Ballykissangel

For some time now, I am following the TV-series "Ballykissangel". Why? Simply because it´s one of the few TV-series which is worth being watched: no unnecessary violence, no stupid, easy-to-see-through jokes, and a good storyline, combined with a set of good actors. I call this a real top british TV-product, and it´s a shame that the Dutch TV stations don´t show it on prime time! Ballykissangel is all about the life and complications of the people of a small irish village, where there has been assigned a new young catholic priest, which happens to be british. The main characters are the english priest, father Clifford, and the owner of a local pub, Assumpta, who gets sick from everything connected to the church. The fundamental differences of character of these two (Assumpta is verbally aggressive, sarcastic and sometimes even vicious, whereas Clifford is friendly, sweet, helpful, and unbelievably naive sometimes) result in a mutual love/hate relationship and neither of them knows what to do with it. Most episodes can be watched separately, however watching most of them gives you the best clue as to the development of the relationship of the main characters, or should I say, the non-development. However, it is very easy to identify yourself with one or more of the main characters. This, combined with the misunderstandings and tricks in every episode, makes it a joy to watch this series, time after time.

This is one of the best shows that I watch. It is part of my Thursday night line up. My mother loves it too. We watch it regularly. It has all the makings of a soap opera but a much better story line!! You could actually believe that it is something that would happen to anyone. If you haven't seen it before, watch it!!

It is not for everybody most likely but as you can see at my rating it is for me. I never saw this originally when it came out but a re-run about 6 years or so ago. I really enjoyed the simple humor, the simple drama, the stories as a whole, the characters. It's nearly real life with a bit of a twist at times but you could imagine is to actually have taken place. It never left my mind so this year I bought the DVD's to watch it all again and, so far, not disappointing, it has not lost it's charm. You like action, hero's, spectacular drama, belly aching laughter, this is not for you. You like good humor that puts a smile on your face, a nice story line, things that could be happening next door (if you would live there), this is for you.

This is a great series. As you watch you get pulled into the lives of the various characters living in a small village. While there is a tendency to romanticize the rural life in many films (and in part here), there is a greater depth than the average show. There is much humor in this series and also much heat break. As much as the viewer yearns for things to go right in the characters lives, things tend to go wrong and the characters must deal with personal loss, death, divorce, and financial ruin. For a show billed as a comedy, it is more drama with an overlay of humor. I am being somewhat vague in this review because this is a series to be dipped into for episodes that are uplifting and heart warming but ultimately overshadowed by reality. If you watch it once you will find find that after the passage of a few years you are longing to revisit Ballykissangel and share in the lives of what almost become real people.

I suspect it's difficult to sustain a long story line without occasional lapses into soap-opera territory. The occasional agonized glances and cryptic dialogue remind me I should say, "Offer it up."

That said, the writers do a masterful job with the various roles. It's reminiscent of some of Peter DeVries, whose dotty Irish characters alternately delighted and irritated. I've watched three series, and it's remarkable how the actors vanish into their roles, unlike other bar-themed productions like Cheers. Frazier was a great character, but he was still Kelsey Grammer.

Sidenotes--If Gary Whelan (Brendan) isn't a reincarnated Joe McCarthy, I don't know who could be, and if If the late Niall Tobin as the pastor wasn't a priest, he should have been.

The ensemble simply shines from top to bottom. Deirdre Donnelly as the vet and Bosco Hogan as the town GP make you wish they were treating you or your pets, and Peter Caffrey as Padraig is the barfly you'd always buy a drink for.