#Kin Season 1 Episode 3 Review: The Hit

It’s all hitting the fan in Kin Season 1 Episode 3.

Emotions are running high, leading to decisions with dire consequences.

No amount of damage control can stop the havoc now.

So, big reveal — Amanda slept with Michael when Jimmy was in prison.

It’s clearly been on Jimmy’s mind lately. Though he says he blames himself, there are definitely some unresolved feelings about his wife and brother. No wonder things are always so tense.

It’s an odd thing to bring up now, but it’s an effective way for Jimmy to shut down Amanda’s suggestion that Michael does the eulogy. Jimmy never “makes her feel guilty” about it, but if that means he can use it as a trump card whenever he needs to, why wouldn’t he?

He’s got the psychological upper hand because Amanda will always feel bad about what she did. 

In my review of Kin Season 1 Episode 2, I mentioned the show’s Shakespearean tendencies. This trend continues with some real Lady Macbeth vibes here. Amanda seems to be consumed with madness, urges her husband to kill, and then furiously scrubs the stove while the hit is taking place. 

Decisions are being made based on emotions rather than thinking them through. It’s frustrating because we totally understand rationally where Frank and Birdy are coming from, but Jimmy and Amanda are so blinded with grief that they can only see revenge. 

It’s a relief seeing Jimmy hold it together for the eulogy, focusing on what a happy child Jamie was. 

You can only ever be as happy as your unhappiest child.
Jimmy

Amanda’s tunnel vision of Eamon is an unsettling, terrifying shot, reminding us that she cannot see past her grief and the perpetrators of the crime. 

Michael (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Hannah Adeogun) have a heart-breaking scene after the funeral. This is the first time we’ve seen Michael display this level of emotion, and it cuts deep. His love is so desperate and real; he can’t even keep it in.

The fact that he thinks he has to introduce himself to her is devastating. 

Anna holds her own against him, telling him he shouldn’t be talking to her. She remains aloof and assertive. It’s only when she walks away from him that we see a hint of regret. It feels like Anna wants to get to know him but understands how dangerous that would be. 

He knows it’s his fault and that he has no way of making it right. She’s all he is living for, but she is perpetually out of reach. 

Now, I’m very curious about Birdy’s backstory with Eamon.

Birdy is clearly not afraid of him — there even appears to be some affection. How long have they known each other? She asks him for Caolan with no trace of humor, and he doesn’t even seem angry. On the contrary, he might even be impressed. Birdy takes her shots where she can get them.

Eamon: If there’s anything I can do, you only have to ask.

Birdy: Well, you could give us Caolan Moore.

Eamon: You haven’t changed, Birdy.

Visually, this episode has a rich and colorful palette that feeds the emotions behind the action.

The sweeping daytime shots of Dublin are bleak, grey, and cold. The church’s stained-glass windows present a warm, inviting rainbow. Michael’s prison world is a muted, melancholy blue-green. The hit scene goes from darkness to warm reds and then to darkness again, signifying Caolan’s quick and violent end at Michael’s hand.

You know why they call him the Magician, don’t you? ‘Cause he makes people disappear!
Fudge

Frank is starting to unravel, and no wonder.

Aiden Gillen convincingly conveys Frank’s faltering confidence. He’s losing control, and he’s rattled. Frank knows he hasn’t got a handle on his family anymore. No one but Birdy seems to respect his authority.

Frank is clearly sick of having to explain the gravity of the situation. But, he will use everything in his arsenal to protect his loved ones — even though they’re the ones who made the mess.

It’s too late for anything else — Eamon is coming for blood. So it’s no longer about damage control — it’s about being prepared and surviving the ensuing chaos. 

Once Caolan has been killed, Amanda’s relief is quickly replaced by regret. Clare Dunne is a fantastic actor, but Amanda’s turnabout is maddening, to say the least.

Michael manages to keep a level head around her, which is impressive since he could easily say, “I told you so.” He also defends her to others whenever he can, saying she’s grieving. He even stays calm when she digs the knife in about Alison — well, the doctor did tell him to avoid getting stressed. 

What led these two to sleep together? We know it was when Jimmy was in prison but was it when Alison (Anna’s mother) was still alive? 

What’s clear is that, despite what he says, Michael carries an immense load of guilt — various murders, sleeping with Amanda, Alison’s death, and maybe even feeling partially responsible for Jamie’s death. 

Michael is dealing with a lot, but unlike the rest of his family, he retreats inward. He doesn’t share his pain with anyone. This is finally physically manifesting in seizures. If he can’t get them under control, he will be at a serious disadvantage in the coming war.

Eamon’s scene with his ex-wife feels out of place at first, but it serves to humanize Eamon. Like Amanda and Jimmy, he retaliates harder when his emotions are running high. 

That funeral suit, Frank, you better mind that, because it’s going to get a lot of fuckin’ use. I promise you that.
Eamon

Jimmy and Michael’s hit on Caolan came at the worst possible time. Now Eamon, distraught over his ex-wife’s diagnosis, will be merciless. After all, unlike cancer, this war is something he can control. 

This is Kin’s strongest episode to date. The plot is racing forward, and the body count is poised to skyrocket. 

Eamon’s hit on Noel proves that he is playing a long game. Will Eamon continue to circle the Kinsellas, picking off their outer circle, before coming after the power players?

How will the Kinsellas strike back? Can they hope to win, or is survival the only goal now? Share your thoughts in the comments. 

Mary Littlejohn is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.