Rebellion

Superb cast and production value, with adequate direction severely undermined by character and plot disconnects between the two seasons. Why in heaven's name were more than half the strong players and storylines of season 1 disgarded for season 2? Pivotal, well drawn characters simply disappeared into an Irish fog. Obviously some producer or writer decided to fix what was not broken. Nevertheless Gleason is marvelous carrying the the disjointed storyline through the final season.

Beautifully made. But they replaced three perfectly good female characters with three others, while keeping many of the other (male?!) players in situ for season 2. Not only did this complicate and confuse but frankly dissolved my enthusiasm. I think it undermines the story itself, since everything other than the headlines are fictional.

Has anyone else noticed ? I'm enjoying it as a history lesson that was never even mentioned in school when I was growing up in Liverpool. Strange, because half the population was Irish (as was my own Grandmother). Strange too, because it's only now that I'm learning that the English aristocracy treated the peasants in much the same way as they treated the natives in their colonies. We in Liverpool were too busy trying to eke out a life to be concerned with what was going on in the rest of the dominion. But as I get older and see what mentality drove that same aristocracy, then I have no boundaries for my distaste for them. First of all they take all of the land, then they take all of the resources the land has to offer, then they sequester the crops, then they charge rents for the properties they've stolen. You want more? They call you up to fight their battles for them.

Even that's not enough, they lay ownership to all of the wildlife, birds, beasts, fish and fowl, and pass laws that allow for beatings and execution for any transgressions. Then they turn their attention to the winsome young lasses who grow up in the villages and decide that they should have the right to be the first one to screw them if they so desire.

All of this without a peep of protest to be countenanced............ no wonder the peasants got mad and rebelled.

It's not stellar stuff but it's interesting enough to keep you watching.

I can't get over how I've suddenly realised that there is something that can be called an "Irish" face.

I am from Northern Ireland, so I have to declare an interest in watching this series. After what I felt was a shaky start, I found myself being drawn into the personalities and the events. Episode by episode it seemed to improve. The sets and characterisations were convincing. If there is the odd historical inaccuracy well, this is not a documentary, it is entertainment ... and in that it succeeds.

I saw this on Netflix and it starts in 1914 where we meet a group of Dubliners, some of whom are still loyal to an ever distant British Crown and others who are confined by the bonds of a colonial power that has abused and neglected its closest colony for hundreds of years – rebellion is in the air.

This has many of the real people at the time being portrayed including Padraig Pearse and James Connolly to name but two. But it is really told through the eyes and experiences of three women – a touch I liked very much. We have five succinct episodes that chart the road to the 1916 uprising and the consequences and I have to say I thought it was excellent.

Now there are some critics who say this is a trivialised account by the state owned RTE television company and as such has airbrushed a lot of the important details. It may well have done but there is still enough here to give a real flavour of what the times were like.

It is a big budget affair too with some stellar performances including Brian Gleeson and Ruth Bradley but no one does a bad job at all. I loved the period detail and the use of Gaelic in parts added to the authenticity and made me realise my Gaelic is sorely rusty. The action scenes are excellent too with all the tense atmosphere and raw emotion pouring off the screen. Historical licence aside this is still an ambitious and well realised TV series. My only real complaint is I wanted it to go much farther and would love a second season or maybe even a third – truly recommended.