View source for The Black Donnellys

{{about|the 2007 NBC TV show|the Canadian Donnelly family|Black Donnellys}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox television
| image              = The Black Donnellys - intro.jpg
| genre              = [[Drama (film and television)|Drama]]
| creator            = {{Plain list|
*[[Paul Haggis]]
*[[Robert Moresco]]
}}
| developer          = {{Plain list|
*Scott Corwon
*Paul Haggis
}}
| starring           = {{Plain list|
*[[Jonathan Tucker]]
*[[Tom Guiry|Thomas Guiry]]
*[[Olivia Wilde]]
*[[Billy Lush]]
*[[Michael Stahl-David]]
*[[Kirk Acevedo]]
*[[Keith Nobbs]]
*[[Kate Mulgrew]]
*[[Peter Greene]]
*[[Michael Rispoli]]
*[[Kevin Conway (actor)|Kevin Conway]]
}}
| country            = United States
| language           = English
| num_seasons        = 1
| num_episodes       = 13 (7 aired online)
| list_episodes      =
| executive_producer = {{Plain list|
*Paul Haggis
*Robert Moresco
}}
| producer           = 
| camera             = 
| runtime            = 46 minutes
| company            = {{Plain list|
*Blackfriars Bridge
*[[Universal Television|NBC Universal Television Studio]]
*IMPACTS Entertainment
}}
| network            = [[NBC]]
| location           = [[New York City]]<ref name="IGN">{{cite news |last1=Goldman |first1=Eric |title=The Stars of The Black Donnellys Speak |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/03/03/the-stars-of-the-black-donnellys-speak |access-date=4 May 2023 |work=[[IGN]] |date=March 2, 2007}}</ref>
| first_aired        = {{Start date|2007|2|26}}
| last_aired         = {{end date|2007|5|14}} 
}}

'''''The Black Donnellys''''' is an American [[Drama (film and television)|drama]] television series that debuted on [[NBC]] on February 26, 2007, and last aired on May 14, 2007. ''The Black Donnellys'' was created by [[Paul Haggis]] and [[Robert Moresco]] and starred [[Jonathan Tucker]], [[Olivia Wilde]], [[Billy Lush]], [[Tom Guiry]], [[Kirk Acevedo]], [[Michael Stahl-David]], and [[Keith Nobbs]].

The series follows four young [[Roman Catholic]] [[Irish-American]] brothers in [[New York City]]'s [[Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan|Hell's Kitchen]] neighborhood and their involvement with petty and [[organized crime]], specifically the [[Irish Mob]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/the-black-donnellys/show/49534/summary.html|title=The Black Donnellys|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070930161335/http://www.tv.com/the-black-donnellys/show/49534/summary.html|archive-date=2007-09-30|website=[[TV.com]]}}</ref> Set in the present day, the show draws heavily upon Irish-American history and themes of family and loyalty. The pilot episode illustrates a clear tension and rivalry between Irish and Italians. The episodes are narrated by a childhood friend, Joey "Ice Cream", whom the show depicts as an [[unreliable narrator]].<ref name=Slate>{{Cite news|url=https://slate.com/culture/2007/02/the-black-donnellys-reviewed.html|title=The Black Donnellys|last=Patterson|first=Troy|date=February 27, 2007|website=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|language=en|access-date=September 24, 2019}}</ref>

In creating the show, Haggis, a native of [[London, Ontario]], strongly referenced his hometown's local history about the real-life [[Black Donnellys]] and the massacre associated with their name. In the pilot episode, Joey says the neighborhood is populated primarily by "[[Black Irish (ethnic group)|Black Irish]]", whom he calls "a race of dark-haired people" the Celts had failed to wipe out in Ireland. The series portrays Hell's Kitchen as a traditionally [[Working class|working-class]] neighborhood with a deeply entrenched ethnic Irish population and an [[Irish Mob]] with control over illegal gambling and loansharking, and heavy involvement in the [[Labor union|unions]].

On April 9, 2007, the show was pulled from NBC’s primetime line-up.<ref>{{cite news|url= https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/the-black-donnellys-canceled |last=von Meistersinger |first=Toby |work=[[Gothamist]] |title=The Black Donnellys Canceled  |date=April 10, 2007 |access-date=May 4, 2023}}</ref> On April 14, the series was officially cancelled, but the remainder of the episodes were made available on the NBC website and on [[iTunes]].<ref name="Trek">{{cite news |title=NBC Cancels 'The Black Donnellys' |url=https://www.trektoday.com/news/140407_01.shtml |access-date=4 May 2023 |work=TrekToday.com |date=April 14, 2007}}</ref> On June 5, 2007, it was announced that [[HDNet]] had acquired the rights from NBC Universal to broadcast all 13 episodes of the series, beginning June 13, 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hd.net/pressrelease.html?2007-06-05-01.html |title=The Black Donnellys Are Back! Series to Premiere June 13 On HDNet |website=[[AXS TV|HDNet]]|date=June 5, 2007 |access-date=March 26, 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070831031815/http://www.hd.net/pressrelease.html?2007-06-05-01.html |archive-date=2007-08-31}}</ref> A DVD collection entitled "The Black Donnellys: The Complete Series" was released on September 4, 2007.

==Characters==
* Thomas "Tommy" Donnelly ([[Jonathan Tucker]]) – Tommy is the second oldest brother in the Donnelly family. He is known to step up as the leader of the four brothers and often cleans up his brothers' trouble-making messes. His care-taking nature stems from an incident in childhood when he ran over his brother Jimmy's leg after stealing a car. He promised God that if Jimmy walked again, he, Tommy, would take care of him thereafter.  Tommy wants to become an artist, and has been going to art school. Huey Farrell, the boss of the [[Irish Mob]], had been paying for his tuition. When Huey dies, the money is revoked by Huey's brother Dokey Farrell, who suspects Tommy of killing his brother. Tommy is in love with Jenny Reilly, a childhood friend with whom he has a complicated and strained relationship.  He struggles between taking care of his family and doing what he wants.
* James "Jimmy" Donnelly ([[Tom Guiry]]) – The oldest of 4 brothers, Jimmy is a troublemaker and drug user, often involved in criminal activity, and known for making stupid decisions. He walks with a permanent limp, incurred when a speeding, runaway car crushed his leg, when he was young.  (Jimmy does not know who was driving the car; only Joey Ice Cream and Tommy know that it was actually little Tommy.) Jimmy believes he should be the leader of the Donnelly brothers, but his constant temper flare-ups cause people to believe him incapable of leadership, so they follow Tommy. This constant battle for being in charge causes friction between the two brothers throughout the season.
* Jenny Reilly ([[Olivia Wilde]]) – A childhood friend of Tommy and rest of the Donnelly boys', Jenny runs a local diner with her father.  She and Tommy have a complicated and strained relationship. Jenny married a schoolteacher who, unbeknownst to her, stole from drug dealers to pay his student loans and ended up stuffed in an oil drum. No one has the heart to tell Jenny.
* Kevin Donnelly ([[Billy Lush]]) – Kevin is the second youngest of the Donnelly brothers.  He is a gambler whose gut instincts are extremely lucky. The problem is, he never follows his gut. He doubts every bet that he makes, and therefore loses every bet except one: the only bet he has won in his entire life occurred the day before his father died, when he asked Kevin to pick a horse to bet on in a horse race. The horse won, and as it was the last thing his father did with him, it caused Kevin to believe he is lucky. His gambling debt to Louie Downtown created the chain of events that lead to the season finale.  Kevin is often caught between helping Tommy and Jimmy. He is very loyal to his brothers and is much more of a follower than a leader.
* Sean "Seanny" Donnelly ([[Michael Stahl-David]]) – Seanny is the youngest of the brothers and is noted for his popularity with women.  In the season premiere, Sean is severely beaten by Nicky Cottero in reaction to Jimmy's kidnapping of Louie Downtown. Sean would like to help his brothers with "business", but they try to keep him out of the loop to keep him safe.
* Nicky Cottero ([[Kirk Acevedo]]) – Nicky is an Italian gangster currently attempting to take over the area formerly controlled by his mentor, Sal. He befriends the Donnellys to try to take down both Dokey and Alo.
[[Image:Mulgrew as HelenDonnelly.jpg|thumb|125px|right|[[Kate Mulgrew]] as Helen Donnelly.]]
* Joey "Ice Cream" ([[Keith Nobbs]]) – Joey is the jailhouse narrator and a lifelong friend of the brothers. He is typically willing to help them out in their times of need.  Something of a [[Scheherezade]] figure, he is a classic example of an unreliable narrator, revising his story frequently when called on iffy details.
* Helen Donnelly ([[Kate Mulgrew]]) – Helen is the Donnelly brothers' widowed mother. She watches out the most for young Sean, but she fiercely defends all her sons and turns a blind eye to their acts of revenge.  While the boys feel she needs protecting, she gives hints of being much more capable and streetwise than they would ever guess.
* Derek Timothy "Dokey" Farrell ([[Peter Greene]]) –  Dokey is an Irish gangster who controls his deceased older brother's turf. He gained the nickname Dokey while growing up and being reportedly "The King of the Hokey Pokey" = "Hokey-Pokey Dokey". He is known for carrying an axe and chopping off people's toes. He wants more than anything to gain the prestige and respect his brother had, but has trouble putting up with the aggression of the Italians and the wayward ways of the Donnellys.
* Al "Alo" Onatero ([[Michael Rispoli]]) – Alo is the boss of the Italian mob.
* Ian Reilly ([[Kevin Conway (actor)|Kevin Conway]]) – Jenny's father.
* Robert "Bobby" Donnelly ([[John Michael Bolger|John Bolger]]) – Bobby is the Donnelly brothers' deceased father. He and Huey were the bosses of the Irish neighborhood when the Donnelly brothers were kids, though Bobby was the head of the union local, a position that earned significant respect for himself and his family.
* Terrance "Whitey" Waylon ([[Kevin Corrigan]]) – Whitey is Bob the Mouth's nephew and Jimmy's business partner. Jimmy stabs him to death after discovering Whitey has been sleeping with Joanie and out of fear that he may have given up information to the police or Dokey.
* Samson Dawlish ([[James Badge Dale]]) – A suitor of Jenny's who becomes obsessed. He works for a delivery service that serves Reilly's diner, and makes a point of delivering extra food for Jenny free of charge.
* Hugh William "Huey" Farrell ([[Chris Bauer]]) – Huey is an Irish gangster who formerly controlled the Irish neighborhood.  He was killed in the pilot episode.
* Louie Downtown (Joe D'Onofrio) – Louie Downtown is a low level [[bookie]] who doesn't mean anything to anyone, except that he's the nephew of the Italian mob boss Sal Minetta. Louie is  kidnapped by Jimmy, Kevin, and Sean because Kevin owes him money. They hold Louie for ransom to the Italians, but when the Italians discover the Donnelly brothers are behind the kidnapping, Nicky Cottero severely beats Sean. In response to the attack, Jimmy shoots Louie to death.
* Joanie ([[Betsy Beutler]]) – Joanie is Jimmy's drug addicted girlfriend. She seems to want a better life for herself and Jimmy but frequently backslides. She cheats on Jimmy with Whitey. When Jimmy finds out, he kills Whitey.
* Nadine (Jamie Bonelli) – Nadine is Sean's love interest.  She met Sean while selling him and Jimmy a jukebox for The Firecracker.  She is helping Sean study for his [[GED]].
* Robert "Bob the Mouth" Kelly ([[Peter Gerety]]) – Bob is a neighborhood bookie and Terrance "Whitey" Waylon's uncle. He frequently "solves" his problems with a grill iron. Jimmy owes him money through Whitey.
* Councilman Jack Trevor ([[Tom Mason (actor, born 1949)|Tom Mason]]) – Jack is the neighborhood's representative in the New York City Council. He is originally from the neighborhood and was cozy with Huey and Bobby Donnelly back in the day. He helped orchestrate Sal and Huey's real estate scheme and is having an affair with his chief of staff, Trish Hughes.
* Detective Frank Stein ([[Ned Eisenberg]]) – Frank is a NYPD detective at the 28th Precinct. He arrests Jimmy for armed robbery in the pilot episode and is tasked with the Huey-Sal homicide case in the following episode. Unlike his colleague, Det. Geckel, he is not on Dokey's payroll, and it is implied he has been trying to build a case against the Irish Mob for a long time.

==Cast==

===Main===
{{cast list|
* [[Jonathan Tucker]] as Thomas "Tommy" Donnelly
* [[Tom Guiry]] as James "Jimmy" Donnelly
* [[Billy Lush]] as Kevin Donnelly
* [[Michael Stahl-David]] as Sean "Seanny" Donnelly
* [[Olivia Wilde]] as Jenny Reilly
* [[Keith Nobbs]] as Joey Ice Cream
* [[Kirk Acevedo]] as Nicky Cottero
* [[Peter Greene]] as Derek "Dokey" Farrell
}}

===Recurring===
{{cast list|
* [[Kate Mulgrew]] as Helen Donnelly
* [[Michael Rispoli]] as Al "Alo" Onatero
* [[Chris Bauer]] as Hugh "Huey" Farrell
* Molly Schaffer as Kate Farrell
* [[Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick]] as Matthew Farrell
* [[Betsy Beutler]] as Joanie
* [[Kevin Conway (actor)|Kevin Conway]] as Ian Reilly
* [[James Badge Dale]] as Samson Dawlish
* [[Kevin Corrigan]] as Whitey
* Jamie Bonelli as Nadine
* Chris Kipiniak as Sharkey
* [[Peter Gerety]] as Bob the Mouth
* [[Brian Tarantina]] as Vinnie Culiari
* [[Patrick Brennan (actor)|Patrick Brennan]] as Earl
* [[Lauren Bittner]] as Mary Ann Maxwell
* [[Elizabeth Gillies]] as Young Jenny
}}

== Production ==
Producer [[Robert Moresco|Bobby Moresco]] conceived of the series as inspired from his experiences growing up in New York's [[Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan|Hell's Kitchen]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Clinton |first=Josh |date=2007-03-02 |title=Interview with the Co-Creators of The Black Donnellys, Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco |url=https://insidepulse.com/2007/03/02/65341/ |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=Inside Pulse |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Young |first=Susan |date=2007-02-23 |title=Ah, 'The Black Donnellys,"tis good but bleak "The Black Donnellys" 10 p.m. Monday NBC-Channel 11 |work=[[East Bay Times]] |url=https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2007/02/23/ah-the-black-donnellystis-good-but-bleak-the-black-donnellys-10-p-m-monday-nbc-channel-11/ |url-status=live |access-date=May 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230506015202/https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2007/02/23/ah-the-black-donnellystis-good-but-bleak-the-black-donnellys-10-p-m-monday-nbc-channel-11/ |archive-date=May 6, 2023}}</ref> Co-creator [[Paul Haggis]] also wanted to reference the real-life [[Black Donnellys]], an Irish family from [[Lucan Biddulph|Lucan]] near his hometown of London, Ontario who were murdered in the 1800s because of ongoing feuds with local residents.<ref name=":1" /> Said Haggis, “This [[Black Irish (ethnic group)|black Irish]] family of low-lifes and criminals was purportedly murdered by a community of good [[Protestantism|Protestant]] folks, and everyone covered it up. There were elements of that that I really wanted to be able to infuse into this story, and I think as we wrote, the tragedy of these characters started to bubble up, and more similarities started to come."<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> ''[[EZ Streets]]'', a short-lived series Haggis and Moresco had created in 1996, also centered on mob activity and explored similar themes.<ref name=":1" /> Haggis and Moresco began developing the idea for ''The Black Donnellys'' prior to ''EZ Streets''{{'}} cancellation, but did not begin to work on the show until March 2006, when their film ''[[Crash (2004 film)|Crash]]'' became nominated for [[Academy Awards|Oscars]] and they received offers to produce the series.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Waxman |first=Sharon |date=2006-03-06 |title=The Long March to the Red Carpet, Slow and Painful |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/06/movies/redcarpet/the-long-march-to-the-red-carpet-slow-and-painful.html |access-date=2023-05-08 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Of the series' Hell's Kitchen setting, Haggis said "we decided to create a fictional neighborhood, and you’ll see that we have elements of [[Manhattan]], [[Queens]], and [[Brooklyn]], and made it all look like one neighborhood. That seems very similar to what we did with ''EZ Street'' in which we took portions in Detroit and Chicago and L.A., and made a city that you couldn’t recognize."<ref name=":0" />

== Broadcast ==
The series was originally set to debut as part of NBC's fall 2006 primetime lineup, but was delayed to January 2007 to relieve ''[[ER (TV series)|ER]]'' during its hiatus.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Garron |first=Barry |date=2007-02-24 |title=The Black Donnellys |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/black-donnellys-159142/ |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=[[Associated Press]] |language=en-US |via=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]}}</ref> ''ER''{{'}}s fall 2006 ratings proved to be so successful that NBC decided to scrap the hiatus, and ''The Black Donnellys'' was subsequently pushed to March 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-02-26 |title=Let's Talk About NBC's The Black Donnellys |url=https://cultural-learnings.com/2007/02/26/lets-talk-about-nbcs-the-black-donnellys/ |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=Cultural Learnings |language=en}}</ref> When ''[[Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip]]'' was put on hiatus due to faltering ratings,<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Brownfield |first=Paul |date=2007-02-26 |title=Family first, then blood and gore |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-feb-26-et-donnellys26-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=May 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210806014216/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-feb-26-et-donnellys26-story.html |archive-date=August 6, 2021}}</ref> ''The Black Donnellys'' premiered as its [[mid-season replacement]] in February 2007.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |last=Boedeker |first=Hal |date=2007-02-26 |title='The Black Donnellys,' premiering Monday on NBC |work=[[Orlando Sentinel]] |url=https://www.popmatters.com/the-black-donnellys-premiering-monday-on-nbc-2495821421.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101012757/https://www.popmatters.com/the-black-donnellys-premiering-monday-on-nbc-2495821421.html |archive-date=November 1, 2020}}</ref>

==Episodes==

{{Episode table |background=#B1E673 |overall= |title= |director= |writer= |airdate= |viewers=
|country=U.S. |episodes=
{{Episode list
| Title = Pilot
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|2|26}} 
| WrittenBy =  Paul Haggis & [[Robert Moresco]]
| DirectedBy =  [[Paul Haggis]]
| EpisodeNumber = 1
| ShortSummary = Tommy, the Donnellys' only honest man, has to make a difficult choice — fight for his family or turn his back on them and keep to the straight and narrow – as he becomes embroiled in a plot hatched by his brother Jimmy to help out his brother Kevin. Kevin owes money to the wrong guys, and Jimmy tries to pay it off for him by abducting his bookie. Nicky Cottero, working for mob boss Sal takes matters into his own hands, leading to drastic consequences for the Donnelly brothers.
| Viewers = 8.4<ref>{{cite news |last1=Toff |first1=Benjamin |title=Arts, Briefly; A Blue Monday For 'Black Donnellys' |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage-9F07E2DC1F3EF93BA15751C0A9619C8B63.html |access-date=4 May 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=February 28, 2007}}</ref>
| LineColor = B1E673
}}
{{Episode list
| Title = A Stone of the Heart
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|3|5}} 
| WrittenBy =  [[Kim Clements]] & Paul Haggis
| DirectedBy =  Paul Haggis
| EpisodeNumber = 2
| ShortSummary = As Sean's fate becomes clear to the Donnelly siblings, an antsy Jimmy stews in a holding cell. Meanwhile, an unsettled Tommy finds comfort in Jenny as their friendship begins to morph into something more serious. Nicky grasps control of the Italian mob.
| Viewers = 6.9<ref>{{cite news |title=NBC Ratings Results for the Week of March 5–11 |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/ratings/2007/03/13/nbc-ratings-results-for-the-week-of-march-5-11-23864/20070313nbc01/ |access-date=4 May 2023 |work=The Futon Critic |date=March 13, 2007}}</ref>
| LineColor = B1E673
}}
{{Episode list
| Title = God Is a Comedian Playing to an Audience Afraid to Laugh
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|3|5}} 
| WrittenBy = Robert Moresco & [[Jeff F. King]] 
| DirectedBy =  Dan Lerner
| EpisodeNumber = 3
| ShortSummary = Kevin's attempts various ways to bail Jimmy out of jail, despite Tommy's protests. Meanwhile, due to a shortage of beds, Sean is moved out of ICU and Tommy desperately needs to find a way to get his brother back in. Dokey, Alo and Nicky come close to a confrontation.

This episode was deemed too "intense" for network TV and was instead made available to watch on NBC.com.<ref>{{cite news |last1=West |first1=Kelly |title=Black Donnellys Episode Too Intense For Network TV |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/television/Black-Donnellys-Episode-Too-Intense-Network-TV-3134.html |access-date=4 May 2023 |work=Cinema Blend |date=March 5, 2007}}</ref>
| Viewers =
| LineColor = B1E673
}}
{{Episode list
| Title = The World Will Break Your Heart
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|3|12}} 
| WrittenBy = Bob Lowry & Kim Clements
| DirectedBy =  [[Deran Sarafian]]
| EpisodeNumber = 4
| ShortSummary = Tommy is plagued with guilt when Kate, widow of Irish mob kingpin Huey, asks him to host her slain husband's wake. Meanwhile, Kevin and Joey go on a quest to find booze for the wake; Huey's brother Dokey begins to suspect that drug-addled Jimmy may be his sibling's killer.
| Viewers = 6.5<ref>{{cite news |title=NBC Ratings Results for the Week of March 12–18 |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/ratings/2007/03/20/nbc-ratings-results-for-the-week-of-march-12-18-23927/20070320nbc02/ |access-date=4 May 2023 |work=The Futon Critic |date=March 20, 2007}}</ref>
| LineColor = B1E673
}}
{{Episode list
| Title = Lies
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|3|19}} 
| WrittenBy = [[Sean Whitesell]]
| DirectedBy =  [[Gloria Muzio]]
| EpisodeNumber = 5
| ShortSummary = Tommy realizes the Italian's new mob boss Nicky Cottero means business on collecting his debt when he threatens the boy's mother, Helen. After exhausting all options, Tommy takes Dokey's bribe and while visiting Huey's widow, steals a box that Dokey wants. Jimmy and Joey Ice Cream find the former Louie Downtown's cellphone and, after realizing he was running a gambling circuit, start to collect on his payments. Sean finally comes home from the hospital while Jenny wakes up after sleeping with Samson and gets blown off by Tommy when she tries to explain.
| Viewers = 5.5<ref>{{cite news |title=NBC Ratings Results for the Week of March 19–25 |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/ratings/2007/03/27/nbc-ratings-results-for-the-week-of-march-19-25-23997/20070327nbc03/ |access-date=8 May 2023 |work=The Futon Critic |date=March 27, 2007}}</ref>
| LineColor = B1E673
}}
{{Episode list
| Title = Run Like Hell{{anchor|Run Like Hell}}
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|3|26}} 
| WrittenBy = Laurie Hutzler & Gary Lennon
| DirectedBy =  [[Ed Sherin]]
| EpisodeNumber = 6
| ShortSummary = Tommy gets pulled into Jimmy and Kevin's bookmaking action when he realizes the guy about to get busted for not paying is his friend Maxwell. When Tommy decides to track the money down himself, he gets played by his friend and ultimately ends up doing the busting. As Jimmy has Kevin toss Louie Downtown's phone, we meet Whitey who helps him transfer the numbers — but a flash into the future shows this relationship is headed for trouble. Jenny discovers her father's medical condition when the diner deposits never make it to the bank.
| Viewers = 5.4<ref>{{cite news |title=NBC Ratings Results for the Week of March 26-April 1 |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/ratings/2007/04/03/nbc-ratings-results-for-the-week-of-march-26-april-1-24069/20070403nbc01/ |access-date=8 May 2023 |work=The Futon Critic |date=April 3, 2007}}</ref>
| LineColor = B1E673
}}
{{Episode list
| Title = The Only Thing Sure
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|4|2}} 
| WrittenBy = Allan Steele| DirectedBy =  [[David Straiton]] 
| EpisodeNumber = 7
| ShortSummary = Tommy and Jimmy have a role-reversal when it's Jimmy who's painting the bar and protecting Sean from the business. Meanwhile, Tommy is collecting on payments with Kevin. A flashback to Kevin's childhood shows why he believes he's truly lucky as a gambler. Jenny struggles to maintain the family's diner and watch over her ailing father.
| Viewers = 5.3<ref>{{cite news |title=NBC Ratings Results for the Week of April 2–8 |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/ratings/2007/04/10/nbc-ratings-results-for-the-week-of-april-2-8-24141/20070410nbc01/ |access-date=8 May 2023 |work=The Futon Critic |date=April 10, 2007}}</ref>
| LineColor = B1E673
}}
{{Episode list
| Title = In Each One a Savior
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|4|9}} 
| WrittenBy = [[Rafael Alvarez]] & [[Mick Betancourt]] 
| DirectedBy =  [[Anthony Hemingway]]
| EpisodeNumber = 8
| ShortSummary = While Tommy helps a woman who wants to evict drug dealers from her building, he discovers that this simple thing is much more complicated than he thought. Meanwhile, Jimmy continues his attempts to take over the neighborhood and stoops to a new low when he demands payment from Jenny. During the meantime, Nicky finds out what really happened to Louie Downtown.
| Viewers =
| LineColor = B1E673
}}
{{Episode list
| Title = All of Us Are in the Gutter
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|4|16}} 
| WrittenBy = Alissa Haggis & Amanda Moresco| DirectedBy =  TJ Scott
| EpisodeNumber = 9
| ShortSummary = Tommy is finally able to do the only thing he wants to do, art. With the help of Kate, he gets a job at an art studio. But when he thinks he's now able to separate himself from the "business" of his family, he learns that it won't happen. Nicky, who decided not to kill Kevin, wants to use Louie Downtown's cell phone and offers a partnership to the Donnellys but will only deal with Tommy.
| Viewers =
| LineColor = B1E673
}}
{{Episode list
| Title = When the Door Opens
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|4|23}} 
| WrittenBy = Robert Moresco| DirectedBy =  Jeff F. King
| EpisodeNumber = 10
| ShortSummary = Things go horribly wrong for the Donnellys when their loyalty is put to the test.
| Viewers =
| LineColor = B1E673
}}
{{Episode list
| Title = Wasn't That Enough?
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|4|30}} 
| WrittenBy = Alissa Haggis & Amanda Moresco| DirectedBy =  [[Kevin Bray (director)|Kevin Bray]]
| EpisodeNumber = 11
| ShortSummary = Tommy helps the Reillys after their diner is put up for eviction. Tommy and Kevin find out more about their father's past and how he died.
| Viewers =
| LineColor = B1E673
}}
{{Episode list
| Title = The Black Drop
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|5|7}} 
| WrittenBy = Paul Haggis & [[Sean Whitesell]]| DirectedBy =  [[Dan Minahan]]
| EpisodeNumber = 12
| ShortSummary = Tommy finishes helping out the Reilly's get their eviction overturned.  Meanwhile, he learns more about who killed his father.  Jimmy tries to deal with Dokey on his own.
| Viewers =
| LineColor = B1E673
}}
{{Episode list
| Title = Easy Is the Way
| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2007|5|14}} 
| WrittenBy = Paul Haggis & [[Sean Whitesell]]| DirectedBy =  Robert Moresco
| EpisodeNumber = 13
| ShortSummary = Tommy tries to get his family and run away, before Dokey gets to them, but Jimmy has different plans for Dokey.  Jenny ends the threats from Samson once and for all.
| Viewers =
| LineColor = B1E673
}}
}}

== Critical reception ==
Critics had praise for the cast and the [[Television pilot|pilot]] episode in particular.<ref name="Seattle">{{cite news |last1=McFarland |first1=Melanie |date=2007-02-22 |title=On TV: Things look bleak for 'The Black Donnellys' |work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]] |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/ae/tv/article/On-TV-Things-look-bleak-for-The-Black-Donnellys-1229081.php |access-date=4 May 2023}}</ref> Troy Patterson of ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'' wrote, "The next four episodes are nowhere near as patient and controlled as that cinematic pilot, but, man, are they Irish: the wakes, the neon shamrock, the epigraphs from [[W. B. Yeats|W.B. Yeats]] and [[Daniel Patrick Moynihan|D.P. Moynihan]]. And the show keeps this magnificent blarney up even as it swipes half its ideas from the playbooks of [[Martin Scorsese|Scorsese]] and ''[[The Godfather]]''."<ref name=Slate/> In ''[[Slant Magazine]]'', [[Emily St. James]] wrote, "It’s not horribly original stuff, but on basic network television, where the same handful of shots seems to turn up on every show, it feels strikingly fresh."<ref>{{cite news |last1=St. James |first1=Emily |date=2007-02-23 |title=T.V. on TV: The Black Donnellys, Raines, & The Winner |work=[[Slant Magazine]] |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/tv/tv-on-tv-the-black-donnellys-raines-and-the-winner/ |access-date=4 May 2023}}</ref> [[John Leonard (critic)|John Leonard]] of ''[[New York (magazine)|New York]]'' called it "accomplished and absorbing television".<ref name="NYmag">{{cite news |last1=Leonard |first1=John |title=Emerald Ire |url=https://nymag.com/arts/tv/reviews/28471/ |access-date=4 May 2023 |work=[[New York (magazine)|New York]] |date=2007-02-22}}</ref>

Criticism was directed at the storytelling and characters, which some described as heavy-handed and too reliant on Irish-American clichés.<ref name="SunTimes">{{cite news |last1=Elfman |first1=Doug |date=2007-02-23 |title=Bloody day for the Irish |work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |url=http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/elfman/269317,CST-FTR-elf23.article |access-date=4 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070225103855/http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/elfman/269317,CST-FTR-elf23.article |archive-date=2007-02-25}}</ref><ref name="Tribune">{{cite news |last1=Ryan |first1=Maureen |title='The Black Donnellys': A pretentious mishmash of cliches |url=http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2007/02/the_black_donne.html |access-date=4 May 2023 |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=2007-02-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070228095145/http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2007/02/the_black_donne.html |archive-date=2007-02-28}}</ref><ref name="nyt">{{cite news |last1=Heffernan |first1=Virginia |title=Dark-Star Irish Boys Spell Trouble |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/26/arts/television/26heff.html |access-date=4 May 2023 |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2007-02-26}}</ref> Writing for ''[[Salon.com|Salon]]'', [[Heather Havrilesky|Heather Havrilevsky]] said "while ''[[The Sopranos]]'' and ''[[Brotherhood (American TV series)|Brotherhood]]'' make [drama series about organized crime] look easy, ''The Black Donnellys'' makes it excruciatingly clear just how difficult it is to tell a soulful story about criminals", adding that among the series’ flaws are its "attempts to make crime seem sort of romantic and cool."<ref name="Salon">{{cite news |last1=Havrilevsky |first1=Heather |title=Darby O'Kill and the Pretty People |url=https://www.salon.com/2007/03/04/donnellys/ |access-date=4 May 2023 |work=[[Salon (website)|Salon]] |date=March 4, 2007}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> Others said the Donnelly brothers were not believable as Irish-American mobsters,<ref name="WSJ">{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Nancy DeWolf |title=Band of Bozos |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB117279168785024054 |access-date=4 May 2023 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date=2007-03-02}}</ref><ref name="Salon" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Goodman |first=Tim |date=2007-02-23 |title=These gangsters wouldn't last long against Tony Soprano |url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/These-gangsters-wouldn-t-last-long-against-Tony-2646732.php |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |language=en-US}}</ref> with Matthew Gilbert of ''[[The Boston Globe]]'' likening the show to "a network version of ''The Sopranos'' with pretty boys".<ref name="Boston">{{cite news |last1=Gilbert |first1=Matthew |date=February 26, 2007 |title='Black Donnellys' is a pale imitation of 'The Sopranos' |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |url=http://archive.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2007/02/26/black_donnellys_is_a_pale_imitation_of_the_sopranos/ |access-date=4 May 2023}}</ref> The ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''{{'}} Paul Brownfield likened the depiction of Hell's Kitchen to "[[Martin Scorsese|Scorsese]]'s [[Dawson's Creek|Creek]]"<ref name=":2" /> and the ''[[New York Post]]''{{'}}s Linda Stasi said it felt anachronistic.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stasi |first=Linda |date=2007-02-26 |title=An Inside Job |url=https://nypost.com/2007/02/26/an-inside-job/ |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=[[New York Post]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

Tim Goodman of the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' said, "It may be that what Moresco and Haggis are after here is a coming-of-age story about how the best intentions of life must take a backseat to family loyalty. But there's so much amiss here in the tone it's hard to tell...It's clear that 'The Black Donnellys' doesn't know what it wants to be. It's damning enough that the show isn't 'The Sopranos' or 'Brotherhood' or even 'EZ Streets.' But until it figures what play to make -- dumb-luck Irish clan struggles to get out of troubles of its own making or young mob family forced to find its way -- viewers won't know what to make of it."<ref name=":4" />

Jonathan Tucker’s performance received praise, with [[Maureen Ryan]] of the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' saying he "manages to give the lead brother, Tommy, a compellingly mournful aura despite the show’s thin writing"<ref name="Tribune" /> and Gilbert commenting he makes "Tommy's moral struggle palpable".<ref name="Boston" /> Gilbert added, "As the temperamental brother Jimmy, who undoes any peace that Tommy builds in the neighborhood, Tom Guiry has a Sean Penn-like intensity."<ref name="Boston" />
 
On review aggregator [[Rotten Tomatoes]], season 1 has an approval rating of 40% based on 30 reviews. The site’s critics consensus reads, "''The Black Donnellys'' has Irish swagger to spare and an appealing cast, but the series' overreliance on signature tropes of better mob stories only underscores its lack of authenticity and imagination."<ref>{{cite web |title=The Black Donnellys (2007): Season 1 |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_black_donnellys/s01 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=4 May 2023}}</ref>

==Home media==
''The Black Donnellys: The Complete Series'' was released on DVD on September 4, 2007.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Douglass Jr. |first1=Todd |title=Black Donnellys - The Complete Series, The |url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/30648 |website=DVDTalk.com |access-date=4 May 2023 |date=2007-09-24}}</ref> The set contains all 13 episodes, including the 7 unaired episodes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=D'Arminio |first=Aubry |date=2007-09-07 |title=''The Black Donnellys'' is saved by DVD |url=https://ew.com/article/2007/09/07/black-donnellys-saved-dvd/ |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=EW.com |language=en}}</ref>

==International broadcasters==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Country !! TV Network(s) !! Series Premiere !! Weekly Schedule
|-
|United States || [[NBC]] || February 26, 2007 || Mondays, 10{{nbsp}}pm
|-
|{{CAN}} || [[Global Television Network]] || February 26, 2007 || Sundays, 10{{nbsp}}pm<br />Mondays, 10{{nbsp}}pm
|-
|{{FIN}} || [[C More Entertainment|Canal+]], Sub || September 2, 2007 || Mondays, 11{{nbsp}}pm
|-
|{{GER}} || [[TNT Serie]] || September 5, 2007 || Wednesdays, 8:15{{nbsp}}pm
|-
|{{IRL}} || [[RTÉ Two]] || August 14, 2007 || Tuesdays, 11:20{{nbsp}}pm
|-
|{{UK}} || [[ITV2]] (part of ''XXL Thursday'') || September 27, 2007 || Thursdays, 11{{nbsp}}pm<br />(originally 9{{nbsp}}pm)
|-
|{{ESP}} || [[Canal+ Spain|Canal+]], [[Calle 13 (TV channel)|Calle 13]] and [[MTV (Spanish TV channel)|MTV Spain]] || October 11, 2007 || Thursdays, 9:30{{nbsp}}pm
|-
|{{MEX}} || [[AXN]] || November 5, 2007 || Mondays, 8:00{{nbsp}}pm
|-
|{{ARG}} || [[AXN]] || November 6, 2007 || Tuesday, 8:00{{nbsp}}pm
|-
|{{BRA}} || [[AXN]] || November 6, 2007 || Tuesday, 9:00{{nbsp}}pm
|-
|{{PER}} || [[AXN]] || November 6, 2007 || Tuesday, 8:00{{nbsp}}pm
|-
|{{THA}} || [[Star World]] || 2007 || Sundays, 9{{nbsp}}pm ([[GMT+7|THAI/WIB]])
|-
|{{SLO}} || [[POP TV]] || January 2, 2008 || Wednesday, 10:45{{nbsp}}pm
|-
|{{AUS}} || [[showtime movie channels|Showcase]] || May 21, 2008 || Wednesday, 9:30{{nbsp}}pm
|-
|{{POR}} || [[Fox Crime]] <br /> [[Televisão Independente|TVI]]|| May 2008 || Wednesdays
|-
|{{SWE}} || [[Kanal 5 (Sweden)|Kanal 5]] || June 1, 2008 || Sunday, 9:55{{nbsp}}pm
|-
|{{CHI}} || [[Red Televisiva Megavisión|MEGA]], [[AXN]] || June 23, 2008 || Monday, 1:30{{nbsp}}am
|-
|{{ITA}} || [[Mediaset|Italia1]] || September 8, 2008 || Sunday, 12:35{{nbsp}}am
|-
|{{RUS}} || [[Zvezda (TV channel)|The Star]] || October 13, 2008 || Monday-Thursday, 10:40{{nbsp}}pm
|-
|{{IND}} || [[Star World]] || November 2008 ||
|-
|{{NZL}} || [[C4 (TV channel)|C4]] || December 29, 2008 || Monday, 8:30{{nbsp}}pm
|-
|{{HUN}} || [[TV2 (Hungary)|TV2]], Viasat6 || January 7, 2009 || Wednesdays, after 11:00{{nbsp}}pm
|-
|{{BEL}} || [[Canvas (TV channel)|Canvas]]|| March 23, 2009 || Mondays, 11:45{{nbsp}}pm
|-
|{{BEL}} || [[La Deux]] || May 2010 || Sundays, 8:30{{nbsp}}pm
|-
|{{NED}} || [[RTL 7 (Netherlands)|RTL 7]] || April 10, 2009 || Fridays, 9:25{{nbsp}}pm
|-
|{{CRO}} || [[Nova TV (Croatia)|Nova TV]] || November 5, 2009 || Monday-Thursday, 1:20{{nbsp}}am
|-
|{{GRE}} || [[Alter Channel]] || April 2010 || Saturday-Sunday, 3:00{{nbsp}}am
|}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
<!-- Please do not add fan sites or such unofficial links. They will be removed as spam. -->
* [https://www.nbc.com/the-black-donnellys/ ''The Black Donnellys'']  at NBC.com
* [http://www.metacritic.com/tv/shows/blackdonnellys ''The Black Donnellys''] at [[Metacritic]]
* {{IMDb title|0805661|The Black Donnellys}}
<!-- Please do not add fan sites or such unofficial links. They will be removed as spam. -->
{{Paul Haggis}}
{{Robert Moresco}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Black Donnellys, The}}
[[Category:2007 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:2007 American television series endings]]
[[Category:2000s American drama television series]]
[[Category:Serial drama television series]]
[[Category:Television series created by Paul Haggis]]
[[Category:Television series by Universal Television]]
[[Category:Irish-American mass media]]
[[Category:Television shows set in New York City]]
[[Category:Television series about brothers]]
[[Category:Television series about organized crime]]
[[Category:Works about Irish-American organized crime]]
[[Category:NBC television dramas]]