North Sea Connection

I saw this in the new releases and had no idea what it was about but I was just excited to see something " new" I clicked on it. I almost turned it off about half way thru but since I had nothing in my list I decided to keep going. I watch a lot of Irish films but was only familiar with two of the actors. Acting good except the lead girl was hit or miss. It started getting really interesting the last few episodes and then boom! It ends totally unresolved! Ok! I feel I've written a long enough review 96 characters left! Sheesh! Sometimes I feel they're too long! 33 OMG! Ok! I thought it a decent watch was just disappointed at the unresolved ending!

A batch of drugs wash up on the shores of a small Irish Village, brother and sister Ciara and Aidan get embroiled in dealing and murder. A Swedish Detective arrives to investigate, assisted by local Garde Egan.

North Sea Connection is a slow burner, and if I'm honest, it's taken me months to work my way through the series, let's just say that when you reach the half way mark, the interest level definitely goes up several notches.

If noir is your thing, North Sea Connection will appeal, and the presence of Tuva definitely adds the Scandi vibe. There are plenty of twist and turns, and unexpected moments, several scenes will surprise, and may even shock.

The drug story is the main event, but there are plenty of interesting sub plots too, Björn's story holds a lot of interest.

It is very well acted, a great cast list, Kerr Logan and Denis Conway really stood out for me. Aidan was a fascinating character, maybe the most interesting one here, he's spoilt, he's almost delusional, he feels there's nothing he can't do or have, he's pretty much the reason for the complex story ahead.

The visuals are jaw dropping, that Irish coast, it's true enough, it's like nowhere else on Earth.

As of today, there's still no word on a second series, and that's sad news.

8/10.

If you have never watched a Scandinavian Nordic Noir crime drama and maybe put off by the subtitles, then I would recommend North Sea Connection as a good place to start as 90% of the dialogue is in English.

Set in a small fishing village on the west coast of Ireland, a Swedish detective teams up with the local Garde officer as she believes drugs are being transported via fishing boats from Sweden to Ireland.

As well as this being the main storyline there are several sub plots along the way. Sinead Cusack is just about convincing as the only female trawler woman in the village, and the rest of the cast all give solid performances. Without spoilers I can safely say there will definitely be a second season! 7/10.

Irish drama 'North Sea Connection' begins as a light-hearted crime caper. Its story of petty smugglers suddenly caught up in an international crime ring resembles nothing more than Harry Enfield's old sketch 'Heroin Galore'. Even when someone dies fairly early on it's in essentially comic fashion. But over the course of six episodes, it becomes increasingly darker in tone, and is all the better for it. Then ending isn't quite perfect: I don't understand how the storyline with the baby is supposed to work out, and the blackness of the finale is softened by the hint that we're being set up for a second series: if this truly is the end, the emphasis feels misplaced.

I waited to watch the whole series before commentating as, I have been stung before by being negative in regards to a series, without giving it time to develop. This series took time however, the time was worth it.

The storyline is good, it deals with modern themes, and involves cross border police co-operation. A commentator made a point of this, based on nothing. In Ireland, cross border policing has being in place since 1922, and European cross border policing has been in place, since 1923, (Interpol).

The only actor I knew was Sinead Cusack yet, that didn't make any difference to my viewing. In the past number of years, even during Covid; Ireland has burst out onto the International stage with drama series that give a run for the money, against other countries that have been to the forefront, for decades.

I'm Irish therefore, I could be partisan, I'm not. We're world renowned for being funny yet, we couldn't write a sitcom to save our lives. Drama is our forte, and this is the latest in what we can write and produce.

The fact there has been a collaboration with an unexpected country (source) says something. The fact that previous drama series from this little country over the past few years, have now been shown on all continents of the world, shows that we have a punch.

Oh, and some of them have been nominated for International Awards, unheard of before now. That usually is reserved for BBC, ITV, CH4, etc.

The finale is some kicker. I expected a resolution, with loose ends tied up. What an ending.....