North Sea Connection

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.

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.

I was thoroughly enjoying the North Sea connection. The story line was fascinating with the inclusion of a number of details tha I do not recall having been used in other TV dramas. Most notable of these was the drug transporting in ice. I do wonder if that method has ever been actually used in the real world, maybe it will be now. I enjoyed it though only as far as near the end of episode six, when it became clear that there were so many loose ends that it could not possibly end there. There seems to be some talk of series two but nothing definite has been stated by BBC. However if series two does not happen I will consider that I completely wasted my time watching series.

In a similar manner to the show 'Breaking Bad' this series has all the markings of a series that will be a hit.

You have the normal people finding themselves involved in a large scale drug business and the police just a few steps behind and when the dead bodies start appearing it becomes harder and harder to cover ones tracks.

I wonder if they will explore the effect a large operation like this will have on a small fishing village. Its fascinating.

The acting and music are perfect in a beautiful setting in Ireland.

Please don't cancel this show it brilliant.

I eagerly await the next episode :)