The Black Donnellys

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Season 1
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 222 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 196 out of 222
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 222
  3. Negative: 23 out of 222
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User Reviews

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  1. BrendanD
    Jun 27, 2007
    0
    For future reference, neophyte Soprano-wannabe writers: mob violence barely worked for Tony and his gang, and after a couple of seasons, it became really tedious and downright boring. Yet at least it incorporated something at least in part based on fact: the Italian mafia. You know what nationality DOESN'T have a mafia? THE IRISH! What's worse is that the writers of The Black For future reference, neophyte Soprano-wannabe writers: mob violence barely worked for Tony and his gang, and after a couple of seasons, it became really tedious and downright boring. Yet at least it incorporated something at least in part based on fact: the Italian mafia. You know what nationality DOESN'T have a mafia? THE IRISH! What's worse is that the writers of The Black Donnellys (including Paul Haggis, who may or may not be the greatest unintentional comic of all time) don't seem to realize that there's a difference. Look, nationalities in this country (the non-mutt kind, I mean) have a lot to say about who and where we've been and who and where we'll be. But when you put up the equation Sopranos - Italians + Irish = x, you have to remember that x equals bull-crap. You cannot simply swap out one nationality for the other and keep everything else the same. Do you think anyone would believe a bunch of Italians cavorting around in drunken stupors at a wake? Of course they wouldn't. You know why? Because that's what the Irish do, not the Italians. This was as stupid an idea as the attempt to make black kids white (or vice-versa) in various Saturday Morning kids' shows. It's ridiculous, and Haggis ought to be stripped of his Oscar, as well as any residual acclaim he gets for creating the World's Greatest Comedic Hero, Cordell Walker, for attaching his name to something that's so vapid, even George Bush (the one from "That's My Bush," not the president) could see through it.… Expand
  2. JerriannW
    Mar 2, 2007
    0
    Paul Haggis should be banned from Hollywood.
  3. MalikB
    Feb 27, 2007
    1
    haggis' imaginative uses of others' imaginations make me hate anything he does before he does it. he's a hack, pure and simple. except when it comes to racial jokes, apparently, he's oscar-worthy.
  4. Erik
    Feb 27, 2007
    3
    Jon I, I couldn't make it past your first three sentences without falling out of my chair laughing. Malik, you're right on. This was a bad mish-mash of GOODFELLAS and BAZ LUHRMAN'S ROMEO & JULIET. There isn't a worse writer alive than Paul Haggis (having taken the place of fellow Oscar-winning hack Akiva Goldsman) and his painfully unsubtle, in your face irony (which Jon I, I couldn't make it past your first three sentences without falling out of my chair laughing. Malik, you're right on. This was a bad mish-mash of GOODFELLAS and BAZ LUHRMAN'S ROMEO & JULIET. There isn't a worse writer alive than Paul Haggis (having taken the place of fellow Oscar-winning hack Akiva Goldsman) and his painfully unsubtle, in your face irony (which practically beams with neon signs informing you of said irony). Hated it.… Expand
  5. Heidi
    Mar 5, 2007
    1
    This gets better than a zero because Jonathan Tucker resembles a young Steven Weber. Beyond that I seriously can't imagine a worse way to rip off the Sopranos. At least that show was well-written. This is an immense waste. And someone please explain to me how this isn't a bad example of what The Godfather was a good example of--family "triumphing" in a downward spiral while This gets better than a zero because Jonathan Tucker resembles a young Steven Weber. Beyond that I seriously can't imagine a worse way to rip off the Sopranos. At least that show was well-written. This is an immense waste. And someone please explain to me how this isn't a bad example of what The Godfather was a good example of--family "triumphing" in a downward spiral while dragging a possible shining star down with them. This show is 'how not to do a crime drama.'… Expand
  6. TomT
    Mar 7, 2007
    0
    Unbelievably bad! A dark brooding boring story about a bunch of completely uninteresting losers. One episode was all I could force myself to watch -- and even then I switched it off after the first half-hour. There's no way I would waste another minute of my life with this piece of crap! Note to NBC: Please please please ... bring back Studio 60!!
  7. ShannonP
    Mar 11, 2007
    2
    Just can't get into it
  8. BryanM
    Mar 28, 2007
    1
    Acting and writing? The only reason I watch this show is to see how much worse it can get, The lead characters N.Y. accent is worse then my spelling and the Irish thing is over done to the 10th power. Send the cast back to thier treehouse, the only thing I like about this show is the lead actress and she gets pulled down by the terrible show.Give me a knife so I can stick it in my eyes Acting and writing? The only reason I watch this show is to see how much worse it can get, The lead characters N.Y. accent is worse then my spelling and the Irish thing is over done to the 10th power. Send the cast back to thier treehouse, the only thing I like about this show is the lead actress and she gets pulled down by the terrible show.Give me a knife so I can stick it in my eyes and ears, turn it off, no let me watch five more minutes of this train wreck.… Expand
  9. Philf
    Mar 4, 2007
    0
    Expected much more. Not much effort put into the script. Very dissapointing
  10. JoeW
    Feb 26, 2007
    0
    Garbage.
  11. GlennE
    Feb 27, 2007
    0
    One of the worst pilots I have even seen in my life.
  12. steve
    Jun 12, 2007
    2
    is it me or are almost all of the characters unlikable
  13. BobbyD
    Jun 18, 2007
    3
    I agree with Fernando, especially about the narrator. The whole show just seemed very false, like it was a world based on other movies rather than a reality.

Awards & Rankings

74
#74 Best TV Season of 2007
6
#6 Most Discussed TV Season of 2007
40
#40 Most Shared TV Season of 2007

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
45

Mixed or average reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 30
  3. Negative: 12 out of 30
  1. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Doug Elfman
    75
    These tall tales flow into a stream of consciousness. That's good. The acting is convincing. That's good. The Irish stuff is heavy-handed. That's bad.
    Read full review
  2. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Ken Tucker
    58
    Haggis equates the slow revealing of character and plot with classy writing; you'll probably experience it as stuff you can see coming a mile away.
    Read full review
  3. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Tim Goodman
    50
    [It] ultimately succumbs to being an inferior story on a broadcast network that can't even remotely match two far better cable series ["The Sopranos" and "Brotherhood"].
    Read full review
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