Customer Reviews

Single Handed: Set One

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Edge-of-the-seat suspense. Scenic Irish coast makes the eyes salivate. Fresh new star, fantastic series. Irish country crime is just as riveting as London's. I was astounded and surprised.
Filmed in the Tully Cross & Connemara, arguably the most beautiful part of Ireland, you can smell the peat burning as you view bogs, mountains, lochs, pubs, Guinness, Connemara ponies, & rainbows. But the crime in this deliciously visual district is far from pleasant. An emotional suspense with intrigue as high as the Cliffs of Moor. You'll love the filmed rural beauty and be shocked by the corruption.

3 episodes, each 92 min., YES they DO include SUBTITLES
1- Home
Sgt. Jack Driscoll (Owen McDonnell, a real Galway lad) is transferred back home from the Dublin Garda. He replaces his da. A carbon monoxide death investigation leads to suspicious findings. Further evidence leads to more sinister activity. There is a web of secrets & deceit that Jack discovers. A surprise end.

2- The Stolen Child
A small child is missing and 2 violent uncles may make their own law. Jack's Dad is subject to a tribunal for past "police work." There is yet many local secrets that hinder investigations. Jack's new 1-month sleep-in romance is Dr. Maggie (Caroline Catz-'Doc Martin'& `The Vice') Excellent work by Catz.

3- The Drowning Man
Jack is too late in pulling 17 year old O'Malley from the bay. As always, one investigation leads to something bigger. And, as always, another romantic involvement of Driscoll becomes an issue. That issue involves yet another. High-high suspense finale! So peaked, it becomes a thriller.

Ian McElhinney (Little Dorrit) plays Jack's dad, the former Garda Sergeant Gerry Driscoll. He is a local native, a good-old-boy type, who "turned a blind eye" in the past, and fought local crime "by any means necessary". Can Jack end that legacy which goes against his morals, but is so rooted in the community? David Herlihy plays Garda Finbarr Colvin, the cop assistant handed down by dad, and used to the older cop's ways.

Bonus material: I recommend you read through this prior to viewing the 3 episodes.
Text for all: prod. Notes; O.McDonnell (Jack) notes; Catz (Dr. Maggie) notes; & Produces Alan interview.
This series contains course raw language unsuitable for children (even if they may hear those words used at home).

Ah, lookit, blimy fine Garda suspense.
`Tis `nuf fer all, mind.
In English that means "Wonderful, buy it."
One of the best Irish cop drama mysteries ever made.

Single-handed is gripping drama that puts most US TV to shame. This one definitely goes on your must see list.

Well acted, beautiful scenery, very strong story lines. However: the stories (especially the first and second episodes) are of the type that really irritate me: too many questionable characters among the "good guys", too much moral ambiguity, etc.

For comparison, I had this issue with some of the Inspector Lynley series episodes as well. I am more of a true "Cozy" fan: Inspector Lewis, Inspector Morse, Midsomer Murders, etc.

So, dropping by one star was a personal preference. Many folks would love it, I am sure! I felt I should at least provide the input. The 3rd episode was a bit more to my liking.

In this season one (1) of this wonderful series of "Single-Handed, the protagonist Sergeant Driscoll (intently and fabulously played by Owen McDonnell) leaves the big city of Dublin with its big city crimes to return to his smaller home on the picturesque West coast of Ireland. Here he replaces his retired father as the chief law-enforcer. In a very beautiful locale he is faced with loads of debauchery that includes murder, incest, adultery, kidnapping, police corruption, marital unfaithfulness, etc., too only it seems to be happening at a little slower pace and seemly with everyone (including his own family) involved somehow. Sergeant Driscoll takes his position very seriously and plays "by the book" which tends to upset the inhabitants that are use to his father who tended not to be stickler to the rules throughout his long career. The differences in the two men and their approach to "law enforcement" leads to some intense conflicts.

This is a very fine series that is intelligently and intriguingly well written and acted on three (3) discs covering three mysteries running about an hour and one-half each. This series is "new" to me; however I found it to be most engrossing with each of the mysteries keeping me "spell-bound" I look forward to further releases and diffidently will buy them because it's really very good.

Since I have a little difficulty understanding "Irish accents", I used the provided subtitles which helped me immensely.

Having traveled in Ireland, it made me want to pack my bags! Beautiful scenery!
I love the character, Jack, and all the "goings on" in the small town atmosphere. All the personalities make this a rich and compelling series. It is a wonderful series and I hope there will be more dvds to watch!!

This is a very well done series from all aspects. As others have stated, it is gritty, dark, and occasionally heartbreaking. Honestly, I was so caught up in the drama that I didn't even notice the profanity until I read another review here, whereas normally it grates on my nerves. I hope they keep on making more episodes.

This presents a vivid picture of the Irish country outside of the big cities....wild and beautiful with the complex relationships that accompany it. It isn't easy holding to the letter of the law in such an environment; but getting to the truth takes the hero through difficult self discovery quite unlike what we are likely to see on American television. This is more true to real life where things are not always black and white and sometimes it is better to work outside the rules.

Loved season 1 of the DVD of "Single Handed." I was so disappointed to find out there isn't the possibility, at least at this point, to obtain more in this series. Keep looking and hoping. Series was well written dramatic with a good blend of wit and intensity. Getting the next in this series is a definite plan!

I was eager to see this police series set in a small town in Ireland. I have watched many British and American police shows so I looked forward to seeing an Irish version. I totally agree with other reviewers who said the main gem of SINGLE-HANDED is the beautiful green Irish countryside. The scenery is outstanding. Much of filming is done outdoors so there is a visual feast of lovely Ireland. Saying that, I have to sadly say the other aspects of the series are rather dull and tedious. The stories have potential but the action is so slow-moving and the dialogue unmotivated.

The real problem is the writing. Garda Sergeant Jack Driscoll has returned from Dublin to his small hometown on the west coast of Ireland. It is never really explained as to why he returns and how he happens to replace his father as the head of the two-man police department. Driscoll may be working in a small town but there are lots of secrets and the locals look after each other while the police look the other way. It seems like everyone in town is hiding some dark secret and here is where the stories begin to fade into oblivion. A few secrets are evetually revealed to be hidden away again, but in most cases thinks are left unresolved or not understood.

Few, if any, of the major characters are likeable. Jack's father is under investigation for his unscrupulous handing of various arrests through the years. The townsfolk are tightlipped. There is so much potential in this series that is just wasted. In episode one, a beautiful illegal immigrant is found dead under mysterious circumstances. Jack Driscoll is determinded to find the truth. A potentially compelling story becomes a twist of confusion and a bit of farce. Driscoll questions Tommy and Tommy says Driscoll should be talking to his own father. Driscoll drives to his father and is told he should be asking Tommy questions. Anyway, the episode is a ping pong of back and forth questions. I actually wanted to keep track of how much of each show is dedicated to Driscoll driving back and forth from his parents to the police station to crime scenes and to interview witnesses. Back and forth over long stretches of country rode. I guess it is better to drive than use the phone.

Even Jack's mother is "mum" about Jack's father and all she knows. People keep quiet in this town. It's also a bit uncertain as to how big or small this town is. Lots of people seem to live in the country but the town has a big hotel, new office building, meeting halls and the like, yet the police station does not even have a computer. The local pub has a rotary dial phone and Jack's mother has a cassette player. Of course, everyone has a cell phone. It's a small town, yet it seems to have the mob and organized crime bosses.

I kept watching each episode even though they were incredibly slow moving. A couple big plot twists in the first episode are revealed and then hidden. The last episode was called "THE DROWNING MAN" and finally the writers seem to have more control over a storyline. It was still lacking but the added mystery of an unexplained drowning along with two suspicious tourists in town made more a more interesting story.

Sadly, the characters are never fully developed. Driscoll doesn't have luck in relationships and has a different lady friend in each episode..not bad for a small town police sergeant. I expected so much more and was so disappointed.

The first thing you notice about this show is the landscape. This must be one of the most beautiful places on earth. The stories and characters are wonderfully rendered.

These are Irish stories. Not American stories. Do not expect everything to be all better at the end. It's much more realistic than that. Bad things happen to good people, and everyone is not what they seem. Just like real life. People make the best of things and get on with it.

These are adult dramas, not with nudity or violence, but with content. They are about the underside of life and the real monsters that go bump in the night. They are well-written and well-acted using adult words and discussing things that people really do to each other.

Get your bio-break out of the way and any snacks you might need to get you through 2 hours, because you will NOT want to stop once you start the show.