Ep 1. Pilot

The Black Donnellys is a drama series that tells the story of four young Irish-American brothers who find themselves involved in the world of organized crime in New York City. The series starts with a flashback that takes us to when the brothers were young, and we get to see their upbringing in Hell's Kitchen and how they became the tough guys they are today.

In the first episode of The Black Donnellys, titled "Pilot," we are introduced to the brothers as adults and see them getting into trouble as they try to make ends meet. The show opens with Joey Ice Cream (played by Keith Nobbs) rushing into a bar with a bleeding hand, looking for help from his brother Jimmy (played by Tom Guiry). Jimmy takes him to a hospital, where they meet up with their brothers, Kevin (played by Billy Lush) and Tommy (played by Jonathan Tucker). We quickly learn that Joey Ice Cream has stolen money from the Italian mafia, and they are now looking for him.

The show jumps back and forth in time, explaining how the brothers got into the situation they are in, and how they got involved in organized crime. We learn that Tommy, the youngest of the brothers, was on a path to become a priest until he was expelled from seminary school. Joey Ice Cream was a small-time gambler who got mixed up with the wrong people. Kevin was working as a bouncer at a club when he got into a fight with a customer, and Jimmy stepped in to help him out.

As the episode progresses, we see the brothers struggle to pay back the money Joey Ice Cream stole, and we learn more about the Italian mafia and their dealings in the neighborhood. The brothers decide to rob a truck carrying plasma TVs to sell them and pay back the debt. They successfully pull off the heist, but things quickly go wrong when they get into a car accident on their way to sell the stolen goods. The TVs are destroyed, and the brothers are left with nothing to show for their efforts.

Meanwhile, we see Detective Jenny Reilly (played by Olivia Wilde) investigating the robbery and trying to connect the brothers to the crime. We also see a flashback to when the brothers were children and how they became known as the Black Donnellys after getting into a fight with a group of bullies.

The episode ends with the brothers narrowly escaping the Italian mafia, but with Detective Reilly hot on their trail. The Black Donnellys sets up an interesting dynamic between the brothers, showing their loyalty and bond as family members, but also their involvement in criminal activity and the consequences that come with it.

Overall, the pilot episode of The Black Donnellys sets up an intriguing storyline with complex characters and plenty of action. It introduces the audience to the world of organized crime in a fresh and unique way, exploring the relationships between the characters while also highlighting the challenges they face. The show promises to be a thrilling ride, with plenty of twists and turns to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.