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House of Guinness is Netflix’s new, highly stylized period drama that makes 19th-century Dublin sexy. Created and written by Steven Knight of Peaky Blinders fame, the show is a sleek depiction of the rise of the Guinness family, which went from brewing Irish stout to becoming one of the most recognizable names around the world.
The show starts in 1868 after the death of Benjamin Guinness. The Guinness patriarch turned the brewery and family name into a global brand (and by 1855 was the wealthiest man in Ireland). He left behind four spoiled children to look after his legacy, business, and fortune. Much like HBO’s Succession, House of Guinness follows these siblings as they are forced into unwanted positions of power due to the posthumous wishes of their late father.
Benjamin leaves the brewery and the business to his sons, Arthur (Anthony Boyle) and Edward (Louis Partridge), with the small print declaring that they must both take on a joint role. This inheritance comes with a bunch of caveats that mean if one walks away from the business, they lose everything. It’s a cruel way to force these brothers to overcome their differences and work together.
Only daughter Anne (Emily Fairn) is enraged when her father leaves her nothing, leaving her tied to her husband and his wealth. Youngest son Benjamin (Fionn O’Shea) is also overlooked by his father, even in death, leaving him with nothing but a bursary. Anne and Benjamin deal with this betrayal in very different ways, one turning to helping those less fortunate, and the other to the bottle.
In the background of the family drama are the conditions unfolding in 19th-century Ireland. A vocal anti-British movement is on the rise, with people turning on the Protestant elite. The Irish revolutionaries (known as the Fenians) want to free Ireland from Britain, and the Guinness family is too linked to England and the Unionists. The anti-elite sentiment of the Fenians relates closely to current affairs and the current political divide. This political landscape adds layers to the show and reminds the family what they have to lose and how many people hope they fail.
The relationship between put-upon eldest sons Arthur and Edward is at the heart of House of Guinness. Their bond is a complicated one with neither agreeing with the other’s choices, beliefs, or values. There is a sense that neither really knows who the other one really is, just their uptight public persona. It’s not just the brothers vying for the family fortune that is reminiscent of Succession. The banter between the brothers, which is both revolving and hilarious, is reminiscent of the Roy siblings’ frequent back-and-forth. Arthur is especially skillful at delivering a sharp one-liner and an ill-timed quip.
The show flits through the family’s personal and professional life, sometimes struggling to settle on one topic. Arthur’s political career, which may have been achieved unlawfully, is told to audiences rather than shown, whereas his personal life is on display much more boldly. John Boyle’s performance as the complicated Anthony is the heart and glue of House of Guinness. It’s clear Boyle is poised for stardom as he commands this Netflix drama.
Louis Patridge’s Edward is meek in comparison. While his character is the ambitious brother, this doesn’t always come across in the actor’s performance. He spends much of the series at odds with Ellen Cochrane (Niamh McCormack). Ellen is a member of the lower classes, a revolutionary who can’t wait to tell Edward exactly what she thinks of the elite. The tension between the pair over their many dinners is a series highlight.
Steven Knight continues his run of writing interesting women, and House of Guinness is not short on complicated, fiery ladies. The only Guinness daughter, Anne, doesn’t let her lack of inheritance get her down; instead, it gives her a fire to make her own way without her husband, William. Anne refuses to be held back and purely be a wife and mother, much to the annoyance of her aunt Agnes (Dervla Kirwan).
Fionn O’Shea’s Benjamin doesn’t get the screentime the talented actor deserves. The youngest Guinness son is a troubled man who has mostly been written out of history. He struggles with alcohol and is humiliated by being shunted from the family business. O’Shea appears sporadically through the eight episodes, which is a shame because when he’s on screen, he gives a nuanced performance of a dark soul.
Parallel to the Dublin-set proceedings is Byron Hedges’ (Jack Gleeson) adventures in New York. The series also follows Guinness’ international expansion with a slight mockery of American Irish ways. Whenever the show spends time abroad, you’ll wish you were following the Guinness family back in Ireland. The show should have waited until later episodes to introduce the American storyline and spent more time introducing the audience to the Dublin world and characters.
While House of Guinness is rooted in historical fact, there are some new characters who have been made up for the show. For example, brewery foreman Sean Rafferty (James Norton) is a fictional addition to the world of the Guinness family. His role is as family fixer, on site to prove his loyalty (especially to the women), but never forget his place as a servant. It’s criminal that Norton is relegated to the support cast. The actor is too talented for this secondary role, but he makes the most of his limited screentime.
Sometimes, the show concentrates more on the aesthetics than the writing. Scenes can feel like they solely appear to showcase cool cinematography rather than to move the plot along or reveal something about the characters. Fans of Peaky Blinders may even notice that some scenes, especially in the brewery and during the protests, are a little too much like the popular Cillian Murphy drama. There is a sense that Knight is repeating some of his favorite tricks on House of Guinness, but there is also a sense that if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.
House of Guinness is far from a stuffy period drama. With a soundtrack full of Irish punk classics, a young, attractive cast, and a flair for dramatic cinematography, stout has never looked sexier. While it’s more concerned with the characters than the plot, there are still plenty of twists and turns over these eight episodes.
House of Guinness is on Netflix from 25 September.
Grade: B
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House of Guinness
Dublin, 1868. The Guinness family patriarch is dead, and his four children — each with dark secrets to hide — hold the brewery's fate in their hands.
Release Date: September 25, 2025
Director: Steven Knight
Cast: Anthony Boyle , Louis Partridge , Emily Fairn
