BBC gangster show with perfect Rotten Tomatoes score viewers say is one of the ‘best’ ever

The crime drama has attracted legions of new fans who are binge-watching all 16 episodes.

Daredevil’s Charlie Cox stars in the gangster show (Image: RTÉ/BBC)

Viewers have heaped praise on a gangster series available on BBC iPlayer. Despite only running for 16 episodes, Kin, a crime drama centred on a family underworld conflict in Dublin, has left viewers clamouring for more.

While Kin initially broadcast from 2021 to 2023, the programme has gained fresh admirers who have discovered it on Netflix and iPlayer. The Irish drama also won over critics – its debut series boasts a flawless 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating,”A boy is killed, and his family embarks on a gangland war with an international cartel,” reads the show’s description. “But the Kinsellas have something the cartel does not, the unbreakable bonds of blood and family.”

The stellar ensemble was led by Charlie Cox, renowned for portraying Marvel superhero Daredevil, alongside Game of Thrones’ Aidan Gillen and Ciarán Hinds clashing as opposing crime bosses.

The series opens with Michael Kinsella’s (Cox) homecoming, the wayward son of a criminal dynasty released on parole.

The Kinsellas depend on local narcotics kingpin Eamon Cunningham (Hinds) for their merchandise. Hostilities have intensified during Michael’s incarceration, and within several episodes, full-scale warfare breaks out.

“I binge watched all of Kin series one on Netflix yesterday, didn’t finish it until 3am,” said one viewer. “Really enjoyed it. When will series two be released I need to do more bingeing into the wee small hours.”

A viewer critique on Rotten Tomatoes states: “Best series I have seen, could not stop watching it, brilliantly written, acting superb, a must watch for me.”

All 16 episodes of Kin are streaming free on BBC iPlayer (Image: RTÉ/BBC)

Another critic, admittedly not typically drawn to the genre, commented: “It features the familiar elements of a crime drama, yet delivers them exceptionally. The series is deeply character-driven, with standout acting, sharp dialogue, and nuanced interactions that will have you on the edge of your seat, hanging on every word when things get real.

“The action sequences are seamlessly incorporated, as one critic noted. Even as someone who doesn’t enjoy drama, I found this a fantastic watch.”

Another said: “The action sequences are seamlessly incorporated, as one critic noted. Even as someone who doesn’t enjoy drama, I found this a fantastic watch.”

Other viewers have drawn comparisons to Love/Hate, another Irish gangster programme that aired from 2010 to 2014.

As one observed: “Watch love/hate instead especially S2 + S3. Up there with the best shows I’ve ever watched”.