James Norton’s Netflix Crime Thriller Is So Good, It’s Already Been Renewed for Season 2

Steven Knight is renowned for his work on Peaky Blinders, but it’s not the only crime epic he has worked on. Knight has written several other shows and films that look at gangster enterprises throughout history, and in many ways House of Guinness is the culmination of his entire career. House of Guinness is based on the remarkable true story of the Guinness brewery, a family business that became a powerful empire in the 19th century, expanding throughout Ireland and into New York City. While it’s hard not to think about Peaky Blinders when seeing another dynamic historical thriller about a closely-knit family of morally dubious characters, House of Guinness also shares a lot in common with Succession because of its sharp, ruthless sibling dynamics. Given that the series has been renewed for Season 2, there’s no better time to watch one of the most purely entertaining shows Netflix has made in years.

House of Guinness takes place in the aftermath of the death of Sir Benjamin Guinness, who left his fortune to his children on the stipulation that they work together to maintain it. The Guinness siblings, consisting of Arthur (Anthony Boyle), Edward (Louis Partridge), Anna (Emily Fairn), and Benjamin II (Fionn O’Shea), are reluctant to take on their father’s legacy, but they’re aided in the transition by the family’s most loyal foreman, Sean Rafferty (James Norton). Even if a brewery might seem like a low-stakes MacGuffin compared to the life-and-death stakes in Peaky Blinders, it’s representative of generational wealth fiercely protected by a family targeted by enemies from across Europe. House of Guinness doesn’t sanitize a family history filled with debauchery, but it does put it into context during a dark period in European politics.

‘House of Guinness’ Is a Rousing Historical Epic

Peaky Blinders grew more epic in scale over time, but House of Guinness takes place on a massive stage, speeding through years of history to encapsulate the gravity of the Guinness company and its sphere of influence. While this could have been too overwhelming for a show to tackle so much material to begin with, that’s also part of the point that Knight is trying to make. The four Guinness children don’t understand the extent to which their decisions will impact the economy and society, and the process of handling their father’s duties is far more complicated than they initially imagined. While the feuds between the siblings are frequent and often quite funny, House of Guinness shows the importance of family loyalty to retain a legacy. The Guinness family name isn’t just one that represents business interests, but something that embodies a level of power that not even governments can topple.

House of Guinness has a fantastic ensemble cast, and the characters immediately feel like an actual family. Boyle is a fascinating actor whose performance as Arthur makes for a unique depiction of a gay character, especially for a historical drama; there are far too many instances of the outdated repressed gay man trope in media, but Arthur is a charismatic, intelligent leader within the family. On the flipside, O’Shea gives a remarkable breakthrough performance as Benjamin, who struggles with severe mental health issues that make him a target for rivals. The stigma against those who deal with anxiety and depression is heightened, given the lack of understanding within this era in history, and O’Shea delivers a truly heartbreaking performance that doesn’t reduce Benjamin to the totality of his symptoms.

‘House of Guinness’ Is Everything a Crime Drama Should Be

As is the case with his role on House of the Dragon, Norton is an absolute scene-stealer in House of Guinness because Rafferty is a commanding character who serves as the bridge between the lower class and the wealthy. Although he isn’t of noble birth and doesn’t seek power for himself, Rafferty is such a master of deception that he becomes an important ally to the family, one who represents a connection to their departed father. While Norton crafts an impenetrable persona, as Rafferty is both hilarious and quite intimidating, he offers a few hints about subtextual issues that will likely be explored further in Season 2. He’s not the only Westeros veteran who has a standout performance in House of Guinness; Jack Gleeson, best known for playing Prince Joffrey, has a great part as the much more likable character Byron Hedges, a distant cousin of the Guinness siblings who strategizes the brewery’s expansion into America.

House of Guinness is an old-fashioned, thrilling crime drama, but it doesn’t feel derivative of Knight’s previous work because the stylized, energetic approach is far different than that of Peaky Blinders. Rarely has a show been able to tackle such important issues as labor disputes, familial conflict, and economic suppression while also being so entertaining, using history to tell an engaging fictionalized account. There’s a tremendous amount of potential for the future of what House of Guinness could become, but the eight episodes that have already aired are nothing short of tremendous.