TNT has debuted an extended preview of Animal Kingdom, a viscerally engaging show that peels back the layers of a wild criminal family led by a fierce and emotionally manipulative matriarch. Animal Kingdom will have its two-hour series premiere on June 14 at 9/8c.
You can watch the extended preview below and the full first episode at AnimalKingdom.TNTDrama.com!
Animal Kingdom is a bold new drama starring Emmy and Tony winner Ellen Barkin (Sea of Love, This Boy’s Life, Ocean’s Thirteen), Scott Speedman (The Strangers, The Vow),Shawn Hatosy (Southland, Reckless), Ben Robson (Vikings, Dracula: The Dark Prince), Jake Weary (Pretty Little Liars, It Follows), Finn Cole (Peaky Blinders, An Inspector Calls), Daniella Alonso (Revolution) and Molly Gordon (Love the Coopers, Ithaca).
The series centers on 17-year-old Joshua “J” Cody (Cole), who moves in with his freewheeling relatives in their Southern California beach town after his mother dies of a heroin overdose. Heading up the family is J’s estranged grandmother, Janine “Smurf” Cody (Barkin), whom he’s been shielded from for years. She is orbited by Baz (Speedman), her relatively level-headed right-hand man whom she adopted when he was a teenager; Smurf’s eldest son, the quietly menacing, mentally disturbed Pope (Hatosy), who has just gotten out of prison; her tough, hyperactive, recreational drug-using middle son, Craig (Robson); and the troubled and suspicious Deran (Weary), the “baby” of the family. Also prominent are Nicky Belmont (Gordon), J’s steady girlfriend, and Catherine Ortiz (Alonso), Baz’s de facto wife and the mother of their 4-year-old daughter, Lena.
J will soon learn that they all make their livings through carefully planned armed robberies and other criminal activities, and that Smurf is an intense, beguiling and complicated matriarch who rules over “her boys” with a borderline incestuous love. It turns out that joining Smurf’s family comes with more danger and excitement than J might be ready to handle.
Animal Kingdom is produced by John Wells Productions in association with Warner Horizon Television, with Emmy® winner John Wells (TNT’s Southland, ER, The West Wing, Shameless) and Jonathan Lisco (TNT’s Southland, Halt and Catch Fire, Damages, NYPD Blue) serving as executive producers of the series, along with Etan Frankel (Shameless, Southland) and Christopher Chulack (ER, Shameless, Southland).
Animal Kingdom is inspired by the award-winning feature film written & directed by David Michôd and produced by Liz Watts, who also serve as executive producers on the series.
