‘Kin’ Recap: ‘Episode 8’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season finale of ‘Kin’.
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In the everyday world, the moment when a good person reaches their breaking point, is nothing short of a tragedy. For their crossing of that threshold, always ends badly, since people are hurt either emotionally or physically when that buried fury erupts, and that moment often gives all of us great pause. Since there is a sense that the world failed this person, and that we all need to do a better job of supporting one another to ensure something like this, never happens again. But what’s fascinating about this moment, is that we quickly forget that this happens in our world more often than not, once we’ve moved past the one that touched us. But we shouldn’t. Because there are places in this world where people have been forgotten, and where crime reigns supreme and this is where explosive breaking point related moments happen often, and if we turned our attention there… we could make a difference in this world and support and save so many. But then again, there might be good reason as to why most of us only worry about a localized breakdown.

For in a place with no rules and nothing to lose, people will go to extremes when they are backed into a corner or broken beyond repair and that is scary and seemingly uncontrollable or fixable, and that’s why stories that show this aspect of our world should be celebrated. Since there’s sobering honesty in that kind of display and it just so happens, that such a particularly ugly process and place is precisely what the season finale of Kin, focused upon. For when we catch up with the Kinsella family here, they are indeed up against the wall and at their breaking point. To the point where Frank was eager to just run and hide and he even detached himself from the day-to-day operations of the business and well… with zero leadership on the table and the situation spiraling out of control, Amanda decided that decisive and bold and ugly action needed to be taken and that’s why… she stepped up to the plate. To give the family direction and a wild way out of this mess, which involved… tossing some threats Eamon Cunningham’s way to set up a meeting with him. Which surprisingly worked, and once they sat down in this desperate moment to make peace, her pleas fell upon ignorant ears.

Because despite the fact she offered Eamon a hell of a deal, one that would have given him all his drugs and power and money back, so the Kinsella family could just… fade away… Cunningham said no. He wanted a show of force and he wanted blood, and while it seemed for a time that Amanda was going to help him get blood by enacting revenge against Eric… little did Cunningham know, his bluster and bravado pushed her and the family beyond their breaking point and into an ugly backup plan. One that saw the Kinsellas offer up a touch of scorched earth to Eamon’s empire since Con Doyle was brutally murdered by Jimmy during a meeting with Kem and to top it all off… Michael was able to catch up with Cunningham in Spain and put a bullet in his eye and in the skulls of the dealers supplying him, putting an end to this nightmare.

Or so it seemed. For, Eamon’s death is what truly put on display the messiness that comes with reaching one’s breaking point in a world without rules. Because without a safety net or gatekeepers, things can spiral out of control, and the bare beginnings of that spiral started here. After all, Mister Cunningham’s supplier will want to meet and punish the person that harmed his lieutenants. Plus, Frank and his knowledge of the business are now worthless at a critical time since he may or may not be dead from a heroin overdose and once again… Eric is making plans to do things his way, which will make life difficult for Amanda, who really only had the only ‘positive’ storyline in this tale. Since she is the de facto head of the Kinsella family now, and it will be interesting to see where her new role takes her in a time of crisis. 

But while we wait to see her response to forthcoming trouble, we can bask in the wonder of a simply incredible finale. One that kept the audience guessing from beginning to end with its special brand of chaos and messaging and well, now that this chapter of the Kinsella saga has come to a close, all we can hope for… is a second season. Because clearly, there is so much more to explore when it comes to this family and so much was left hanging and this writer genuinely hopes we hear a season two announcement and soon. In part because of that unfinished business, but also because… this is simply a top-notch crime drama. One that took every trope in the genre and turned them upside down in order to tell a gripping tale of a family that desperately tried to do things the right way and failed. Because that is what their world demanded and the fallout of that… will make for a powerful journey, one that undoubtedly be unique and original and compelling. Until next time.  

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