minahan | Paul Haggis & Sean Whitesell | May 7, 2007 (2007-05-07) | N/A | |
Tommy finishes helping out the Reilly's get their eviction overturned. Meanwhile, he learns more about who killed his father. Jimmy tries to deal with Dokey on his own. | ||||||
13 | "Easy Is the Way" | Robert Moresco | Paul Haggis & Sean Whitesell | May 14, 2007 (2007-05-14) | N/A | |
Tommy tries to get his family and run away, before Dokey gets to them, but Jimmy has different plans for Dokey. Jenny ends the threats from Samson once and for all. |
Title | Region 1 | Region 2 | Ep # | Additional information |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Complete Series | September 4, 2007 | January 28, 2008 | 13 | Deleted Scenes, 6 Unaired Episodes. |
Country | TV Network(s) | Series Premiere | Weekly Schedule |
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United States | NBC | February 26, 2007 | Mondays, 10 pm |
Canada | Global Television Network | February 26, 2007 | Sundays, 10 pm Mondays, 10 pm |
Finland | Canal+, Sub | September 2, 2007 | Mondays, 11 pm |
Germany | TNT Serie | September 5, 2007 | Wednesdays, 8:15 pm |
Ireland | RTÉ Two | August 14, 2007 | Tuesdays, 11:20 pm |
United Kingdom | ITV2 (part of XXL Thursday) | September 27, 2007 | Thursdays, 11 pm (originally 9 pm) |
Spain | Canal+, Calle 13 and MTV Spain | October 11, 2007 | Thursdays, 9:30 pm |
Mexico | AXN | November 5, 2007 | Mondays, 8:00 pm |
Argentina | AXN | November 6, 2007 | Tuesday, 8:00 pm |
Brazil | AXN | November 6, 2007 | Tuesday, 9:00 pm |
Peru | AXN | November 6, 2007 | Tuesday, 8:00 pm |
Thailand | Star World | 2007 | Sundays, 9 pm (THAI/WIB) |
Slovenia | POP TV | January 2, 2008 | Wednesday, 10:45 pm |
Australia | Showcase | May 21, 2008 | Wednesday, 9:30 pm |
Portugal | Fox Crime TVI | May, 2008 | Wednesdays |
Sweden | Kanal 5 | June 1, 2008 | Sunday, 9:55 pm |
Chile | MEGA, AXN | June 23, 2008 | Monday, 1:30 am |
Italy | Italia1 | September 8, 2008 | Sunday, 12:35 am |
Russia | The Star | October 13, 2008 | Monday-Thursday, 10:40 pm |
India | Star World | November 2008 | |
New Zealand | C4 | December 29, 2008 | Monday, 8:30 pm |
Hungary | TV2, Viasat6 | January 7, 2009 | Wednesdays, after 11:00 pm |
Belgium | Canvas | March 23, 2009 | Mondays, 11:45 pm |
Belgium | La Deux | May 2010 | Sundays, 8:30 pm |
Netherlands | RTL 7 | April 10, 2009 | Fridays, 9:25 pm |
Croatia | Nova TV | November 5, 2009 | Monday-Thursday, 1:20 am |
Greece | Alter Channel | April 2010 | Saturday-Sunday, 3:00 am |
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