KIN Series 1 Episode 8 Recap

The episode starts with Amanda Kinsella (Clare Dunne) pulling into a busy airport parking lot. After cautiously making her way to the rear of a commuter van, she removes a duffle bag from what appears to be Eamon Cunningham’s (Ciaran Hinds) missing stash. She later pays a surprise visit to Isaac “Kem” Kemela (Ryan Lincoln) who initially wants nothing to do with her. He eventually invites her in once she starts to draw attention from the neighbors and promises to look after him later. The footage then skips forward to her patio where she and Michael Kinsella (Charlie Cox) build a barrel fire and contact Con Doyle (Keith McErlean). Con gloats about leveraging Anthony Kinsella (Mark Mckenna Jr) and throws out several more threats before she interrupts with requests to meet Eamon. He tells her that she deals with him but that changes when she shares live video footage of her burning several packaged bricks of drugs. Eamon is shown watching the video as she promises to burn more every 12 hours until she gets a face-to-face with him. He responds later that day with the promise to arrange a meeting on neutral grounds.

While being processed into the real jail Eric “Viking” Kinsella (Sam Keeley) becomes belligerent when he learns he’s being placed in protective custody. Even after learning that Bren Kinsella (Francis Magee) wants nothing to do with him, he demands to be with the other inmates. The guards eventually let him know that it’s ultimately their decision.

Jimmy Kinsella (Emmett J Scanlan) is ecstatic when he and Frank Kinsella (Aidan Gillen) return home to discover Anthony has returned from school. Amanda quickly ruins the happy reunion by ordering Anthony to his room. Amanda and Michael quickly bring him up to speed on the threats and attempted kidnapping. While Jimmy expresses his anger, she unveils her and Michael’s plan to meet with and kill Eamon if he doesn’t agree to a deal. Frank violently protests, forcing Michael to step in. Michael attempts to change Frank’s stance by revealing how Eamon disrespected Bridget “Birdy” Goggins (Maria Doyle Kennedy) during their meeting earlier. Frank still isn’t convinced and ends up storming off. Birdy follows and attempts to console him while Amanda and Michael update Jimmy.

Viking is introduced to the protection ward of the prison where he’ll spend 23 hours a day during his confinement. Elsewhere, Jimmy asks why Michael didn’t tell him about his and Amanda’s affair earlier. Michael says he supposes it was because he didn’t want to hurt him. Jimmy says if he knew at least he would have likely been over it and moved on by now. Amanda’s announcement that Eamon has scheduled a meeting for the airport interrupts their discussion.

Later Michael asks his protection detail to take him to the pharmacy where he picks up an anticonvulsant medication. After the pharmacist gives him a general outline of the medication, he returns home and prepares for the meeting. He and Jimmy later leave on the motorcycle and Amanda joins Anthony in the living room. She offers to make him any of his favorite meals and he chooses her chicken curry.

Nikita “Nikki” Murphy (Yasmin Seky) has a heated discussion with Frank and Birdy about Eric being placed in the protection ward. Birdy attempts to get her to view it as a good thing, claiming it might be safer for him. In his cell, Eric does several pushups before bashing his head and fists bloody on the door. Although he’s still standing when the guards arrive, he drops as soon as they open the door.

Jimmy returns home to announce he dropped off Michael and finds Amanda making Anthony’s favorite meal. He tells her that he would have happily taken Michael’s place if she asked him first. She says there is something he can do for her but it will require him missing Jamie Kinsella’s (Cian Fitzismons) month mass tomorrow. He agrees.

During a video conference, Eamon tells Luke Cunningham (Dylan Fitzmaurice Brady) to go to bed and promises to be home for his birthday party tomorrow. When the conversation ends, Con leads Kem into the meet with him and promises that he’s working to set Michael up but it’s taking extra time because he’s extremely careful and doesn’t trust a lot of people. Eamon is pleased but becomes even happier when Kem says he might have a lead on one of the Kinsella family tomorrow. He promises to let Con know while being ushered out.

The following morning, Eamon is carted off to the meeting at the airport while Amanda offers Jimmy the opportunity to back out of his earlier promise. He assures her is going to go through with it. Outside opening the gate to leave, she encounters Frank who tells her to enjoy her moment while it lasts because it will end. She claims she’s just doing what’s necessary to protect the family.

After passing airport security, Amanda thanks Eamon for meeting her. He claims she didn’t give him a choice and all he can offer is to not kill Anthony, if she returns his drugs. If not, he promises to double the bounty. She promises to burn the drugs should any harm come to Michael, Jimmy, Anthony, or any Kinsella for that matter. He doesn’t take the threat well and scoffs at her promise of $50 million for peace. He claims the drugs alone were worth $50 million, so it’s like she’d just be giving back what she stole.  Bringing his attention to all the deaths surrounding the incident, including her son, she assures him that isn’t the case. He apologizes for Jamie’s death and says that was an accident but his position requires ruthlessness therefore, he can’t accept the deal. When asked what is acceptable, he says the return of the drugs, along with Michael, Frank, Jimmy, or Eric, which means she will have managed to save three of Kinsellas. She attempts to get him to reveal who he would choose but he refuses and the meeting ends.

Joining Birdy and Frank at their house, Amanda shares the results of the meeting but claims Eamon specifically asked for the drugs and Eric’s head. Frank refuses and accuses her of deliberately staging these results while Birdy asks if she has already agreed. Amanda says it’s Frank’s decision as the boss. A fuming Frank continues to hurl accusations while Amanda walks away.

Elsewhere Nikki endures the strenuous check-in process before joining Eric in the prison infirmary. He admits to not considering how the arrest would affect her. He continues by marking her aware of the eyewitness. He suggests she use Kem and $20,000 from their hidden stash to uncover and eliminate the identity of that individual.

Amanda and Anthony are shown joining other mourners at the church for Jamie’s month anniversary. As Father Scriven (Aidan Jordan) begins the dedication, Kem is shown meeting with Con. Jimmy soon approaches them with a ski mask but freezes at the last second, giving Con time to speed away. When Kem manages to overpower him and stop the vehicle, Con attempts a foot escape, but Jimmy is no longer frozen and guns him down. The father’s tribute continues while Jimmy unloads his gun in Con’s back and Birdy’s call to Eamon reveals that the Kinsella death was ultimately up to Amanda. She races to share her discovery with Frank, who has seemingly overdosed in the living.

Eamon’s flight home goes array with the unexpected arrival of Cenk Batuk (Bamshad Abedi-Amin). Although Eamon assures him the situation is now resolved, Cenk claims Eamon will need to relay that information to his father because he’s lost complete confidence in him. In the parking garage, Cent and his guard are coldly executed, leaving Michael alone to face a stunned Eamon. Michael reveals that Amanda lied to him before putting a bullet through his right eye. The father ends his tributary as Michael drops the murder weapon and walks away coldly. Jimmy gags and vomits as he burns Con’s body.

While lighting a candle before the Virgin Mary, Birdy joins Amanda and tells her that both she and Amanada’s father agree it’s time for her to return home with Anthony. Amanda says she’s a Kinsella now and can’t return home.

 

KIN Review

Wow! As far as season finales go, you couldn’t ask for a more fulfilling episode. I felt that the episode expertly wrapped up several storylines while setting the stage for future ones. The thing I really appreciate about this finale is that although many will say it ended on a huge cliffhanger (and it kind of did), it somehow felt resolved to me. Despite the lack of real action scenes, most episodes fell extremely action-packed. I also enjoyed how Michael and Jimmy’s reactions to murder were compared with back-to-back scenes. The finale series 1 episode easily deserves a 6.5 out of 10.

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