Love/Hate

I'm still wondering how the hell I missed this series when it came out, how nobody ever told me about this? It's a hidden little gem. It's quality with a capital Q. Probably the best crime drama I've ever seen from Ireland. Not only is the story very entertaining, with plenty of twists and turns, but the acting is just top notch. My favorite character was Fran, played brilliantly by Peter Coonan, just world class that was. Nidge, played by Tom Vaughan-Lawlor is another great character that you can't help to love and hate. Five short seasons that I devoured in a short time. It could have gone on forever if it was up to me, it's that good! You have to not mind a bit of violence though, because it can be hardcore, but that's exactly what I was expecting when thinking about the underworld Irish mob.

Being Irish myself, I was at first hesitant about this show. I mean, how good could it really be right? Especially when the bar has been set by the likes of Fair City...or Glenroe. But, I said I'd take my chances...and, boy, am I glad I did!

Love/Hate is gritty, funny, dramatic, intense. It leaves you with cliffhangers, and has you constantly thinking about what's going to happen next. The cast do an amazing job - sometimes I can't believe it's Irish talent I'm seeing on my screen - and, best of all, the series' are short and sweet; with 4 episodes in season 1, and 6 episodes (each) in seasons 2 & 3. I urge everyone to watch this show! Even the gardaí (cops in Ireland) think its realistic...

Try it out. You won't be disappointed!

10/10

Stumbled across this series...

The quality of the writing and acting is superb.

A cast of the creme de la creme of the Irish acting fraternity, including Aidan Gillen of Game Of Thrones ('Littlefinger') fame and the fragile sensitivity, punctuated with bursts of extreme violence, of Robert Sheehan, to name but two of the stars of this show. But the whole cast are delivering stellar performances.

In the same league as The Wire. Or The Bridge and The Killing (the Nordic versions)...

Also favourably reminiscent of Trainspotting and The Acid House. With a great soundtrack to match!

The accents aren't so broad that the non-Irish English speaking ear can't follow the dialogue without subtitles...

This series beats any of the Brit crime thrillers that I've seen in the last 10 years, and that is saying something!

It really pays to follow links down the rabbit hole. Sometimes you strike gold!

This series is definitely gold.

As I'm writing this review, 'Love/Hate' has been running for three seasons on Irish television, our own 'RTE'. In an age of multi-channels, this series slipped past me completely. I knew it was a new Irish drama but I wasn't bothered to look it up. First of all, the title. I thought it was a new mini-series about infidelity among the Celtic Tiger boomers hitting the hard times in Dublin during this recession. And secondly, it was an 'RTE' production whose past track record for drama has been very poor and moderate.

How wrong I was. I have never heard so many friends rave about a series before the new year and to my surprise, it was this 'Love/Hate'. So I watched the pilot yesterday and 10 minutes into it, I knew I had found a gem (emerald, excuse the Irish pun). And 16 episodes and some sore eyes later, I can honestly say this is one of the best series I have ever come across. It is gritty, tragic and even painfully funny at times. Most of the characters are polished and involving and the writing is groundbreaking especially for Irish TV. This won't be to everyone's taste but if you are reading this, you are already interested in it's promise and will not be disappointed.

Been Irish myself, you may say that I'm being biased, but I would be the first to criticize any production that was below par from any country. I just hope that this series can get it's feet onto the international scene and give recognition to it's creator/writer Stuart Carolan and director David Caffrey. I think my review is only the ninth to be written here and by right, there should be a hundred. If America could pick this series up, on the East Coast around NY and Boston, it would go viral as far as Australia and beyond.

So now there's hope for more new drama in Ireland for the future. Hats off to 'RTE', they finally got with the times. And now a 9 month wait for season 4. I have no problem giving 'Love/Hate' 10/10.

Definitely one of Irish Television's best ever series. Written by Stuart Carolan, who also wrote some episodes of Raw (another excellent drama), this series is the story of modern gangsterism on the streets of Dublin.

The acting is chillingly effective from two of the main gangster leads, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and Aiden Gillen. Gillen, especially, is a menacing, ruthless, bloodthirsty, totally amoral drug boss. Robert Sheehan plays a younger gang member who returns to Dublin from Spain when he has been in enforced exile. Naturally, he teams up with Nidge, his old buddy (Vaughan-Taylor), mayhem ensues.

Killian Scott, Aoibhinn McGinnity, Charlie Murphy and Ruth Bradley also shine.

Now in it's third season, beginning next Sunday (RTE One, Sunday, November 13th, 2012), this is a series to be seen by the world, not just Ireland.

As a drama, I would put this on par with the best of the best of BBC productions.