Review: Surf, Sun, and Sibling Rivalry on TNT's Crime Drama Animal Kingdom

Jun 14, 2016 by Alex Castle

Earlier this year there was a remake of Point Break, the 1991 Keanu Reeves/Patrick Swayze classic about an FBI agent infiltrating a gang of bank robbers who also happen to be extreme athletes (or perhaps they’re extreme athletes who happen to be bank robbers). The original was an inventive (if slightly cheesy) splice of an old-fashioned bank-caper flick and the national obsession with the Southern California lifestyle of sun and surfing and reckless boys-will-be-boys behavior.

Alas, the 2015 remake tanked, presumably because of its awful reviews, but TNT’s new series Animal Kingdom, premiering June 14 with back-to-back episodes, serves as both a kind of mulligan on the basic idea (SoCal surfers who rob banks) and an announcement of TNT’s entry into the premium-drama business so long dominated by the... Read More

EXCLUSIVE: Jake Weary on Playing Bad Boy In TNT's Animal Kingdom

Jun 14, 2016 by Sarah Moffatt

Jake Weary is no stranger to the TV world with recurring roles on Pretty Little Liars and Chicago Fire in the past. But now, he’s taking on a whole new animal as one of the stars of TNT’s big summer show, Animal Kingdom.

Weary plays Deran, the youngest son in a criminal family with a bad attitude and a lot to prove. He struggles with being the youngest, his older brothers taking him seriously, and hiding an important secret from his entire family.

In short, Animal Kingdom isn’t what you’re used to seeing on TNT – it’s daring, edgy and, to be frank, raises TNT’s dramatic bar quite a bit higher than, say, Rizzoli & Isles.

REVIEW: Surf, Sun, and Sibling Rivalry on TNT’s Animal... Read More