--- title: "The Kennedys" year: 2015 kind: "series" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/the-kennedys" fi1m_id: "the-kennedys" imdb_id: "tt5079178" tmdb_id: 64067 wikidata_id: "Q21203402" fi1m_score: 60 critics_reviews: 1 published: "2026-09-24T02:58:36.794112+00:00" updated: "2026-09-24T02:58:37.940503+00:00" region: "FR" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Kennedys (2015) Created by Emma Kennedy · 30m · Comedy ## Identity The Kennedys - **Canonical:** https://film.one/tv/the-kennedys - **Type:** Series - **Fi1m ID:** the-kennedys - **IMDb ID:** tt5079178 - **TMDB ID:** 64067 - **Wikidata ID:** Q21203402 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5079178/, https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/64067, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21203402 **Fi1m score: 60** · Critics: 1 of 6 reviews so far *In a sentence:* Katherine Parkinson and some sharp non sequiturs make a reasonable case for giving the television half an hour > A praised cast and sharp non sequiturs suggest a sitcom worth investigating, though its comic shape remains uncertain. Our provisional verdict on *The Kennedys* is a cautious recommendation for comedy enthusiasts prepared to forgive some untidiness. ## Synopsis *The Kennedys* is a 2015 comedy series created by Emma Kennedy and directed by Christine Gernon. Lucy Hutchinson plays Emma Kennedy, Katherine Parkinson plays Brenda Kennedy and Daniel Renton Skinner plays Tony Kennedy. Around this trio, the cast includes Emma Pierson as Jenny, Trixiebell Harrowell as Jane and Shola Adewusi as Dee Palmer. The first series consists of six episodes, each running 30 minutes. Lucy Hutchinson, Katherine Parkinson and Daniel Renton Skinner head the credited cast of this half-hour programme. ## Review On the limited published critical account, *The Kennedys* merits a cautious look from sitcom enthusiasts, not an unqualified recommendation. Emma Kennedy created the comedy and Christine Gernon directs, with the strongest reported assets being the cast and the sharp non sequiturs. The reservation is that the programme does not yet seem fully formed. That supports a provisional score of 60: enough promise to interest us, with a substantial question still hanging over how well the whole thing works. Lucy Hutchinson plays Emma Kennedy, with Katherine Parkinson as Brenda Kennedy and Daniel Renton Skinner as Tony Kennedy. This is the central credited trio, and the praise for the ensemble is the clearest reason to investigate the programme. Comedy depends on performers making us want to spend time with the people they play, especially when the writing is still finding its feet. A strong ensemble can make that settling-in period tolerable. It cannot make uncertainty about the programme’s comic direction disappear. The praise for sharp non sequiturs is more useful than a vague assurance that there are laughs. A sudden change of subject can expose a character’s odd priorities without a speech explaining them, and it can interrupt the expected rhythm of a scene. We find that prospect appealing, because a sitcom becomes tiring when every reply can be guessed in advance. Enjoying those individual surprises, however, does not necessarily mean finding the surrounding comedy consistently satisfying. Christine Gernon’s direction and Emma Kennedy’s creation have to support more than the next odd remark: a series also needs reasons for us to return to the same characters. The critical assessment praises the performers more confidently than the programme as a whole. That is a recognisable sitcom problem, and a consequential one. Affection for a cast may keep us watching while the comedy settles, but it should not oblige us to do all the work of deciding what sort of programme this is. The first series has six episodes running 30 minutes each, which makes the commitment fairly modest. Short episodes do not, however, exempt a comedy from having to sustain itself between its best lines. In this format, the question is how readily a scene can turn an amusing remark into the next reason to keep watching. The reported combination of sharp jokes and uncertain focus suggests a programme worth sampling before committing to the whole run, rather than one to queue up on faith. We would therefore keep the recommendation narrow. The cast and the unexpected verbal turns are sound reasons for a comedy enthusiast to be curious, while the lack of a fully convincing comic shape is a reason to temper expectations. This remains an assessment of the limited critical account, not a claim to an independent viewing or to consensus among critics. Try it for the performers if an unsettled sitcom does not put you off. *Fi1m score 60, published 24 September 2026.* ## Straight answers **Is The Kennedys worth watching?** *The Kennedys* earns a cautious recommendation for sitcom enthusiasts, with our provisional score of 60 reflecting a praised cast and sharp non sequiturs rather than consistently satisfying comedy. Our assessment rests on limited critical accounts, not an independent viewing, so we suggest sampling a half-hour episode for the performers before committing to the series. **How long is The Kennedys, and what is it rated?** *The Kennedys* has episodes of about 30m. It is a comedy series. **Where can I watch The Kennedys in France?** *The Kennedys* is not on any streaming or rental service in France at the moment. It is available in 6 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily. **How does The Kennedys compare to The Royle Family?** *The Kennedys* is the less assured choice beside [*The Royle Family*](https://film.one/tv/the-royle-family), which we recommend more confidently for its patient, precise comedy about a Manchester family watching television. The appeal of *The Kennedys* lies in its praised performers and unexpected verbal turns, but its uncertain comic direction makes it a riskier choice for an evening. **What should I watch after The Kennedys?** After *The Kennedys*, try [*The Royle Family*](https://film.one/tv/the-royle-family) (1998, Fi1m 85): For family comedy that finds ample material without leaving the sofa. Then [*Outnumbered*](https://film.one/tv/outnumbered) (2007, Fi1m 78): Children keep dismantling adult authority, usually before their parents finish speaking; and [*Friday Night Dinner*](https://film.one/tv/friday-night-dinner) (2011, Fi1m 74): Family rituals become reliable occasions for embarrassment, interruption and avoidable trouble. ### Reviews we read (1) - **The Guardian**, Lucy Mangan (60/100, inferred): Mangan finds the sitcom promising but not yet fully in focus. She praises the brilliant cast and the episode’s sharp non sequiturs. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/oct/02/the-kennedys-review-70s-set-sitcom-stuffed-with-non-sequiturs) ## Details - **Created by:** Emma Kennedy - **Creator:** Emma Kennedy - **Director:** Christine Gernon - **Cast:** Lucy Hutchinson as Emma Kennedy; Katherine Parkinson as Brenda Kennedy; Daniel Renton Skinner as Tony Kennedy; Emma Pierson as Jenny; Harry Peacock as Tim; Trixiebell Harrowell as Jane; Shola Adewusi as Dee Palmer - **Runtime:** 30m - **Release (France):** 2 October 2015 - **Genres:** Comedy ## Where to watch in France Not streaming, renting or buying in France at the last check. Also available in: AT, AU, CA, DE, GB, NZ. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *The Royle Family* (1998), Fi1m 85: For family comedy that finds ample material without leaving the sofa. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/tv/the-royle-family.md) - *Outnumbered* (2007), Fi1m 78: Children keep dismantling adult authority, usually before their parents finish speaking. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/tv/outnumbered.md) - *Friday Night Dinner* (2011), Fi1m 74: Family rituals become reliable occasions for embarrassment, interruption and avoidable trouble. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/tv/friday-night-dinner.md) - *Derry Girls* (2018), Fi1m 83: For adolescent indignation, formidable relatives and period detail with comic purpose. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/tv/derry-girls.md) - *The Wonder Years* (1988), Fi1m 82: A gentler American companion for those drawn to childhood and family recollection. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/tv/the-wonder-years.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/tv/the-kennedys