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Episode 11: “Wasn’t That Enough?”

“Father, you died once … wasn’t that enough?” – Anne Sexton

Also known as the episode in which Kevin gives his number to a “human hate machine” and Tommy wears a black t-shirt.

Joey: “Enterprise? You guys talk like it was some kind big kind of corporation. It wasn’t like that at all, we were just a bunch of kids hanging out in a bar. At least, that’s how it started.”

That building the Donnellys cleared? Torched, presumably by the building management. But they still get paid, with an extra $10,000, so I guess a deal’s a deal? Dokey wasn’t too happy with that. Mr. Reilly reveals that his building is still in danger, but so eloquently telling Tommy he hates him and his family. What a way to request a favor. The city has deemed the building structurally unsound, but Mr. Reilly knows that Dokey is behind it. Tommy refuses to take half the diner as payment, but Mr. Reilly is Mr. Reilly.

So Tommy and Kevin start out on a wild goose chase to reverse the inspection ruling, unknowingly getting a little too close to the Italian/Irish secret land deal, the one that got their father killed. Highland Management, where they had just been the day before to talk about clearing residential building, is empty, and the address for the mortgage company is in the same building, but with the next block’s entrance address. Leading to an answering service office. And Kevin falling for a sarcastic, insulting employee. And he leaves his cell number too, just in case. SO KEVIN.

Tommy: “Why would you do that? Why would you give that human hate machine your number?”

Kevin: “I really liked her.”

Jimmy and Joanie try to figure out what to do with Whitey’s body, by getting high, because that’ll solve all the problems and create a solid plan. Only to find out that Whitey gave Joanie a set of keys, really sealing the deal that Whitey and Joanie were messing around on the side. Leading to Jimmy covering Whitey with a too small blanket, so Joanie will agree to hook up with Jimmy without Whitey looking at her. And then discuss body disposal possibilities. Have I mentioned they both are on drugs?

Dokey, in a rare moment of perhaps … compassion? Desperation? Tells Tommy to stay away from the Reilly issue, not to get involved, unless he wants to end up like Bobby Donnelly. Which of course just encourages Tommy even more to find out what’s really going on. 

A neighborhood friend, who Kevin also owes money to, confirms that the inspection notice is real, but the engineer signature is fake, pointing the boys to Franny Kenny (Dan Lauria – MR. ARNOLD FROM THE WONDER YEARS!), an old friend of Bobby’s. He jumps into the chase, and I think of Mr. Arnold’s famous “work’s work” line every time, as he’s combing through the file stacks. But he halts his search at “Longdale Properties”, a little too quickly, and both Tommy and Kevin are suspicious. Clearly Franny knows more and won’t say.

Cue Mrs. Donnelly, tipped off by Franny, and she demands Tommy and Kevin to stop helping Mr. Reilly. Complete with Mrs. Donnelly forcing Tommy to look at crime scene photos of his father. Talk about brutal. She’s making a point, but what exactly is it? There’s a lot left unsaid, but both Kevin and Tommy are quickly picking up on the fact that their father’s death is part of a much bigger situation. Tommy agrees to let it go, but doesn’t really. Instead he goes to Kate Farrell to get more information on Franny, and Kate clues Tommy in that Franny knows more than he’s saying.

Meanwhile, Kevin has already got Franny tied up in the file room and is beating him. This is one of my favorite scenes with Kevin and Tommy, and its a look towards the future of the brother’s in business. Kevin handling the dirty work and Tommy the bigger plans. Out of the four brothers, these two have taken on a large part of the recent “family business” together, from killing Sal, Huey, and the other Italians in Minetta’s that night, to dumping Louie Downtown’s body, burying Carr, and dealing with the Reillys in their own ways. They actually work together well, when given the space to. Kevin explains he picked up that Mrs. Donnelly ran her hand through her hair while talking about Franny, a tell, which Kevin knows because even though he sucks at winning, he’s a good gambler. It tipped him off, and Tommy trusts him, taking the lead on the situation (per usual).

Turns out Longdale Properties is Dokey, Huey, Alo, and Franny back in the day. An alliance in real estate for big money, and Bobby Donnelly was against the deal, because the Italians were buying land in the neighborhood. And now it becomes clear to the boys why Bobby died. Hearing that Franny was supposed to meet Bobby that day in the diner, Kevin and Tommy unload all of their pent up anger and hurt on Franny.

Tommy calls a meet with Dokey, to ask if Huey was directly responsible for killing Bobby. No matter the axe in Dokey’s car. And Dokey blames Bobby’s death on the Italians. Except, he’s lying … it was the Irish. Huey did it to prove loyalty to the Italians. And Dokey tells Tommy to go home and ask his mother who sent Bobby to the diner that day.

But Tommy overheard it the argument that morning, and he knows deep down his mother that convinced Bobby to take the meeting, on behalf of supporting his family.

Nicky and Vinnie are learning more on the same from Trevor’s chief of staff, Trish – the empty lot where Nicky took a shovel to the head? The lot is across from two lots owned by Alo and Dokey, for high rise apartments, and the shovel head lot is next to be purchased. Nicky sees an opportunity and starts his plan to kill Alo.

Samson the bread man continues his creepy stalking behavior, sneaking around the back of the diner and prompting Jenny to confront him while he’s on a delivery at another location. After a bizarre conversation in which Samson says he loves her, Jenny pulls out her Donnelly strength and tells him basically to fuck off. But it’s not over.

And Sean continues the most normal path of all, making a mix CD for Nadine, the jukebox sales girl. God I miss 2000’s mix CDs. They meet at the Firecracker and Sean admits that his father was killed by Italians. The look of horror on his face when he realizes Nadine might be Italian is hilarious, and she quickly points out that she’s Greek. Phew.

The Donnellys sit down that night for dinner – Jimmy announces he thinks he’s in love with Joanie, Sean wants to go back to school (inspired by Nadine), and Tommy and Kevin share a knowing look about the day’s events. Kicking off what’s to come.

Favorite Scene: I have two in this episode. The first being Kevin leaving his number for the answering service girl, it’s so classic Kevin.

The second is the scene with Tommy and Kevin in the file room with Franny Kenny. I love that we get a glimpse of what’s to come as they further solidify boss and right hand man, their bond as brothers the ultimate level of trust.

“The Black Donnellys” is available for purchase on iTunes, Amazon, and DVD.  Also available to stream, with extremely annoying and poorly placed commercial breaks, on the NBC app or NBC.com

At the time of posting, the episodes are still out of order on the NBC app and website, so Episode 4 = Episode 2, Episode 2 = Episode 3, Episode 3 = Episode 4. The title of each episode should reference the quote slide within the first 5 minutes of the episode.

Episode Notes: “The Black Donnellys” Episode 12

Episode Notes: “The Black Donnellys” Episode 10

Sleepers: “The Black Donnellys”