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« The Black Donnellys
March 19, 2007: Lies!
"Is it really a lie if you’re trying to spare someone’s feelings?"
The women got a lot of backlash tonight. First, we find Jenny in church. “You’ve been on your knees for 45 minutes. I know a sin when I see one.” I didn’t know when she left with Samson last week that she was going to hop into bed with him, but fine. We all make mistakes. I was also shocked that her estranged (also known as dead) husband has been gone for over a year. I’d say those are good grounds for an annulment. Even after all the mistakes made, Jenny is still in love with Tommy. Why did the two of them never get together before? The priest mentioned that she should have never gotten involved with her husband.... So maybe Jenny has really bad taste in men, or she’s just unlucky.
I felt so bad for Kim. The poor girl must have really fallen fast for Sean. Never mind that they knew each other for less than 24 hours — she took a hit to the face for him. Do you remember that? When Nicky and his wingman were beating Sean, she did her best to defend him and took a nice punch to the cheek. She even stayed with him at the hospital and put up with Mrs. Donnelly. But the last straw was drawn when she showed up at the Donnellys' apartment. Sean never answered her calls, Tommy did his best to ignore her, and Mrs. Donnelly outright insulted the poor girl. The look of confusion on her face was priceless: “What kind of people are you?”
Again, I love Kevin. Especially the scene where he was eating his cereal. “What is it, going to get cold?” Even I thought, "Um, no, Tommy, it will get soggy, duh." Kev had a lot of responsibility in this episode. He had to watch over his mother, explain the rules of being a bookie to Jimmy and Joey, and he definitely got slapped with the “middle-child” label at the end. After all he did, he was only given squash for dinner. “I don’t like squash. I don’t even like saying it.”
Tommy is the genius of the family, I’ll give him that. By the way, was anyone else concerned with the ages of the brothers? Mrs. Donnelly mentioned to Sean that she wants him to go back to school. I’m guessing they are all in their twenties, but it would be nice to know the exact ages. Anyway, Tommy won’t be going back to art school. And I’m already predicting a Kate Ferrell hookup. Was anyone else feeling that? I know, I know... she’s a widow and older than Tommy. But Tommy likes widows.
Also, I can’t forget Jimmy and Joey. They both stole the show tonight. Jimmy insulted Jenny so many times I had my hand over my mouth in shock. And Joey was just Joey. I love those guys. No matter how much they screw up. Especially when they take on a man who weighs more than both of them combined — hilarious! I can’t wait to see what happens when people start looking for Louie or the guy named Jimmy, at the office.
Now, when Kate called Tommy and asked him to come over, I thought, "She knows he took it." But instead, she asks Tommy to change the locks. I knew Tommy put the black box outside while Kate was in the bathroom. I didn’t know Matty saw everything, but I believe the kid won’t say anything... for now. So Tommy got away with stealing the box. Then his smarts finally kicked in. He played Nicky (Kirk Acevedo) brilliantly. And even Nicky gave him credit. I’d bet on Tommy over Dokey, too. A person’s words can be far more effective than an ax.
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Mar 20, 2007 8:00 AM
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I thought last night's episode was great. Jimmy redeemed himself a bit with his comments toward Jenny, and Tommy shutting Jenny down like that was completely deserved.
I like seeing all the ways the characters interact over the episodes, especially tonight when we got the Jimmy and Joey show. And now that Sean finally has lines, we can learn about him a bit. Thank god.
As Nicky said, I would definitely bet on Tommy in fight. Dokey may have an axe, but as a friend of mine said, 'Tommy's balls are as solid as his abs.' Looks like Tommy's learning a thing or two from Nicky about getting someone where it hurts. And this is why he'll rise above them all.
Great show. And it just keeps getting better.
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Mar 20, 2007 9:00 AM
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I SO agree that Tommy is going to get together with Hughie's widow - I've seen that coming since they mentioned about how all the boys in the neighborhood had crushes on her when they were younger - and I think they both know it, too. They have good chemistry and he is very sweet with her little boy, too...even though he saw what Tommy did. I was surprised when she said that Tommy had known Hughie so well but not her or her son...I hope that we also get to see her brothers as another family to add to the mix. And man, she does NOT like Dokie...with good reason!
I laughed so hard when Jimmy and Joey were fighting with that big guy for his money - they are terrible fighters!! But you just knew that everyone was not just going to hand over their money without putting up some resistance...I kept yelling at the screen for Jimmy to shut up last week every time he opened his drug-addled mouth but he was good last night...and it was good to see that Joey was really part of the action...loved him sleeping on the floor under the pool table at the bar!
I'm glad that Jenny at least had the courage to tell Tommy that she slept with Samson - she didn't know that he already knew but she didn't compound her big mistake with an even bigger lie. You could see such a look of hope in her eyes when the priest mentioned the annulment - guess her dead husband really was a jerk if even the parish priest would tell her! I hope they can get back to each other. And next week, her dad seems to be getting worse - must be early Alzheimer's.
And - I love their mother - Kate Mulgrew is awesone...she is so real, especially telling Sean (or as only she can call him, "Seanie") how disappointed his father would have been to see him hiding in dark worrying about his looks. And how protective she is of her sons...even if she is wrong about Kim. Good interaction between her and Kevin - he is so cute and so earnest to do the right thing!
Finally - I agree - great scene at the end where Tommy was at Nicky's house to let him know that HE knows where NICKY'S mom lives. Not obviously menacing but he did get his point across. And Tommy doesn't exude the same danger that Dokie does but I agree again that Tommy just may have a leg up (and all his toes )!
Almost forgot - I LOVE the rapid fire opening credits at the beginning of the show...very effective and in keeping with everything!
HOPE NBC REALIZES THAT THE BLACK DONNELLY'S IS A KEEPER!
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Mar 20, 2007 9:51 AM
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I myself found last nights episode to be very very good! We learned quite a few things and several people gained a little respect in my opinion.
First off - I predict that we may see Seans girlfriend Kim again maybe even by the mothers request. I think if Sean keeps himself in hiding his mother may have to find Kim to prove to her son that he is not a 1/2 ogre!
We also found out that Jenny's husband was not a good man and was probably abusive towards her. We also found out that she still loves Tommy and I hope that they can resolve some issues - I think that she would be better for him than the widow!
Really enjoyed Nicky and Tommy's little encounter - I have to repect Nicky a bit - he knows who is truly the smarter one - it sure isn't Dokey!
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Mar 20, 2007 12:46 PM
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Gotta respect Nicky a bit because he orchestrated the whole murder plot without having to do much. And because he knows Tommy is the MAN.
I enjoyed last night's epi also. I thought that Jenny talking to Tommy at the end in the bar was a little wishy washy. She seemed too contrite to me and came off looking like a whipped dog. I wanted to see more sparks in her personality in that scene. Yeah, I know she's sorry and knows she hurt him, but I think of her as more feisty than that.
If Tommy hooks up with the widow, I'm gonna be disappointed. The whole time he was with her last night, I was talking to myself.."No, don't do anything, Tommy. Please don't". Just something I don't want to see.
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Mar 20, 2007 1:45 PM
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Another show about a family of bullies, murderers, and thieves. Who needs it?
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Mar 20, 2007 1:48 PM
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Another good episode last night. I really hope NBC leaves this on the air so we can see how the story ends (even if it only goes half a season).
I loved Tommy turning the tables on Nick at the end of the ep, beating him at his own game.
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Mar 20, 2007 3:39 PM
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This show is winning me over with each episode. I'm totally sucked in I admit. I love Kate Muldrew in this role. She's totally believable. And even though I felt bad for the blond chick, you had to respect moms not having it. And even Kevin said he couldn't give Sean the note if his mom didn't want him to! I did call him a momma's boy though.
Feel bad for Jennie but glad she's getting an annulment and time to figure out who she is as a single woman. I didn't expect her to get her groove on with the guy either. Respected the way she told him the truth though and the way she told Tommy too. Although I totally understood Tommy not wanting to hear about it. I don't think he treated her like that because he was mad so much as it hurt too much, so he was brusque. Jimmy calling her all those names was funny. I did feel bad for her though.
I think Tommy will hook up with the widow too. As long as it's one of those temporary mourning things fine. But not for the long run. The son is so cute and he really likes Tommy. Let's see how long he holds out.
I loved Tommy showing up at Nicky's house. Brilliant. Screw Nicky - although I will always love Alvarez from Oz and am thrilled to see him in something else.
I love the Joey Icecream recaps in the beginning of the episodes. Even if he does nothing else, there's real value there. I figure if he's in jail snitching left and right, at the end of the series the boys will either be dead or in jail. Poor Mom.
My only concern for this show is how dark it is. Will each episode be just another set of struggles and that's it? I hope we get to see the boys with lighter, family moments. Or with girlfriends. Something that makes them better rounded than just 4 Irish punks in NY.
Excellent episode though.
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Mar 20, 2007 3:52 PM
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Maybe we can have hope that they'll end up as government witnesses and be relocated and have new identities. One can hope for Mom that they don't end up in jail or dead.
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Mar 20, 2007 6:05 PM
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I'm not sure about the ages either... but IF I remember correctly I saw in the credits when it showed the actors playing the young brothers/joey ice cream it said:
Jimmy age 12
Tommy age 10
Kevin age 9
Sean age 8
Joey Ice cream age 11
The cop told Joey Ice Cream that he was locked up in Juvie in 1999 and if he was 16 or 17 (I figued he had to be close to legal in 1999 if he "forgot" he was in juvie) then he'd be 23 or 24 now.
Given that.... my guess is that
Jimmy's 25 or 26
Tommy (who is younger than both Jimmy and Joey) 23 or 24
Kevin would be 22 or 23
Sean would be 21 or 22.
They were all drinking at the bar in the first ep... even in front of the cops... granted.. it was their bar but I'm assuming they are all old enough to drink.
I got the impression from mom that he dropped out of high school at some point. And making him go back to school wouldn't necessarily mean making him go back to "High school" especially if he dropped out Junior or Senior year to go work at what was it.. the steel mill? She could be making him go to community college to get his GED or something like that.
or... Sean.. being the baby and seemingly more like Tommy than Jimmy or Kevin in the brain department, could have graduated... started city college and then decided not continue since it was more "Tommy" than him and Tommy up until last night was in college.
And yes... I feel a Kate Farrell hook up coming... and it will be a glorious disaster.
The guilt Tommy feels at having to kill Huey is eating him alive... and Kate is making it worse by making him her knight in shining armor. I think he feels he HAS to try to make it up to her in any way he can... so when she calls... he's going to jump... plus there is the whole "he deprived Matty of a father" angle.
Tommy hasn't dealt with any of what he's done yet.. and I think when it hits him... it's going to hit him hard and He'll need an anchor to keep him from going nuts and Kate could sort of fall into that role without realizing it. Somebody who is grieving too (albeit in a differnt way) and he can hold onto to keep himself from going insane.
Plus... this show is so twisted it can have a character who would
Kill a man
Host his wake
Bed his widow
and
Take over his job...
And STILL have you rooting for him to get away with it all.
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Mar 20, 2007 10:13 PM
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The whole cold cereal thing was Tommy being sarcastic :P
Last episode I predicted Tommy would hook up with the widow because there was just this chemistry that jumped out at me.
Jenny needs to move far far away because being with Tommy will only lead to trouble for her and her father.
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Mar 21, 2007 12:31 AM
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I enjoyed this episode but I am starting to wonder if they EVER have any customers in the bar.  Other than the wake and Joey Ice Cream, I don't think we've seen anyone else actually in the bar -- no customers. Maybe the times we see them are supposed to be before it opens and after it closes...
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Mar 21, 2007 1:21 AM
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Another great ep..tho we need more nakey Tommy scenes and I will keep sayin it til we get one haha
I love Tommy..he is very smart and I also would bet on him rather than Dokey.
I agree that Tommy's gonna be knockin the boots with Huey's widow. The tension they have between them is not just bcuz Tommy killed her hubby.
Jenny got what she deserved..she shouldnt have tried to hurt Tommy like that...and with Samson..come on?!?!?!
I wonder whats gonna happen to Jimmy & Joey when its found they've been taken the bookie $$. Does Jimmy ever think things thru..consequences my friend!
Still love the show and I love that all the characters were involved in this ep.
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Mar 21, 2007 10:24 AM
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I know the cold cereal comment was meant to be sarcastic. But Kevin's response was still hilarious.
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Mar 21, 2007 1:26 PM
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Tommy isn't the least bit guilty about killing Huey. Remember, Huey wanted Jimmy to give himself up to the Italians to be killed ("make sure Jimmy comes alone and everything will be alright"). Tommy found out that the deal Huey negotiated, meant forfeiting Jimmy's life. Tommy isn't any more guilty about killing Huey than he is about killing the Italian boss.
The only thing that might keep him out of Widow Farrell's bed is the fact that it might not sit well with Dokey...unless those two (Tommy & the widow) get together to take him out.
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Mar 21, 2007 1:51 PM
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