Crime Thriller Remake ‘Animal Kingdom’ Comes Back to Life on Streaming

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Shawn Hatosy started his career with successful films like The Faculty and Outside Providence, and has consistently worked in the entertainment industry since then. He recently gained renewed attention starring as Dr. Jack Abbot in HBO Max’s The Pitt, alongside Noah Wyle. Before that, he was known for his role as Andrew “Pope” Cody in the six-season TNT series Animal Kingdom. Thanks to the buzz around The Pitt, Animal Kingdom is now gaining popularity on Netflix, currently ranking as the 5th most popular TV show worldwide on the platform.

Looking back at this TNT series, it really existed in a unique moment for television. It debuted in 2016, right when viewers still heavily relied on premium channels like HBO and Showtime for their dramatic fix. Streaming services were around, sure, but they hadn’t yet become the all-powerful content providers we know today. Because of that, anything airing on a basic cable network like TNT often flew under the radar, no matter how good it actually was. It’s a shame, because it deserved more attention.

Now that Animal Kingdom is easily available on Netflix, the show is finally gaining the popularity it deserves.

A Fresh Spin on a Proven Story

I have to admit, after watching all 75 episodes of Animal Kingdom, I was surprised to learn it started as an Australian movie! It’s easy to get lost in the show’s huge story and forget its roots. The 2010 film, directed and written by David Michôd, is fantastic and features some seriously talented Australian actors – many of whom you probably know now as major stars in America. I’m talking about Ben Mendelsohn, Joel Edgerton, Guy Pearce, and the incredible Jacki Weaver, all before they really broke out internationally.

The original movie is described:

After losing his mother, 17-year-old Joshua Cody, known as “J”, goes to live with his loving grandmother, Smurf, and her three sons, who are all involved in crime. The oldest brother, Pope, is a robber hiding from the police. Craig is a successful but unpredictable drug dealer, and the youngest, Darren, easily follows his brothers’ example. Just as Pope’s partner, Barry, decides he wants to leave the criminal life, conflict between the Cody family and the police escalates. J suddenly finds himself caught in a dangerous cycle of revenge, which disrupts his family and puts him face-to-face with detective Nathan Leckie.

This American TV show follows a comparable idea, but it lasted six seasons, allowing for a more detailed story. The cast includes Michael Hatosy, along with Ellen Barkin, Scott Speedman, Ben Robson, Jake Weary, Finn Cole, Daniella Alonso, and Molly Gordon.

What Do Critics Think of ‘Animal Kingdom’?


TNT

I was really blown away by the 2010 film – it got incredible reviews! Rotten Tomatoes showed a whopping 96% of critics loved it, and everyone was talking about how amazing the acting was. In fact, Jacki Weaver was even nominated for an Oscar for her supporting role – totally deserved, if you ask me!

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The TV series Animal Kingdom received generally positive reviews, though not overwhelmingly so. The first season had a 76% positive rating, and the second season scored 80%. Interestingly, later seasons (3-6) didn’t receive enough reviews to generate an official score, suggesting the show wasn’t widely noticed at first. Like the movie it’s based on, the show’s strongest praise focused on the actors’ performances.

I’m totally hooked on this show, and it’s already climbing the charts globally! Honestly, I’m not sure why it’s so popular – is it the amazing plot twists, or the fact that a lot of the actors spend half the time without a shirt on? Maybe it’s a little bit of both!

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2026-02-06 23:48