It’s all over bar the shooting. After seven occasionally thrilling, sometimes plodding weeks, Kin season one is about to come to its conclusion. But when the gun smoke clears who will be left standing? And what might potential future seasons hold in store? Buckle up as we consider eight questions episode eight will have to answer.
1: Can Frank maintain control of the Kinsella Cartel?
As revealed in last week's bruising encounter with his incarcerated older brother Bren, Frank (Aidan Gillen) is merely a placeholder Godfather in the Kinsella crime organisation. He's certainly made a bungle of his time in charge - with his hothead son Eric feeling that it was acceptable to defy his father's orders and start a feud with local drug wholesaler Eamon Cunningham (Ciarán Hinds).
Bren (Francis Magee) put all this to Frank in no uncertain terms - and with a lifetime supply of F-bombs for good measure. As he did, Frank’s confidence visibly drained away. So with enemies at the gates and within his own ranks, can he maintain control over the family?
2: Will Amanda and Michael take down Cunningham
With their children in clear and present danger, the two black sheep of the Kinsella family have decided to take the struggle straight to Cunningham. But their plan to cut off the head of the “snake” is fraught with danger. In particular there is the fact that Cunningham lives in a tower block on the docklands, so parking is going to be an issue unless they plan on walking from town. Oh and he maintains a crew of heavily-armed goons.
3: Who is going to prison?
Eric (Sam Keeley) is already banged up and the Garda seemingly have all the evidence required to put him away for a long, long time. And with the authorities sniffing around the dealership run by Amanda (Clare Dunne) there's a decent chance she could end up going down, too. Her plan has been to have the wife of slain foot soldier Noel pretend that he was the one doing the laundering, without the knowledge of the Kinsellas. Amanda's solicitor didn't fall for it. Will the courts?
4: Will we meet Eamon’s Rosebud?
During his hallucinogen-fuelled vision in episode six, Cunningham flashed back to a traumatic childhood event. It seemed to involve either a drowning child or a drowning parent - potentially both. Clearly there’s more to him than death, destruction and a swish pad near 3Arena.
5: Will Michael acknowledge he was Jamie’s father?
Despite reluctantly snogging sister-in-law Amanda last week, Michael (Charlie Cox) still seems reticent about accepting that they had a relationship while his brother Jimmy (Emmet Scanlan) cooled his heels in prison. Or to acknowledge that Jamie, whose death precipitated the entire feud, was his son.
6: Who is really in control of the Kinsellas?
Maria Doyle Kennedy's Birdy has kept a low profile through the season. But, as Frank and Bren's sister, she seems to hold the balance of power in the family. For instance, when Amanda had essentially talked Frank into giving up Eric it was Birdy who changed his mind. And yet, Eric looks set to go down anyway. Has that weakened Birdy and given Amanda the upper hand?
7: How many times will the Aviva Stadium appear in shots this week?
To play the Kin drinking game, take a tipple every time the camera swoops low over South Dublin and we see the Aviva twinkling in the distance. You’ll be swigging quite a bit.
8: Will there be another season?
Kin creator Peter McKenna has stated the fate of Kin largely depends on whether or not it is picked up for a second season by AMC + in America. The show has received some positive reviews in the US and, if a long way off achieving a word of mouth "buzz", does seem to have acquired a modest cult audience. Will "modest" and "cult" good enough for AMC+? That remains to be seen.
