The House of Guinness: A Boring Brew or a Missed Opportunity?
The House of Guinness: A Tawdry Tale of Money, Power, and Deception
Rating: TWO STARS
Get ready for a wild ride of intrigue, drama, and deceit in The House of Guinness, the new period drama from Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders). This lavish production promises to deliver the goods with its blend of Succession-esque corporate politics and Downton Abbey-style opulence. But does it live up to the hype? Sadly not.
As we delve into the world of the Guinness family in 19th century Dublin and New York, it's clear that something is amiss. The show's creators seem more interested in indulging in sensationalized plot twists than in crafting a coherent narrative. Each episode opens with a disclaimer, "This is a fiction based on true stories," leaving viewers wondering what exactly they're watching.
I found myself spending more time researching the actual history of the Guinness family than paying attention to the show itself. Was it really true that they had violent run-ins with the Fenians? No. Were they actually subject to arson and blackmail? Nope. And did they really employ a sexy fixer who would later be played by James Norton? Not quite.
So what are we watching? A soap opera, but not even a particularly good one at that. The show follows the lives of Sir Benjamin Guinness's four children: Arthur (Anthony Boyle), Edward (Louis Partridge), Anne (Emily Fairn), and Benjamin (Fionn O'Shea). But don't get too attached to any of them - they're about as well-developed as a bunch of cardboard cutouts.
The story centers around the reading of Sir Benjamin's will, which sets off a chain reaction of power struggles, romantic entanglements, and family secrets. Or at least, it tries to. Unfortunately, the tension never quite builds, and we're left with a meandering narrative that's more concerned with setting up future episodes than with delivering any real drama.
We do get some juicy moments, like Arthur's marriage negotiations and Edward's doomed love affair. But these are few and far between, and even they can't overcome the show's overall lack of focus. It's as if Knight is trying to cram in every possible plot point, from blackmail to arson to police raids on gay joints, without any regard for coherence or pacing.
And then there's the soundtrack - a jarring mix of modern pop and rock that completely disrupts the period setting. The neon intertitles are another misstep, adding to the show's overall sense of confusion. And don't even get me started on the overuse of the F-word or the gratuitous bouts of violence in slow motion.
It's clear that Knight is trying to channel his inner Guy Ritchie (or at least, his own version of it). But this just feels like more of the same old, stale storytelling we've seen before. Even with a talented cast, they can't elevate the poorly written characters or deliver lines that are cringe-worthy in their predictability.
One thing's for sure - there are no real stakes to the proceedings. The family's secrets and scandals never quite stick, leaving us wondering what exactly we're supposed to be invested in.
If I had one piece of advice for Knight and his team, it would be to focus on the actual history of the Guinness company. How did this humble porter become a global brand? What events shaped its rise to success? And most importantly, why should we care about these people in the first place?
Unfortunately, The House of Guinness is more interested in sensationalism than substance. But hey, at least it's not boring - and that's saying something.
One final note: the show's conclusion ends on a cliffhanger, leaving us wondering if there will be more episodes to come. Here's hoping they'll get their act together and deliver some real drama next time around.
