“Animal Kingdom” is an odd beast. Adapted from the arresting 2010 Australian thriller, this TNT offering contains glimpses of the gritty, compelling series it could be, but judged on its first three episodes, this tale of a dysfunctional Southern California crime family is more bark than bite.
Highlighted by a deliciously sleazy turn from Ellen Barkin, “Animal Kingdom” slowly finds its footing, but it remains to be seen whether the characters’ low-life machinations will produce sufficient drama to justify audiences’ patience.
Kicking off June 14 with a two-hour premiere, the series begins as writer-director David Michôd’s film did. Moody teen J (Finn Cole) has just lost his junkie mom to an overdose, prompting him to seek out his grandmother Smurf Cody (Barkin), who invites him to enjoy his extended family’s lavish lifestyle.