House of Guinness
Since the roaring success of Birmingham crime drama Peaky Blinders, writer Steven Knight has applied his penchant for crafting enigmatic characters and sharp dialogue to other shows like A Thousand Blows and This Town. While neither of those came close to replicating the response to his breakout hit, his latest creation, House of Guinness, is the nearest thing to a spiritual successor to Peaky Blinders. Throughout its eight-episode run, this Netflix drama proves to be both utterly enthralling and effortlessly stylish.
Set in 1860s Dublin, the fictionalised drama opens with the funeral procession of the Guinness family patriarch being led through streets lined by those fiercely opposed to his ties to the British establishment. Meanwhile, his employees, led by the brewery’s ferocious foreman (James Norton), prepare for a brawl as an energetic folk-rock track drives the action forward until the violence breaks out. From Norton’s gleeful performance to the slick cinematography, this attention-grabbing introduction is a bold statement of intent that lets audiences know exactly what they’re in for.
As the Guinness empire is passed down to eldest sons Arthur (Anthony Boyle) and Edward (Louis Partridge), all but cutting out youngest son Benjamin (Fionn O’Shea) and daughter Anne (Emily Fairn), the narrative branches out into various directions. Arthur aims for political success while trying to keep the open secret of his sexuality out of the public eye. At the same time, Edward moves to expand the business into the American market but must find a way to make peace with the Fenian Brotherhood to do so. Then there’s a love triangle, a forbidden romance, and the ongoing religious tensions that threaten to boil over at any moment. The script carefully develops each subplot as events unfold. By the final episode, everything comes together into a nail-biting finale that will leave viewers hungry for more.
Alongside the top-notch performances and immaculate production value, the series likewise boasts a stellar soundtrack featuring Irish artists, including Kneecap, The Scratch and Fontaines DC. The only minor flaw in this otherwise excellent series is that some tracks don’t fit the show’s tone as well as others.
Led by an ensemble of riveting performances and soaked in intoxicating style, House of Guinness is a dazzling television outing that sees Knight at his absolute best.
Andrew Murray
House of Guinness is released on Netflix on 25th September 2025.
Watch the trailer for House of Guinness here:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
YouTube
RSS