So now that I’ve finally gotten into the swing of TNT’s drama, Animal Kingdom, based off of the Australian film of the same name, I figured I’m safe to finally write about it! I should also note that I’m doing the same thing I did with Gotham, in that I am watching the older seasons while also watching the newest episodes…not confusing at all.
In watching the first episode, I was jarred by how similar it was scene for scene from the film, but it basically covered all the bases in the first episode. In my head, I’m thinking, “well, what else can they do now?” Fill in the blanks and time that was lapsed in the movie, that’s what. I also like that it’s not told from J’s perspective; you get a deep dive into all the characters’ lives.
The first season centers on the Cody family, with close friend Baz as the ultimate right-hand man to Smurf. Side bar: Ellen Barkin plays a much more devious Smurf, in my personal opinion, and her resting bitch face is on par! J moves into the house with his grandmother and uncles when his mother dies of an overdose. Pope also moves back into the house after a three-year prison sentence from a bank robbery gone wrong. Baz, Pope, Craig, and Deran all don’t trust J to really include him on many of the heists, but you can tell Smurf favors him for some reason.
Throughout the season we learn that J’s teacher is working for the feds to bust the Cody family, but we catch a glimpse of J’s deviousness when it backfires on them all. We also learn that the feds are trying to get Baz’s wife, Catherine to turn on the Cody’s. Smurf catches wind of this and convinces Pope to get rid of her…which he does. Craig’s biggest downfall throughout the season is his heavy drug use, while Deran has a hard time coming to terms with his sexuality. The big heist of the season sees the Cody’s essentially blackmail J’s girlfriend’s dad into helping them rob a Marine Corps base.
Season two deals with the fallout from season one, with the boys getting fed up with how Smurf is running things. Baz proposes they cut her out of all future jobs so they can each collect more. Deran decides to go legit and buys a bar, while Craig’s drug use leads to his house burning down. Pope woos Amy, who works at a mega-church the Cody’s plan on robbing. Smurf has to deal with Javi, a kid who’s dad she murdered in her past, who is seeking revenge. She ends up tricking Baz in coming with her and has Javi murdered.
Baz, fed up with Smurf, who he learns has been skimming off of their jobs for the past decade and a half, steals all her belongings from a storage unit. Then he frames her for Javi’s murder. While Smurf’s in jail, she has J pay a gang to protect, while she also sends a hit out on Baz. Pope ends up confessing to Baz that Smurf had him kill Catherine, but Baz forgives him. Shortly after, Baz gets shot while him and his mistress Lucy prepare to leave for Mexico. We are left on a cliff hanger as Baz’s life hangs in the balance.
Whew! Honestly, I’m glad I was never watching these seasons in real time, because that cliff-hanger would have had me biting my nails for months! I’m already half way through season three at this point, and the season four finale is next week, so I’ll wait until I finish up to report back. Stay tuned!