House of Guinness Season 1
Ben Blackall/Netflix
House of Guinness, Netflix’s new binge-worthy period drama, is climbing the platform’s streaming charts. If you’ve finished the eight-episode series and are wondering whether a second season is in the works, read on for the latest updates from Netflix and the show’s creator, Steven Knight.
Set in Dublin in the 1860s, House of Guinness is based on the real-life Guinness family and follows the aftermath of patriarch Sir Benjamin Guinness’s death. His brewing empire passes to his two sons, Eton-educated Arthur and business-minded Edward, who are tasked with running it together. Meanwhile, his daughter Anne and his son Ben, who struggles with alcoholism and addiction, search for greater meaning in their lives.
While the affluent Guinness siblings grapple with their father’s death and legacy, the brewery becomes the focus of growing political unrest. Fenian leader Patrick and Ellen Cochrane, who heads the movement’s Ladies’ Committee, spearhead the fight against the family, a confrontation that culminates in a literal bang at a political rally for Arthur in Episode 8.
The season finale concludes with a nail-biting cliffhanger, leaving one of the Guinness family members in grave danger. Viewers are now wondering how long they might have to wait to discover what could happen in a potential second season. Here’s everything to know so far.
Will There Be A House Of Guinness Season 2?
House of Guinness Season 1
Ben Blackall/Netflix
As of Sept. 28, Netflix has not yet greenlit a second season of House of Guinness. The streaming giant will likely take several weeks or months to announce any renewal while it evaluates the show’s viewership metrics.
The promising news? The show’s creator told TV Insider that he wants to continue making more episodes of the historical drama following the cliffhanger. In fact, he intends to.
“I intend to [make more House of Guinness],” Knight told the entertainment site. “I can’t make any announcements, but that’s my plan at least.” TV Insider reported that Knight appeared “pretty confident” that the show wasn’t over yet.
In a separate interview with Screen Rant, Knight said he’d like to take the show “all the way into the 20th century.” He continued, “These things are not being announced, this is not decided. But if you look at even a cursory glance at the history of the Guinness family, they keep throwing up these dramas.”
Knight has plenty of content to work with, as the series draws on the history of the real-life Guinness family. Sir Benjamin Guinness’s death in 1868 marked a pivotal shift for the business, as his children inherited the world’s most famous stout and ultimately determined the brewery’s future.
The family members “keep making these mistakes” and “keep doing these wonderful things,” he continued. “There’s enough material there to keep us going all the way.”
Later generations of the family became associated with the “Guinness curse,” a tragic pattern of accidents, mysterious deaths and public scandals that plagued them throughout the 1900s.
As for the cast, Anthony Boyle, who plays Arthur, recently told Mirror that he would “love to” do a season two. “I think the scripts were amazing and I really enjoyed the cast and directors,” the actor said. “I loved it, I love the end product. It’s a show I’m really proud of and if they wanted to go again I’d be overjoyed.”
How Did House Of Guinness Season 1 End?
House of Guinness Season 1
Ben Blackall/Netflix
In the Season 1 finale of House of Guinness, Patrick moves forward in his plans to assassinate Arthur after volunteering to kill the eldest Guinness.
The entire family stands united behind Arthur at his political rally, and the relationship between the siblings has greatly improved since the beginning of the series.
“They’ve all rallied around the flag of Guinness for different reasons. Edward, we know, wants the business,” Knight told Tudum. “Arthur is sort of converted to that concept, but also has accepted his fate. Anne believes that Guinness success means she can do more good work. Benjamin’s motivation changes every five minutes. At the end, they are a happy family.”
Boyle added, “They all do love each other… They come up on stage with him, and it’s such a powerful thing for Arthur — that they’re risking being killed to stand beside him even after all the arguments and all the mess.”
In the final moments of the finale, Patrick takes aim and fires into the crowd. But it’s unknown who he shot, and whether it’s Arthur, another family member or factory foreman Sean Rafferty, who was standing between the family and the bullet.
As for Rafferty, he’s not in the best place with Arther. Earlier in the finale, Arthur forces his wife, Olivia, to end her affair with him. “That goes to the heart of Rafferty’s contradictions,” actor James Norton explained to Tudum. “He’s an incredible bodyguard, caretaker, and fixer for the family. He does this job well. But also there is this undercurrent of hate.”
Stay tuned to learn more details about a potential House of Guinness Season 2.
House Of Guinness is streaming on Netflix. Watch the official trailer below.