Love/Hate

Love/Hate and Glenroe are possibly the two most opposite shows you could imagine! They demonstrate how Ireland has changed. Let's take a quick look at what both have in common:

Both appeared on RTE 1 on Sundays, were among the most popular shows of their time, and both feature Wicklow as a setting. Both had iconic characters that the actors were called e.g. Miley, Dinny v Nidge, Fran. That's where the similarities end.

But the worlds of Nidge and Miley are universes apart. While Glenroe was being filmed in the 1980s and early 1990s, drug dealers were something seen in American cop series like Miami Vice and also appeared in the storylines of other US dramas like Dallas. Characters like Frank Mosca or Tommy McKay were NOT even imaginable on Irish dramas in 1988: instead, it was Dinny and Miley fighting over spuds! If Love/Hate was made in 1980s Ireland, it would be considered futuristic and/or American!! Not that it would even be sanctioned in those times here! Stuart Carolan would end up writing for or creating a series for US or UK TV.

Yet, both are part of who we are as a nation and it shows the change that has taken place. It would be naive to say drug dealers did not exist in Ireland in the 1980s (they did) but TV-wise they were strictly something associated with the US.

The road that lead from Glenroe to Love/Hate is littered with many dramas both good and bad. Fair City was an important stepping stone and this soap is always at its best when there is a sinister drug dealer-type or other violent character (Billy Meehan, Terence, Marty Halpin, Sylvester Garrigan, Thomas Flynn, Paddy Bishop) lurking about. Making the Cut aka DDU was another important link and was a cops v gangster attempt from the 1990s that was quite good but not as daring as Love/Hate (I think the guy who does IRA chief Tony in Love/Hate was the main cop in it?). Roddy Doyle's books and their film versions like The Commitments and TV series versions like Family were other important links. On the lesser side, we had to endure The Big Bow Wow (a miss: a drugs drama that does not know if it is that or an urban Glenroe but failing as either?) but the journey from the days of Glenroe to Love/Hate is worth it when we arrived in the era of King Nidge.

Sir Osis of Liver. wrote: »

Not a bad idea actually for season 5.
What if Nidge and the lads were to relocate to Glenroe til the heat dies down with the RA and the cops?

Fran's caravan!!!

Mint Aero wrote: »

*tin whistle music*

Open farm
Begorrah
Open farm miley?
Well holy god
I'm thinking open farm, where's dinny?
Uh well uhhh ummm over there
Dinny...
Wha?
Open farm?
Miley..
Uhhhh ummmm urrrr
Your idea miley?
Urrrrr begorrah ummmm
It was mine dinny.....open farm
Teasy?
Wha?
Did you hear this?
Wha?
Open farm
Ooooooooo
Well that's settled open farm open farm open farm, come on miley
Well holy god

*tin whistle music*

And today's Glenroe (rebranded Glen/Roe): Miley (played by a new actor obviously!) is out planting spuds on his land and then digs up a dead body. He says 'well holy god, did you ever see the bate a dat!' and goes to the lad across the way in the caravan he rents a site to and asks him does he know anything about it and he says: 'put it back in the ground'.

Fran then takes out his gun and shoots Miley and buries him too. Nidge comes out and says 'ah J@zuz Fran why did you go and have to do that for!!' Fran replies: 'in case he is some type of a Slab bleedin' Murphy and he recognises Git'!!

Episode ends:

Next episode: Glen/Roe

Fran: I guess that oul' farmer is gone to visit that holy god he keeps on about. IRA or not, I can't be takin' any bleedin' chances.
Nidge: And who owns the land, Fran.
Fran: I guess we do, Nidgie. Let's get it legally sorted. We need to have the deeds to this immediately.
Nidge: I'll sort this out, ok. No worries. I'll get onto my solicitor about it right now and it will be ok, right. No worries Frano!
Fran: Ok. Coolaboola. The Nidge Weasel!

To be continued!

The people who feel the need to mention that they don't watch Love/Hate are becoming more annoying than the people that keep going on about the show.

I'm surprised people are surprised at the hype. It's an Irish show and this is Ireland. Of course it's going to be talked about a lot. Does it also surprise you that people tend to discuss the results of the Irish soccer team instead of the Canadians?

Mint Aero wrote: »

We're just amazed at what people find so entertaining.

It's a long time since I've been amazed by what people seem to find entertaining

Fake Healer wrote: »

Sir, I don't watch that terrible murder fest, but I do catch the odd bit of it here and there to stay informed at what is trending. I do give out about it because it is a waste of my licience fee. The Nidge character is disgusting -- how anybody could find him entertaining is beyond me. Or that Fran guy, who acts the same role whatever low budget drek hires him. Talk about no range. And even better, he thinks he he's off to Hollywood to be a big star lol. He's Fair City fodder, nothing else. You'll see him pop up on FC in a year or two when L/H is got rid of.

I love Nidge, he's my favourite. Fran is a great character too.

Opinions are like arseholes, everyone has one!

Fake Healer wrote: »

Sir, I don't watch that terrible murder fest, but I do catch the odd bit of it here and there to stay informed at what is trending. I do give out about it because it is a waste of my licience fee. The Nidge character is disgusting -- how anybody could find him entertaining is beyond me. Or that Fran guy, who acts the same role whatever low budget drek hires him. Talk about no range. And even better, he thinks he he's off to Hollywood to be a big star lol. He's Fair City fodder, nothing else. You'll see him pop up on FC in a year or two when L/H is got rid of.

Well its refreshing to see somebody attach an explanation to their disapproval anyway.

I would say, however, that what you consider a waste of your licence fee does not matter. Nobody will like all the shows on Rte. Its the most watched show on the channel so its hardly a waste.

Also, just because somebody plays the same type character doesnt mean theyre a bad actor. If thats your strongest role then why not keep doing it? Acting is a job afterall and you need to play to your strengths to make money.

I understand its not everybodys cup of tea though and thats alright too. I think its an alright show.

Fake Healer wrote: »

Sir, I don't watch that terrible murder fest, but I do catch the odd bit of it here and there to stay informed at what is trending. I do give out about it because it is a waste of my licience fee. The Nidge character is disgusting -- how anybody could find him entertaining is beyond me. Or that Fran guy, who acts the same role whatever low budget drek hires him. Talk about no range. And even better, he thinks he he's off to Hollywood to be a big star lol. He's Fair City fodder, nothing else. You'll see him pop up on FC in a year or two when L/H is got rid of.

You do know that the program ended the other night yeah? It's safe for you to come out of your bunker now. The nasty upsetting program is gone.

camel jockey wrote: »

Love Hate is grand, not brilliant, not crap. 6 episodes per season is a bit of a cop out, much easier to fill 6 episodes than 20.

Glad they killed off Darren - terrible casting.

Whoever does the casting has a good eye for the ladies, I'll give him that. That masseuse last night?

My boyfriend fancies Debbie, the red head. I hate her, terrible actress and nothing great to look at either.

Trish is where its at, her hair this season is awful though.