The episode with a car chase ending in a grocery store parking lot. A lone female shopper watches as a man gets out of the lead vehicle and seeks safety inside. He is soon pursued by a hooded and masked second man. As the chase inside continues, it’s revealed that Isaac “Kem” Kemela (Ryan Lincoln) is the driver of the chase vehicle. He is also forced to intervene when he witnesses the fleeing man overpower his partner.

Elsewhere, Amanda Kinsella (Clare Dunne) is driven to what appears to be an abandoned waterfront property by Rory Hayes (Cathal Pendred). As another vehicle joins her, three Garda police cruisers with lights and sirens blaring are shown racing through the city district. Upon reaching their destination, a cuffed Eric “Viking” Kinsella (Sam Keeley) emerges from the backseat of one of the vehicles. Nuray Batuk (Oyku Karayel) and her cousin Hamza (Kenan Ece) arrive at a small airport hangar where they join a convoy of dark SUVs. A text from an associate, Hazim Aktas (Haydar Koyel), informs her that the shop is open, which she relays to Hazma as they pull away.

The cluttered state of Frank Kinsella’s (Aidan Gillen) home and hallucinations of his near overdose indicate he isn’t coping too well with Amanda’s new role. Viking is paraded through the crowded courtroom while Amanda informs the mysterious man at the meeting that payment is now expected by the end of the business day. The man expected to have until the end of the week but doesn’t dispute matters as he stalks off with the routing numbers she gave him.

Amanda is then taken to a second meeting where Jimmy Kinsella (Emmett J Scanlan) is waiting in front of a bodega with lots of money transfer advertisements. He confirms he has the payment and removes two huge black duffle bags from the rear of the vehicle. Inside, the clerk (Sinan Sicimoglu) confirms their identity but only allows one to proceed through a door behind the counter.

Bridget “Birdy” Goggins (Maria Doyle Kennedy) and Nikita “Nikki” Murphy (Yasmin Seky) are shown in attendance at the trail where they listen to Viking’s barrister (Hilary Vesey) ask the Judge (Claire O’Donovan) to drop the case now that the eyewitness is no longer a factor. When the prosecuting attorney (Michael O’Kelly) doesn’t object, Viking is released.

In the backroom of the bodega, Amanda’s money is processed and counted. Once it totals $2 million, the clerk gives her an account number and further instructions to complete the transfer. A young man arrives at Franks but is ordered to wait in the car. Erick learns that business is going well when he reunites with Birdy and Nikki outside the courtroom. Birdy not only gives him a new car, but the “boot” is loaded with a duffle of cash.

When Frank, Amanda, and Jimmy sit down for a meet with Nuray, it’s revealed that the $2 million is an attempt to correct Michael Kinsella’s (Charlie Cox) inadvertent killing of her brother, Cenk Batuk (Bamshad Abedi-Amin), which appears to be a very sore subject with her father. She immediately lets them know that the $2 million merely covers the cost of the meet and Michael is and will always be a target, no matter what. Amanda’s attempts to place the blame on Eamon Cunningham (Ciaran Hinds) don’t ease tensions. Before the meeting ends, the Kinsellas learn that they are expected to cover Eamon’s $70 million debt to her family.

Birdy arranges an elaborate celebration at a restaurant while Nikki and Viking share a romantic encounter in the restroom. Once Viking and Nikki return to the table, Frank arrives with his new man, who turns out to be his doctor (Mark Lawrence). Amanda and Jimmy are the next to join the party, but Amanda goes to the restroom. While Frank and Birdy discuss their newly assumed debt, something causes Amanda to panic while urinating. She immediately texts Jimmy and gets him to spin a lie about needing to leave the party early.

Jimmy and Amanda are later shown at a doctor’s office where it’s revealed that Amanda is 13 weeks pregnant. A quick ultrasound reveals that the baby doesn’t have a heartbeat and Amanda becomes despondent.  She later awakens while being administered anesthesia for surgery.

Michael is dropped off in what appears to be the middle of nowhere by a commuter bus where he then walks a short distance to a residence concealed in a wooded area. Elsewhere, Nuray meets with the same man that Amanda met at the start of the episode. He claims to have access to Michael. She tells him to proceed.

Nikki and Viking have taken the celebration back to a hotel room, but the festive mood turns sour when he expresses displeasure over Amanda’s new position within the family. Once he claims it’s just a matter of time before the problem resolves itself, she warns him against doing anything that will put his newfound freedom in danger.

Jimmy and Amanda discuss how well her operation went before she encourages him to return home to be with Anthony Kinsella (Mark McKenna Jr). He appears to be reluctant to leave her alone but goes while also reminding her that he is a phone call away.

That night Michael is woken by the creaking of a distant floorboard. He manages to get outside through a window in the attic, but not before another creaking board gives away his position. He purposely leaves the window open in the attic to lead the intruders to a staged area outside. After blinding the two men with blaring spotlights, he coldly shoots them dead.

The following day, Frank receives communion at the church while Amanda meets with Nuray regarding the attack on Michael. She offers an additional $20 million on top of the $70 to remove the bounty on Michael’s head. Nuray claims no arrangement will make Michael safe. Amanda tries to explain from experience that killing Michael will not ease the pain of losing her brother. Nuray gives her 4 months to pay the debt and leaves.

Alone at the church, Frank suffers another vision of his near overdose when Father Scriven arrives. While discussing his experience with the father, Frank claims the thing that worries him most is not seeing any bright lights or feeling anything warm during the three minutes his heart was stopped. Scriven tells him that the Bible is filled with people that been granted repentance and offers him to attend confessional on Friday night. Frank says that’s not a good idea for him.

Amanda returns home to order Jimmy to call a family meeting. Frank and Birdy are already there when Eric arrives. Amanda tells the family about Michael’s visitors and discusses her meeting with Nuray. She claims that Nuray agreed to remove the bounty on Michael’s head for $90 million the only problem is they only have four months to come up with the money. Eric immediately voices his displeasure over her visiting Nuray without consulting the rest of the family and the added $20 million. She says the debt is a blessing because it’s likely the only thing that’s keeping them alive. Even though both Jimmy and Frank tell him to back off, Eric spews over when Amanda suggests they expand distribution to cover the extra $20 million. She asks how he would resolve the matter but he storms off without answering.

Hazma meets and kills the mysterious man the family hired to eliminate Michael. Viking has a reunion of his own Kem where he also meets his infant daughter, Chloe. Viking gives a wad of cash as a bonus for eliminating the eyewitness and offers him the opportunity to earn more. Kem turns down the offer by claiming he’s trying to stay clean for Chloe. As if he didn’t hear him turn down the offer, Viking tells him that he needs 3 or 4 men who can be trusted before speeding off.

While working to cover his tracks from last night’s attack, Michael receives an unexpected visit from Birdy. She shares the even more unexpected yet welcome news that Amanda has found a way to bring him home. As Michael burns the bodies and car in a field, Bren Kinsella (Francis Magee) meets with the prison review board to learn that his application for parole has been granted.

 

KIN Review

Despite how slow things felt at times, the episode delivered. The release of Bren offers an entirely new welcome dynamic. Viking’s displeasure with Amanda’s new position wasn’t such a huge surprise, but Frank and Birdy’s newfound acceptance of Amanda was somewhat of a shocker. Michael is a stone-cold killer and I’m more than excited to see him return to the action.

To be honest, the only things I could complain about, which are more personal than anything else, would be Amanda’s failed pregnancy and the warring of two female crime heads. I’m not a misogynist and certainly don’t care enough to offer a stance on modern pregnancy practices, but the IVF treatments and two female warring crime bosses just aren’t appealing to me. Hopefully, the failed pregnancy is done and I end up completely surprised by Nuray’s performance. Her performance thus far feels lacking, but I’d still have to give the episode a solid 6.8 out of 10.

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