Love/Hate

I have been reading reviews in The Times about the most talked about series on RTE today, Love/Hate. When Love/Hate first aired on RTE, it didn't get good reviews. "More Westlife than Westies" was the verdict from The Times which wasn't exactly a ringing endorsement for a drama series aimed to depict organised crime in Ireland. However with the final instalment of this years second series, Love/Hate has found it's feet with over 660,000 viewers tuning in to watch the gangland drama. Stuart Carolyn, the creator, writer and executive producer of the series said the idea of Love/Hate was building in his mind for years. He says he was profoundly affected by the death of journalist Veronica Guerin in 1996; his mother's working as an emergency department nurse also gave him an insight into the human stories behind gangland violence.

Stuart Carolyn

Love/Hate is the first Irish production to properly explore gangland activity and get a glimpse of what life is really like for drug lords in Ireland. The show is centred around Darren Tracey, played by Robert Sheehan, who decided to come back to Dublin from Spain and is forced to stay as he is seduced by the large sums of money to be made by working for John Boy Power, an intelligent ruthless operator. His life spirals dangerously out of control as he gets sucked further and further into the drug world which he had attempted to leave behind.

Actor Robert Sheehan

In the world of Love/Hate the gang characters can have the weddings of their dreams,  the money to buy what they want but all this can be taken away instantly. The crux of the matter is that their prosperity is built on sand and constant fear. At any time a strong wind threatens to blow and leave them with nothing, not even their lives and the worst part is that they are aware of this. The characters of Love/Hate smile earnestly at their colleges all the while waiting for their fate to catch up with them. 

Fran, Darren, Nidge & Tommy

The cast of Love/Hate all have a natural ability on camera and make their characters come alive. The Times say " Love/Hate young actors may leave an indelible mark in future years to come". Love/Hate is certainly an ensemble performance and unusually for a TV series there doesn’t appear to be any weak links. The realism of the production is mainly due to two things, the scriptwriting talents of Stuart Carolyn, and the wonderful camera-work. The cinematography of the series is extremely faithful to the Irish climate. The outdoor shots are harsh and dark, something all too familiar to people who have frequented Ireland. The dark palette creates a foreboding sense of dread as the Irish landscape imposes itself, dominating the setting in the process.

The show intends to depict the drug addiction, squalor and violence of organised crime in post boom Ireland. It is not easy viewing and not recommended for a younger audience as there is a lot of strong language, scenes of violence and sexual scenes. It keeps you on edge throughout and gives you an insight into real life events that are happening in the gang world today. Catch Love/Hate on RTE1 @ 9.30p.m on Sunday nights.  

Until next time,

Liz X