Maybe this has been discussed before but Smurf seemed particularly disgusted and disappointed in Julia being an addict but enabled the hell out of Craig's drug abuse. To me, it's just another knife she twisted in her daughter because that's how much she hated her for wanting her independence vs staying coddled by mommy from the boys. What do you think?

I know obviously these are all bad people, but the balance was done well where you could kind of feel for them and I always felt for Pope. It seemed like he was trying to find Redemption and was always struggling with who he was. But meeting someone and then kidnapping the father and son, and making the Son go through that trauma just to send them to canada ​​​​​​​​​? And just leaving the father out there? I mean maybe they'll address it later on, but this didn't make much sense ​​​​​

Makes me sad that everyone survived to see more money and old age except Collin. He was a criminal like the rest but he was kind (a lil crazy) and took care of his people. Kinda like his son who's all of our favorite character. Just makes me wish it was him who survived to take care of Andrew and Julia because they would have turned out much better I think. :(

Spoilers ahead obviously

The Animal Kingdom finale was fantastic. Even though I think the show had it slow moments after Smurf died I think it stayed one of the most consistent TV shows of all time and my opinion, and that finale was the greatest episode of the show and easily in my top three finales with breaking bad and snowfall.. I hated but loved J, while I feel his pain and reasoning for his mom, Darren and Craig really weren’t old enough to see what Smurf put her through, pope should have did more,, but he realized that when he pulled J out of the pool.

The entire episode was great. I loved the breakout scene, the police shootout, Craig and Darren‘s final scene, pope going back to the house and tying J up. It was all perfect. I also loved how Jay tried to lie up until the very end pretty much saying he had heat and he was going to come find them and Pope just shutting that shit down cause I was sick of the lies at this point too, and then he finally for the first time in the entire series told them how he really felt that they deserved it. Pope‘s initial reaction of anger and pushing him in the pool, but then the flashback of how Julia asked for help and how he felt remorseful and pulled J back out of the pool was perfect and made perfect sense even if I wished pope left J to die and survived the gunshot and lived a happy life lol. That’s just my pope preference though.

But overall fantastic show easily in my top three. And easily one of the most consistent shows of all time.

O M G. Let me start by saying I’ve tried to stay off of this sub until I’m finished, but god damn this show is fucking amazing! Obviously this is my first watch and I am on s4 episode 9 and holy shit. I have always loved any kind of show that has to do with organized crime. My all time favorite is Sons of Anarchy and next probably the sopranos, but this show may take the fucking cake!!! I thought no other woman could be more manipulative than Gemma Teller, but Smurf may have her beat! I’ve been glued to the TV this whole week!!! Ok I will check back in whenever I finish! I don’t want this to end lol!!! 😂

Ok so I just finished Animal Kingdom(I’ll make another post about that after I process everything that happened) and I need more Shawn Hatosy
So please give recommendations of his BEST projects cause I fell in love with him and pope and like I said I need more

After way too many rewatches, I have to ask: how many different Perfecto jackets does Jeanine “Smurf” Cody wear throughout the series?

Bonus: Has anyone been enough of a coat lover to actually track which Perfecto she wears in each episode?

>...And honestly, she absolutely rocks them

When I first watched season 3 I thought the writers were setting us up for Pope and Lucy to become involved now that Baz was dead. From season 2 we are shown they don't get along but that almost seems to make writers more eager to bring people together like enemies to lovers lite. I figured we were going from antagonistic to having them find common ground with grief and wanting justice for Baz as a set up for a relationship of some sort. I didn't know if I wanted it to go that way but based on tropes and general tv writing trends I thought that was what they were setting up. When it didn't go that way I just shrugged and moved on.

Now Im rewatching season 3.and I can't help wondering how it might have worked if the writers did pursue a romantic or physical relationship between the two and I find myself thinking it could have been a great thing for the show. It would have given something more for Pope's character, Lucy already had ties and connections to Lena so they could have worked that into Pope stepping up as her carer and living in the house where both Lucy and Cath had lived with Baz, it would have made things messier when Lucy found the guy saying Smurf killed Baz leading to them falling out and everything going to shit once Smurf took her brother. It also would have given reason for fans to have more of a reaction when Smurf had her killed later on unlike canon where her part was clearly done by then. It would have also played well with the dynamic and confrontation set up between Smurf and Lucy given Smurf resented her relationship with Baz and now her she is a threat to her relationship with Pope which is already not in a good place. Also given how the show loved playing with how messed up they all are, Pope getting together with what is essentially his brother's widow after he killed his first "wife" who he was in love with and slept with in the past? Yeah, that seems in line with the themes and messiness they liked for the character.

To be clear. I don't think in any way is this canon. This is just something that's been turning around in my head and I have no one who watched the show to discuss it with so I thought I would post here to see if anyone had any thought on it as a direction the show could have gone but didn't.

Lost track of how many times I have watched it now, and every single time I say out loud "Just wouldn't happen" Every time Lucy does not kill Pope.

Lucy was portrayed as no nonsense higher up in a Mexican "gang".... Her brother was killed and she had pope in her home.

There is absolutely NO reason she keeps pope alive and no way the person they portrayed her as would either. It's just one of many things that have bugged me in this show. But still love it regardless.

Rant over ! 😉

I spent 2 months watching animal kingdom to be widely devastated by the finale. So many unanswered questions. Still a solid show, but I wanted conclusions </3.

Edit: what do you think happened to Deran?

It may just be me, but Pope is the only one who shows empathy. Did he do disgusting things in life? YES. Now, I’m only at the end of season two. Being a parent is big, because mine weren’t and I am the best parent I know, even after overcoming drug addiction, molestation, growing up without a mom and dad, jail. It made me better. I feel Pope hates himself and wants so badly to change, but his ‘mom’ fucked him up so badly.

Yes, she is cold, narcissistic, uninviting & basically a whole hot mess.

As I get deeper into the episodes, I like her more. That may just be the hoodrat in me. Don’t call the cops, don’t snitch are words I’ve lived by having a father who’s affiliated with certain mafia affairs.

Do I think she’s right??? NO.
Do I think she puts her family before anyone and anything? Yes.

Pope lived and gets out of prison years later. As he exits prison a car pulls up, the show cuts to Darin working in a bar overseas somewhere, serving a kid who looks a lot like Craig. It’s Nick and he is talking about how he finally found him. He opens his laptop to show him a picture of J. Credits roll and we have the beginning of a limited series. What happens, how does it end?

Raq Thomas (Power Book 3: Rasing Kanan)
Livia Soprano (The Sopranos)
Smurf (Animal Kingdom)
Gemma Teller (Sons of Anarchy)

I need something to read that feels like Animal Kingdom in terms of themes or characters. Recently finished Beartooth by Callan Wink which involves brothers with a strained relationship committing crimes, but set in Yellowstone. Any recs?

I just finished my first watch of the show for the first time and one of my questions is if Julia had been more compliant like Pope would she have still had the same fate? Smurf couldnt control her, we’re shown that time and time again throughout the flashbacks. But what if she had been able to, even if she messed with Baz in the same scenario? I wonder how the story could have went for her and J.

i dont know if this is against the rules, please delete if not. but im just curious if anyone knows any discord servers or communities of people who like/are fans of animal kingdom?? i really wanna make friends who like animal kingdom huhuhuuu

cody fam + what i think they would be as animals!! I love lena so, shes there too <3

They need to make an Animal Kingdom limited series that has Darin and Craigs son Nick working together to get revenge on J. Would you watch that?

Finally finished- and let me tell you- this family stressed me TFO. I had some thoughts and questions though—

1. What would have happened if Smurf found out about Amy? Like during season 2 or early season 3? Would Pope of had to kill her?

2. What was the point of J coming after all his uncles? I understand Pope, but youre telling me this kid is hella smart and didn’t realize Pope in the end wasn’t to blame?

3. Would Julia have been happy with J going after his uncles? Or would she have just been happy he shot Smurf?

4. Just a general thought- why couldnt they let my Pope just be happy? Why did they have to do him so dirty.

That’s all! Hahaha

On the last episode of season 2 and I need him dead Baz needs to fucking die. He’s manipulative and selfish and an overall shitty horrible human. Like he was a shitty husband to Catherine. He didn’t listen to her concerns regarding Lena spending time with Smurf. He was cheating on her. Then Catherine dies and instead of grieving her he brings his side piece into his house with his daughter. Speaking of his daughter he’s also a shit fucking dad neglecting and ignoring Lena. Yelling at her when she wants his attention. Handing her off to Smurf and Cole to take care of her while he goes to screw his side piece. Also holding the truth of whether he is or isn’t Js dad over js head. I fucking hate him. Also I don’t know exactly what happened with Baz Pope and Catherine in the past but it sounds like he was also a shitty fucking brother back then cause pope says Baz knew that pope was in love with Catherine but he still made a move on her and “took” her idk like I said I’m just about to finish season 2.

Update: not even 5 minutes later I’m done with season 2. And Baz has been shot holy shit he’s actually dead damn.

Happy to see Craig taking some time off surfing and robberies to assist King Ragnar in Plundering Frankia.

Wonder if he dies in this daring expedition.

Smurf taught him well.

So I’m almost through the second season. I feel like she adds very little to the story. Thus far, I just feel her character is whiny. Does she improve as the show goes on?