If this series had been made by the English, it would have been slammed for catering to all the worst stereotypes of the Irish. The only characters with any backbone are the women, who are divided into Lady Macbeths and Cordelias: determined and psychopathic (the matriarchs), or determined and saintly (the young ones). The men are with one or two exceptions simply weak. Driven by greed or just fecklessness, they lie and cheat to get out of current difficulties, with the inevitable result that they land themselves in worse problems.
There is a clear overall theme to the programmes so far (one to five): it is that old standby of desperate writers, Romeo and Juliet. For the Montagues and Capulets read the Kielys and the Hennessys. For Romeo read David Hennessy and for Juliet, Katie Kiely. Mercutio is Darren Kiely, who in the first episode is already comatose and dies by the end. A small change in Shakespeare's plot is that the dead lad is from Juliet's family not Romeo's, but otherwise this tired old boy-loves-girl-but-their-families-hate-each-other device is clearly destined to be flogged down the road for as far as it will stagger, together with variations on a theme of "Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive!"
The series has just begun showing on BBC and iPlayer. My partner is unaccountably besotted with this series, so I guess I will have to watch it proceeding along its humourless way to the bitter end. I just hope for my sanity's sake that it picks up some wit or originality in the meantime.
NOTE ADDED AFTER EPISODE TEN: the series really has picked up as the writers (and actors) get into their stride. It's not exactly Brookside yet but it does hold a story-line very competently, and is not nearly so predictable as the first few episodes led me to fear.
ADDED AFTER EPISODE 40: OK I admit it, I am hooked. Just as you think the series is getting silly or boring, something happens to jerk you awake again. Upgraded to 8 out of ten. Ibsen it isn't, but who would want to watch Ibsen twice a week anyway.
There is a clear overall theme to the programmes so far (one to five): it is that old standby of desperate writers, Romeo and Juliet. For the Montagues and Capulets read the Kielys and the Hennessys. For Romeo read David Hennessy and for Juliet, Katie Kiely. Mercutio is Darren Kiely, who in the first episode is already comatose and dies by the end. A small change in Shakespeare's plot is that the dead lad is from Juliet's family not Romeo's, but otherwise this tired old boy-loves-girl-but-their-families-hate-each-other device is clearly destined to be flogged down the road for as far as it will stagger, together with variations on a theme of "Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive!"
The series has just begun showing on BBC and iPlayer. My partner is unaccountably besotted with this series, so I guess I will have to watch it proceeding along its humourless way to the bitter end. I just hope for my sanity's sake that it picks up some wit or originality in the meantime.
NOTE ADDED AFTER EPISODE TEN: the series really has picked up as the writers (and actors) get into their stride. It's not exactly Brookside yet but it does hold a story-line very competently, and is not nearly so predictable as the first few episodes led me to fear.
ADDED AFTER EPISODE 40: OK I admit it, I am hooked. Just as you think the series is getting silly or boring, something happens to jerk you awake again. Upgraded to 8 out of ten. Ibsen it isn't, but who would want to watch Ibsen twice a week anyway.