I'm a sucker for a gangster, crime family series. Nothing of course will ever top the Sopranos but it's still really interesting to watch the complex mix of psychology, ethical dilemmas, power plays, betrayals and the line between good and evil. I loved 'Top Boy'which portrayed the lives of London's drug dealers and their struggles for power in a world of crime, poverty, and urban life. 'Kin' doesn't touch either show, but it's still great viewing.

'Kin' tells the story of two Dublin crime families and the feud between them - apparently not far off the true story of some gangland events in Dublin at some point. The best dramas have an element of truth, after all. There's the close knit Kinsella family which clashes with a drug cartel, which starts off when Kinsella's impuslive son fires into a crowd as retaliation for an alleged aggrievance.

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This results in the death of Jamie Cunningham, a young lad about to apply for uni but arguing with his mother about how the whole family made their money off crime, so why should he? His accidental murder from being in the wrong place at the wrong time is tragic, and how his parents attempt to cope with their grief through vengeance is an age old plot that you just know is going to end in a pretty large body count.

⭐⭐⭐ and 1/2 stars - definitely worth watching if you like a good gangland drama

Top Boy Final Season

I absolutely loved Top Boy. This season first came out in 2011, focussing on crime and drugs and urban life in East London. After two seasons it was cancelled, but later Netflix revived it and released a third season in 2019. This last season finished the show, and without giving away polot spoilers, the ending was fantastic and appropriate and didn't leave us disappointed. It seemed a natural conclusion for many of its characters.

The show shows how poverty and money via drugs and violence can impact people's choices and their families, and of course the impact of the drug trade on people's lives. It highlights how marginalised people rely on each other for support and connection - loyalty is everything. Sadly the tension between family and creating opportunity for them via crime is a fraught one - for example, the 'top boy' in the last season Jamie has to care for his brothers and the consequences of his dealings with the criminal world he is part of will impact his youngest brother in Season 4.

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Everything comes to a head in the last season of course - those who seek to get out of the cycle of crime, and others who are just trying to survive and maintain power at the expense of those around them or even just to survive at all. Of course, personal growth and transformation is always a possiblity.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Top stars for Top Boy - best of British gangland drama

If you'd like to read my other reviews, head over to the Peakd Collection here