The last thing a family, as unstable and chaotic as the Cody clan, needs is Denis Leary, yet that is exactly who shows up as an estranged father in the trailer for season 3 of TNT’s “Animal Kingdom.”
Leary, looking more grizzled and unpredictable than ever as the unhinged Billy, is a worthy counterbalance to series star Ellen Barkin. Barkin’s presence as ‘Smurf,’ the domineering matriarch of a highly dysfunctional Southern California crime family, has always been one of the show’s biggest strengths. Smurf is less than thrilled at the appearance of Leary’s character, and watching the two jostle for control over the Codys should make for plenty of entertaining over-the-top family drama (particularly with Smurf now confined to a jail cell).
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Since its 2016 debut, “Animal Kingdom” (based on a critically lauded 2010 Australian film) has received strong reviews for its gritty, taut storytelling. The trailer for season 3 indicates that the series is poised to deliver more of the tense action fans associate with the show. It opens with a daring in-flight airplane heist, an ambitious set piece that looks closer to what you would expect from a big-budget summer blockbuster than a TNT drama. Visually, the third season looks stylish, cinematic, and extremely polished.
Unfortunately, the walls are closing in fast on the Codys; as everyone is questioning the leadership of young J (Finn Cole), especially with the cops breathing down their necks in hopes of bringing down the whole family. On the other side of the law, dangerous new rivals appear ready to wage war. Will the Codys collapse under the pressure or come together to save themselves? In either case, as the trailer promises, there will be plenty of surfing.
Co-starring Scott Speedman, Shawn Hatosy, Ben Robson, Jake Weary, and Molly Gordon, season 3 of “Animal Kingdom” premieres on TNT May 29th.