“It’s Good, Too Good” – Mairead Farrell on the Love/Hate she has for RTÉ Hit Show

It's rare that watching TV makes me feel uncomfortable.

Ok, sometimes when it's cringe-worthy bad like certain episodes of Tallafornia - that programme made me want to jump behind the couch and scream!

But I'm talking about the kind of uncomfortable where I can't sleep afterwards. The new series of Love/Hate started last week and it actually gave me nightmares. 

I watched the entire programme with the remote in my hand just in case I need to switch channels. Twice I did switch, just because I was so nervous! Last series I was awake until 3 am after an episode where a guy stood in a girl’s bedroom just staring at her. He never did anything to her - just stood there, wearing his hood up and creepily gazing at her in the dark. 

There’s not a whole lot that gets between me and my sleep but that did - for a few nights. Over a million people tuned into the first episode of series three, and the following day there were plenty of complaints. Not surprisingly, because it included a graphic rape scene followed by a man getting his face smashed in – it’s not exactly what we’ve come to expect from RTE 1.

Again after this I was awake for hours thinking of the characters, and the killing, but mainly the rape. The images played over and over in my head as I tried to rest.

The reason? Because this happens every day and women like Siobhan are left to deal with what has just happened them. This week’s episode has my heart racing again, and again just one scene has stayed with me for the entire night. We the viewers were shown a little baby crying alone in his cot after both his parents have been shot dead downstairs. If this was an American series I would be okay but it's because it's set in my city, in places I know... 

This sort of thing is happening every day, yet we really know nothing about this world. As disturbing as it is, it's compelling viewing. Writer Stuart Carolan has created a really excellent drama. Too good... now I'm gonna go and try very hard to get some sleep!

 

M x