Netflix’s House of Guinness Draws Millions of Viewers and Leaves Fans Demanding More
Steven Knight’s latest Netflix drama has quickly turned into a binge-worthy hit for viewers who enjoy family feuds, power struggles and historical intrigue.
The creator behind Peaky Blinders returned to television with House of Guinness, an eight-part period drama centred on one of Ireland’s most famous families. The series debuted on Netflix on September 25, 2025, and reached 35.7 million hours viewed during its first week, placing it third on Netflix’s global English-language TV chart.
That put House of Guinness behind Jude Law’s Black Rabbit and the Mae Martin thriller Wayward at the time.
The response from viewers has been mixed, but plenty of fans say the series proved difficult to stop watching once they started.
From Peaky Blinders to the Guinness dynasty
Between 2013 and 2022, Steven Knight’s Peaky Blinders became one of television’s most recognisable crime dramas.
Set in post-World War I Birmingham, the series followed Cillian Murphy’s Tommy Shelby and the rest of the Shelby family as they transformed a local criminal operation into an increasingly powerful empire. Gang rivalries, political manoeuvring and volatile family relationships drove the story as the Shelbys expanded their influence beyond Birmingham.
Now Knight has turned his attention to another powerful dynasty.
House of Guinness moves the action to 19th-century Dublin, where the future of the Guinness brewing empire is thrown into uncertainty following the death of patriarch Sir Benjamin Guinness. The series is inspired by the history of the Guinness family and begins with the reading of his will, which sets his four adult children on very different paths.
A family fighting for control
At the centre of the drama are Arthur Guinness, played by Anthony Boyle, Edward Guinness, played by Louis Partridge, Anne Plunket, played by Emily Fairn, and Benjamin Guinness, played by Fionn O’Shea.
Arthur finds himself struggling with the responsibility of leadership, while Edward is determined to establish his own influence. Anne, meanwhile, is left fighting for a greater role within a family structure dominated by competing interests.
Benjamin, the youngest of the siblings, becomes caught between the conflicts surrounding him.
Their problems extend beyond the immediate family. Cousin Byron Hedges, played by Game of Thrones star Jack Gleeson, and Aunt Agnes, played by Dervla Kirwan, add further complications as the Guinness heirs attempt to protect their position.
Betrayals, political tensions and arrests soon threaten to fracture the family and put the future of the dynasty at risk.
The official Netflix description similarly places the four siblings at the centre of the brewery’s fate after their father’s death in Dublin in 1868.
Viewers have been quick to binge the eight episodes
The series has attracted strong critical attention. Rotten Tomatoes currently lists House of Guinness at 90 per cent among critics, while its audience score stands at 68 per cent.
Although viewers have been less enthusiastic overall than critics, some have praised the drama for its characters, production design, costumes and pacing.
One viewer said they had ended up watching the entire series despite initially having no intention of bingeing it. Their main frustration was the cliffhanger ending and the uncertainty over whether another season would follow.
Another praised the show for being easy to watch, highlighting its sets, costumes and ensemble of characters while saying a second season would be very welcome.
A further viewer described the series as addictive after the opening episode, praising the writing, pacing and historical atmosphere. Anthony Boyle’s performance as Arthur Guinness was also singled out for praise.
Not every reaction has been positive. Some viewers have criticised the use of modern music within the period setting, while others have found parts of the dialogue overly dramatic or awkward.
Still, the conversation surrounding the show has been enough to keep the question of a second season alive.
House of Guinness season 2 is happening
When the original series arrived, there was no guarantee that its story would continue. Knight had previously suggested that he had considered how far the Guinness family story could be taken, saying there was enough historical material to potentially continue the saga for years.
That uncertainty has now been resolved.
Netflix officially renewed House of Guinness for a second season in 2026. The announcement was made on August 24, with Knight confirming that he was excited to continue exploring the Guinness family and the changing relationships between its members.
Season 2 will return to the lives of Arthur, Edward, Anne and Benjamin, alongside the spouses, lovers, enemies and allies surrounding them. Family fixer Sean Rafferty, played by James Norton, is also expected to remain part of the story.
Knight has said the next season will explore how the characters grow and change as they continue expanding the Guinness empire.
Production is expected to begin in early 2027, with filming planned in Dublin and Manchester.
For viewers who reached the end of the first eight episodes wanting answers, there is now confirmation that the Guinness family saga has another chapter to come.
House of Guinness Season 1 is streaming on Netflix.