Netflix's new period drama House of Guinness has sparked a furious backlash in Ireland just a day after its launch, with critics and a real-life family member accusing the streaming giant of getting it wrong. The show, starring James Norton, Anthony Boyle and Louis Partridge, tells the story of the legendary brewing family set in 19th-century Dublin and New York.
One descendant, writer Molly Guinness, expressed 'righteous fury' in The Times, claiming the portrayal of her great-great grandfather Edward and his brother Arthur turned them into 'knaves and fools'. She alleged that Arthur's 'gay exploits' were 'invented' and that the show implied Sir Benjamin was cruel to his children, when in reality he was a 'loving father'. She described the characters as coming 'straight from a bingo card of modern clichés'.
Irish reviewers have criticised the British actors' attempts at Irish accents, with James Norton's accent described as 'jarring' and compared to 'Darby O'Gill' by the Irish Star. The Irish Times' Ed Power noted that creator Steven Knight's 'understanding of Ireland under colonialism is rudimentary' and lamented that the show was filmed in Liverpool. He added that Fenian characters 'dress and speak like feral leprechauns'.
The show features a modern soundtrack including Irish punk band Fontaines D.C. and controversial rappers Kneecap, whose Glastonbury performance was not streamed by the BBC after a member faced a terror charge, later thrown out on a technicality. Irish Independent's Ann Marie Hourihane called the show 'a shocker', criticising its clichés and swearing, though she praised Jack Gleeson's performance as the 'most vivid' character.
