
Steven Knight’s new show, *House of Guinness*, feels very much like the start of his popular series *Peaky Blinders*, but set in Dublin in the early 20th century. While brewing beer is a legal business, the show quickly reveals that the fight for control of the Guinness empire is just as cutthroat as any gang war. After the death of the family patriarch, his four children immediately begin battling for power, creating a dynamic reminiscent of *Succession* and classic stories like *King Lear*. Knight is a prolific writer – he’s currently working on a James Bond script – and efficiently sets up the central conflict. The story focuses on two Guinness brothers: the responsible Edward (Louis Partridge) and the flamboyant Arthur (Anthony Boyle). The question is, who will inherit the brewery? Both brothers, however, have secrets. Edward is involved with a woman campaigning for Irish independence, while Arthur is hiding his homosexuality, which complicates his ambitions to enter Parliament.