We gave you two days to learn more about The Black Donnellys' lead character, Tommy Donnelly. Today you will get a chance to understand an equally complex brother, Jimmy Donnelly.
Jimmy Donnelly, portrayed by Tom Guiry , is the eldest Donnelly but is far from the wisest brother. He can best be described as a loaded gun and is always looking for the next opportunity to self-destruct. Jimmy's erratic behavior is further fueled by his alcoholism and drug abuse. However, we learn over time that Jimmy's behavior is more of a front that he puts on in attempt to camouflage the guilt and insecurity that he's carried with him since he was a child. While Jimmy is seen as physically weak due to his crippled leg, he desires to be stronger by other means and wants the respect that his younger brother Tommy has. Thus Jimmy tries to make up for what he lacks physically with his headstrong emotions and irrational and blunt behavior. Though it's hard to feel sympathy for Jimmy sometimes, he certainly is not a monster. Instead, he's just a lost soul who blames himself for his father's death and for his youngest brother Sean's severe beating--a beating that was the result of Jimmy's own misdeeds.
One thing is clear from the outset though--Jimmy doesn't think anything through, he just reacts. A great example is his involvement in Louie “Downtown”'s murder. By kidnapping Louie Downtown, Jimmy causes his brother Sean's beating which in turn leads to Jimmy killing Louie Downtown which eventually leads to repercussions for the entire Donnelly family. Tommy, as the second oldest, continues to pick up the pieces and Jimmy, while he loves his brothers, continues to lead them deeper and deeper into the life they never wanted.
As Tommy said, "Don't you care about anybody?" Jimmy's only reply is, "You're right. I forgot, Tommy. You're the big savior. I'm the scumbag!"
Jimmy does mean well and does place family above all. Why else would he have shot Louie “Downtown” if not to avenge Sean's near-death beating by the Italians?
Interestingly, one of Jimmy's greatest achievements so far has been refurbishing The Firecracker, the Donnelly's family bar. In fact, Jimmy is so proud of the bar that he purchased a new sign for it. The new sign, which features a “cracker” and a “flame,” represents a new beginning for the Donnelly brothers, according to Jimmy.
From the pilot to the finale, we learn more and more about Jimmy that explains why he is the way he is and we are left to wonder if Jimmy will change further as the show progresses. The season finale made us think that he might begin to change his ways but ultimately left us hanging . . . As of now, we can only speculate, but we can find out if you join us in the fight for season two!!!
Showing posts with label The Black Donnellys. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Black Donnellys. Show all posts
Monday, July 16, 2007
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Meet Tommy Donnelly
Lately, we have been focused on the campaign and the buzz around it but now we would like to take some time to reintroduce the Donnelly brothers. Yesterday, you were introduced to Kevin Donnelly portrayed by Billy Lush. Today we will introduce you to Tommy Donnelly.
Tommy Donnelly, the second oldest of the four Donnellys brothers, is portrayed by Jonathan Tucker . Tommy’s dream is to become an artist and he is the one brother who clearly has the talent and ability to be more than just another neighborhood thug. Unfortunately, Tommy is burdened by the fact that an impulsive decision made during his youth resulted in serious injury and a lasting disability for his older brother, Jimmy. Tommy’s guilt over his childhood mistake prevents him from escaping from Hell’s Kitchen and the crime and dangers that have become a way of life there. Instead, Tommy shoulders the burdens of those around him in vain effort to right the wrong that he has done.
Tommy bails out his brothers time and time again. Sometimes that means taking care of unpaid gambling debts and other times it means disposing of bodies. But Tommy’s responsibilities don’t end there. Tommy also looks out for his brothers’ tag-a-long friends and the other Irish families in the neighborhood and he makes a special effort to protect Jenny Reilly, his childhood sweetheart.
Throughout it all, Tommy demonstrates that he is a capable (though somewhat reluctant) leader adept at handling even the toughest problems. While this earns him the respect of both the Irish and Italians in the neighborhood (positioning him as the next leader of the Irish mafia), it creates a number of problems for Tommy personally. For instance, Tommy is forced to give up his dream of becoming an artist in order to look out for his brothers. In addition, Tommy’s relationships with his older brother and the woman he loves are seriously damaged as he becomes more and more involved in the life he tried to leave behind.
At the end of the day, Tommy’s intentions are good. His only goal is to make sure that the people around him are safe and happy. Unfortunately, Tommy is forced to do things that no one would want to do in order to protect those that he loves. As he encounters one impossible dilemma after another, Tommy is forced to choose the lesser of two evils in an often futile attempt to make the right choice and help someone else.
As Kevin, his younger brother, states, “Tommy, you got to stop helping people. It’s a bad thing.” While Tommy tries to do “right,” he quickly finds out that sometimes the “right” thing may turn out ‘wrong”.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Some Perspective From The Creators
A single web search for “The Black Donnellys” reveals the many websites, articles, and blogs devoted to discussions of The Black Donnellys. On these sites one can find both praise and criticism of the various artistic choices made by the show’s creators. Some viewers are drawn to TBD’s theme of “Family Above All” and understand that adherence to that principle requires their favorite characters to make choices and take actions that are hard to stomach. Other viewers can’t get past the fact that the Donnelly brothers make mistakes that would land real-life criminals in jail fast. And everybody has an opinion about the usefulness of the show’s narrator, Joey Ice Cream. But there’s more to come on Joey later. For now, we’d like to share some of insight we’ve gained over the course of The Black Donnellys’ 13 episodes and, more importantly, from reading comprehensive interviews with The Black Donnellys’ co-creators, Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco.
While both Haggis and Moresco are well-known for their Oscar-winning screenplay for the film Crash and their work on the Academy Award-winning Million Dollar Baby, they previously worked together on the television series, EZ Streets , a 1996 CBS crime drama. In fact, The Black Donnellys began as a follow-up to EZ Streets and is loosely based on real-life events from Moresco’s childhood growing up in the neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen in New York City. As a result, although The Black Donnellys is not biographical and takes place in a fictional neighborhood, each of the characters, situations, and personal dilemmas have elements of truth drawn from Moresco’s own experiences.
For instance, in a March 2007 interview with PBS’s Tavis Smiley, Moresco compared the Donnelly brothers to members of the Irish mob group the Westies, many of whom were Moresco’s family members and friends. Moresco explained that The Black Donnellys is about four Irish kids who end up in that world of the Irish mafia and “just don’t know how to exist there. They’re incapable of surviving except by counting on each other”.
Similarly, in a separate interview, Haggis described The Black Donnellys as a story “about the journey that [the Donnelly brothers] face and less about the crime involved.” He noted that he and Moresco liked the idea of a coming of age story in a world where crime is the easiest way to make a living and indicated that, in each episode, they tried to put the characters into situations that no one would want to be in and then have them make choices that no one would want to have to make. The result, according to Moresco, is not organized crime, but rather a world of disorganized crime where people you love can do “monstrous things.” Each week, the Donnelly brothers (and the television audience) learn that there is a moral price to pay for each choice made and each action taken in life. Indeed, as Moresco remarked, “[y]ou don’t know what that price is going to be, but you’re going to pay it.” Now that’s a lesson we’d all do well to learn.
For more information about Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco, visit:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0353673/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0604263/
For full interviews with Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco, visit:
http://entertainment1.sympatico.msn.ca/At+long+last+Paul+Haggis+Black+Donnellys+debuts/TV_Guide/Interviews/Features/Articles/250207_donnellys_JR.htm?isfa=1
http://www.thescifiworld.net/mediaworld/haggis-moresco-01.htm
While both Haggis and Moresco are well-known for their Oscar-winning screenplay for the film Crash and their work on the Academy Award-winning Million Dollar Baby, they previously worked together on the television series, EZ Streets , a 1996 CBS crime drama. In fact, The Black Donnellys began as a follow-up to EZ Streets and is loosely based on real-life events from Moresco’s childhood growing up in the neighborhood of Hell’s Kitchen in New York City. As a result, although The Black Donnellys is not biographical and takes place in a fictional neighborhood, each of the characters, situations, and personal dilemmas have elements of truth drawn from Moresco’s own experiences.
For instance, in a March 2007 interview with PBS’s Tavis Smiley, Moresco compared the Donnelly brothers to members of the Irish mob group the Westies, many of whom were Moresco’s family members and friends. Moresco explained that The Black Donnellys is about four Irish kids who end up in that world of the Irish mafia and “just don’t know how to exist there. They’re incapable of surviving except by counting on each other”.
Similarly, in a separate interview, Haggis described The Black Donnellys as a story “about the journey that [the Donnelly brothers] face and less about the crime involved.” He noted that he and Moresco liked the idea of a coming of age story in a world where crime is the easiest way to make a living and indicated that, in each episode, they tried to put the characters into situations that no one would want to be in and then have them make choices that no one would want to have to make. The result, according to Moresco, is not organized crime, but rather a world of disorganized crime where people you love can do “monstrous things.” Each week, the Donnelly brothers (and the television audience) learn that there is a moral price to pay for each choice made and each action taken in life. Indeed, as Moresco remarked, “[y]ou don’t know what that price is going to be, but you’re going to pay it.” Now that’s a lesson we’d all do well to learn.
For more information about Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco, visit:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0353673/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0604263/
For full interviews with Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco, visit:
http://entertainment1.sympatico.msn.ca/At+long+last+Paul+Haggis+Black+Donnellys+debuts/TV_Guide/Interviews/Features/Articles/250207_donnellys_JR.htm?isfa=1
http://www.thescifiworld.net/mediaworld/haggis-moresco-01.htm
Friday, July 6, 2007
HBO: A Home For The Black Donnellys?
In an Entertainment Weekly Blog that mentions the Black Donnellys, the blog columnist asks, "One more question: did any of you also watch The Black Donnellys, and do any of you think fans can get that show reborn by shipping 45,000 Zesta crackers to HBO?"
The answer to that question is YES. No one knows if the crackers will convince HBO to pick up a second season of the Black Donnellys. It is really about showing our support for this series as NBC failed to do so. Several shows from major network lineups have been cancelled. The Fall 2008 lineup only seems bleak, especially for NBC. We wouldn't want The Black Donnellys to retire because of NBC's mishandling of the series.
The Black Donnellys' fans are a loyal and passionate group of individuals. As a fan, we believe in the slogan "Family Above All" and and The Black Donnellys best exemplifies that.
We only hope that The Black Donnellys can find a home at HBO. While, some may believe the crackers may not do it, we do believe that HBO is a good home as they are responsible for such great shows like The Sopranos. Even actors from The Black Donnellys have prior or future history with HBO.
Kirk Acevedo as Nicky Cottero, is well known for his role as Alvarez on "OZ". Alvarez, as some of you may recall, is much weaker than the Italian rat, Nicky Cottero. Billy Lush as Kevin Donnelly has been cast in HBO's new miniseries "Generation Kill" among a handful of rising stars. HBO will not only draw upon established audiences but will gain a new and very passionate audience.
Given the opportunity, the right marketing, the series can be successful. This is what we would like HBO to see. Crackers, or no crackers.
Also check out this article written by Mekeisha Madden Toby of The Detroit News entitled 'Donnellys' live on in NBC cyberspace. Finally, a columnist who understand The Black Donnellys.. not one who assumes from watching part of The Pilot episode.
The answer to that question is YES. No one knows if the crackers will convince HBO to pick up a second season of the Black Donnellys. It is really about showing our support for this series as NBC failed to do so. Several shows from major network lineups have been cancelled. The Fall 2008 lineup only seems bleak, especially for NBC. We wouldn't want The Black Donnellys to retire because of NBC's mishandling of the series.
The Black Donnellys' fans are a loyal and passionate group of individuals. As a fan, we believe in the slogan "Family Above All" and and The Black Donnellys best exemplifies that.
We only hope that The Black Donnellys can find a home at HBO. While, some may believe the crackers may not do it, we do believe that HBO is a good home as they are responsible for such great shows like The Sopranos. Even actors from The Black Donnellys have prior or future history with HBO.
Kirk Acevedo as Nicky Cottero, is well known for his role as Alvarez on "OZ". Alvarez, as some of you may recall, is much weaker than the Italian rat, Nicky Cottero. Billy Lush as Kevin Donnelly has been cast in HBO's new miniseries "Generation Kill" among a handful of rising stars. HBO will not only draw upon established audiences but will gain a new and very passionate audience.
Given the opportunity, the right marketing, the series can be successful. This is what we would like HBO to see. Crackers, or no crackers.
Also check out this article written by Mekeisha Madden Toby of The Detroit News entitled 'Donnellys' live on in NBC cyberspace. Finally, a columnist who understand The Black Donnellys.. not one who assumes from watching part of The Pilot episode.
Crackers getting Attention
Today I was going to tell you the story of how we came to be The Firecrackers. But some good news came our way and I thought I would comment on the article written about The Black Donnellys campaign that graced our computer screens today.
Martin Miller, staff writer for The LA Times, gave new life to the TBD campaign with an article entitled, “A Cracker Attack for The Black Donnellys” His article was released on July 5th only one day after the press release http://www.savetheblackdonnelly
Read the full article here: http://latimesblogs.latimes
Martin mentioned that “A small number of die-hard fans of NBC's recently canceled drama "The Black Donnellys" plans to ship nearly 300 pounds of Zesta crackers (about 45,000 crackers) to HBO executives beginning next week in hopes of persuading the premium cable outlet to pick up the moribund show.” We may be small in numbers in comparison to Veronica Mars fans that had at least 4 seasons under their belt or Jericho fans that have one season’s worth of fans, but we are just as passionate! Additionally, NBC gave us the cold shoulder so we had to rally and organize again for a road less traveled; another network.
Well, we made enough noise to have an article written about the campaign one day after the press release! So, thank you firecrackers, far and wide, that have sent letters, emails, quarters and crackers! And a big thank you to Ruth, our fearless leader, who keeps us focused and works hard everyday to SAVE TBD!
www.savetheblackdonnellys.netThursday, July 5, 2007
Today's LA Times: "A cracker attack for 'The Black Donnellys'"
First everyone was nuts. Now they're crackers.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2007/07/a-cracker-attac.html
A small number of die-hard fans of NBC's recently canceled drama "The Black Donnellys" plans to ship nearly 300 pounds of Zesta crackers (about 45,000 crackers) to HBO executives beginning next week in hopes of persuading the premium cable outlet to pick up the moribund show.
Fans of "The Black Donnellys," a serialized drama about four Irish brothers and their involvement in organized crime in New York's infamous Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, were inspired by the recent success of "Jericho" fans and vow to keep sending crackers to HBO as long as donations hold out. In June, "Jericho" fans inundated CBS with tons of nuts, eventually persuading the network to exhume the post-apocalypse drama after it was dropped from its fall schedule.
"Donnellys" fans, whose website can be found at http://www.savetheblackdonnelys.net, said they chose HBO because the cable outlet is a better fit for the "Donnellys' " grittier themes. Also, they selected Zesta crackers because they are featured in a lounge sign belonging to one of the show's main characters.
HBO offices were closed todayfor the holidays and officials were unavailable for comment.
-- Martin Miller
(Photo: Virginia Sherwood / NBC)
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2007/07/a-cracker-attac.html
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Press Release For Crackers
Save The Black Donnellys Campaign
For Immediate Release
July 4, 2007
Nuts for Jericho, Crackers for The Black Donnellys
On Sunday, July 1st, the Save The Black Donnellys Campaign purchased 9,600 crackers to send to Carolyn Strauss, President of HBO Entertainment, in the hopes that she will consider adding the recently cancelled drama to HBO's regular programming lineup. The "Firecrackers" from the Save The Black Donnellys Campaign believe that this prematurely cancelled NBC series about a family of four brothers involved in the Irish mob will be a success with HBO's viewers and deserves to be picked up for a second season. Recently, similar fan campaigns have resulted in renewal for the CBS drama Jericho and a future comic book series for fans of the CW's series Veronica Mars. Now The Black Donnellys fans are hoping for a little Independence Day victory of their own.
The campaign was created by Black Donnellys fans who dubbed themselves the "Firecrackers" after the name of the fictional bar owned by the Donnelly family. The crackers are a reference to the show's ninth episode, titled "All of Us Are In The Gutter". In that episode, Jimmy Donnelly, one of the main characters, purchases a new bar sign for the family bar, the Firecracker Lounge. According to Jimmy, the "flame" + cracker on the sign symbolizes the "new beginning" or fresh slate for Jimmy and the other Donnelly brothers. Similarly, for the Firecrackers, NBC's mishandling of The Black Donnellys serves as an opportunity to give the series and its fans a much needed new beginning on HBO.
Notably, the Firecrackers decided to contact Carolyn Strauss from HBO rather than targeting NBC because they believed the show would be more successful on cable and would be a great fit for HBO's programming. In the past, Ms. Strauss has brought successful dramatic series like The Sopranos and Oz to HBO. Further, several letters, phone calls, and emails were previously sent to NBC network executives like President Jeff Zucker with no response. In fact, NBC has actively prevented any fan uprising from occurring. NBC board moderators suspend fans and delete threads from NBC's online message board whenever there is any discussion about saving The Black Donnellys or the possibility of a second season. This censorship sparked the Firecrackers' renewed campaign targeted at HBO.
Over the past three weeks and as of July 2nd, the Firecrackers have raised $783 in donations for their cracker campaign which will allow them to purchase 41,760 crackers (261 pounds) to be shipped to HBO. As they are still receiving donations from fans eager for a second season of The Black Donnellys, the Firecrackers will continue to send shipments to HBO so long as donations continue to be received.
Along with the crackers, fans have also sent quarters and shamrocks to HBO to show their support for The Black Donnellys. In addition, fans complete daily action items to promote the series and help secure support for a second season. The petition to save The Black Donnellys has close to 37,000 signatures to date. Other campaign efforts include streaming online episodes from NBC.com, downloading episodes from iTunes.com, subscribing to HDNet (which is airing the first season of The Black Donnellys on Wednesday evenings), and pre-ordering The Black Donnellys first season DVD from amazon.com.
For more information, contact:
Save The Black Donnellys Campaign
info@savetheblackdonnellys.net
http://www.savetheblackdonnellys.net
The Firecrackers meet at The Firecracker Lounge
http://www.thefirecrackerlounge.com
For Immediate Release
July 4, 2007
Nuts for Jericho, Crackers for The Black Donnellys
On Sunday, July 1st, the Save The Black Donnellys Campaign purchased 9,600 crackers to send to Carolyn Strauss, President of HBO Entertainment, in the hopes that she will consider adding the recently cancelled drama to HBO's regular programming lineup. The "Firecrackers" from the Save The Black Donnellys Campaign believe that this prematurely cancelled NBC series about a family of four brothers involved in the Irish mob will be a success with HBO's viewers and deserves to be picked up for a second season. Recently, similar fan campaigns have resulted in renewal for the CBS drama Jericho and a future comic book series for fans of the CW's series Veronica Mars. Now The Black Donnellys fans are hoping for a little Independence Day victory of their own.
The campaign was created by Black Donnellys fans who dubbed themselves the "Firecrackers" after the name of the fictional bar owned by the Donnelly family. The crackers are a reference to the show's ninth episode, titled "All of Us Are In The Gutter". In that episode, Jimmy Donnelly, one of the main characters, purchases a new bar sign for the family bar, the Firecracker Lounge. According to Jimmy, the "flame" + cracker on the sign symbolizes the "new beginning" or fresh slate for Jimmy and the other Donnelly brothers. Similarly, for the Firecrackers, NBC's mishandling of The Black Donnellys serves as an opportunity to give the series and its fans a much needed new beginning on HBO.
Notably, the Firecrackers decided to contact Carolyn Strauss from HBO rather than targeting NBC because they believed the show would be more successful on cable and would be a great fit for HBO's programming. In the past, Ms. Strauss has brought successful dramatic series like The Sopranos and Oz to HBO. Further, several letters, phone calls, and emails were previously sent to NBC network executives like President Jeff Zucker with no response. In fact, NBC has actively prevented any fan uprising from occurring. NBC board moderators suspend fans and delete threads from NBC's online message board whenever there is any discussion about saving The Black Donnellys or the possibility of a second season. This censorship sparked the Firecrackers' renewed campaign targeted at HBO.
Over the past three weeks and as of July 2nd, the Firecrackers have raised $783 in donations for their cracker campaign which will allow them to purchase 41,760 crackers (261 pounds) to be shipped to HBO. As they are still receiving donations from fans eager for a second season of The Black Donnellys, the Firecrackers will continue to send shipments to HBO so long as donations continue to be received.
Along with the crackers, fans have also sent quarters and shamrocks to HBO to show their support for The Black Donnellys. In addition, fans complete daily action items to promote the series and help secure support for a second season. The petition to save The Black Donnellys has close to 37,000 signatures to date. Other campaign efforts include streaming online episodes from NBC.com, downloading episodes from iTunes.com, subscribing to HDNet (which is airing the first season of The Black Donnellys on Wednesday evenings), and pre-ordering The Black Donnellys first season DVD from amazon.com.
For more information, contact:
Save The Black Donnellys Campaign
info@savetheblackdonnellys.net
http://www.savetheblackdonnellys.net
The Firecrackers meet at The Firecracker Lounge
http://www.thefirecrackerlounge.com
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