Year Released: 2021
Directed by: Pete Travis
Starring: James Nesbitt, Lorcan Cranitch, Charlenen McKenna, Lisa Dwan, Lola Petticrew
(Not Rated, 4 episodes, approx. 55 min. each)
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Irish Noir

“Is there something you’re not telling me?” –Detective Sergeant Niamh Mcgovern

The “Scottish play” goes Irish. Well at least a little of Shakespeare’s Macbeth with a twist of Dennis Lehane’s/Clint Eastwood’s Oscar winning Mystic River (2003) stirred in for good measure. Or maybe we’re more reminded of Bryan Singer’s The Usual Suspects (1995). Shakespeare’s protagonist succumbed; Lehane’s and Singer’s got a way with it. Which way will it go here?

The four-part thriller, premiered March 15 on Acorn TV, tells the story of Tom Brannick, a veteran detective in Northern Ireland investigating the kidnapping of an ex-IRA leader. The culprit appears to be the same assassin who killed Brannick’s wife and others trying to put an end to “The Troubles” more than 20 years ago.

Part of the attraction is James Nesbitt, “a craggy-faced grieving middle-aged Northern Irish police detective on the hunt for a bad guy,” in the lead role. He first impressed Different Drummer in Murphy’s Law (2001), where he plays a detective with nothing to lose, guilt ridden over the death of his young daughter slain by the IRA. Working mostly undercover as a super con man, his charm and Irish wit compel us just as Lucy Lawless’s down under waggishness does in My Life Is Murder. (Both series available on Acorn.)

But Nesbitt abandons that frantic comic attitude and embraces the dour demeanor that suited him so well in his dual role for the BBC’s 2006 series, Jekyl.

And in Bloodlands he has good reason, too, still numb after the death of his wife 20 years ago, and now confronted with a new case that seems to indicate her killer is still around creating mayhem and murder. He has left his calling card, a postcard picture of the famous H & W shipbuilding crane nicknamed Goliath at the scene.

Adding the DCI Brannick’s tension, his old boss DCS Jackie Twomey (Lorcan Cranitch) is reluctant to reopen the cold case. He worries it will stir up new resentment from the time of the Troubles.

And it certainly does, with a kidnapping, a firebombing, and finally three corpses discovered on a desolate island. One has an owl pendant on its neck, the twin of the one Brannick has given to his daughter Izzy (Lola Petticrew). That other owl pendant was worn by his wife, who claimed it helped her see in the dark.

Yet we have a few current romantic sparks for Brannick now in the person of Tori Matthews (Lisa Dwan) a doctor who teaches Brannick’s medical student daughter Izzy at Queen’s University. And then we discover that the good doctor has a very strong interest in the Goliath case, too, since she is the daughter of one of his victims, a priest – yes, that is not a typo – who was also a gun runner for the IRA. Just a few minor broken priestly vows, but Tori still adores her father and wants his killer caught.

Then there is Tom Brannick’s new partner DS Niamh McGovern (Charlene McKenna), who worries that her superior is withholding details of the case.

“Is there something you’re not telling me?” she queries.

Without skipping a beat Brannick tells her yes and bids her “to carry on.”

The action and deception intensify when Tom interviews Adam Corey, the brother of another of Goliath’s victims. His files, covering 20 years, have much that is missing from the official police records. And he may have already shared some of the details. We observe Brannick gazing intently at the two teacups in his kitchen; seems Adam Corey has had company recently.

Ghostly visions, putrid corpses, cold waves washing over a gray shoreline, and assorted decrepit shacks filled with nasty surprises set the somber mood for this atypical whodunit.

Atypical in that we have a pretty good suspicion of who Goliath is as early as the surprise ending of episode 2, but we are not quite certain. Instead, the interest is in how Goliath evades everyone on his trail. How he manipulates those around him to enter into his web of deception so willingly unaware of the wicked web he weaves around almost all of them.

Will he become trapped there as well? You will never lose interest in finding the answer in this intelligent and atmospheric Irish noir thriller.

–Kathy Borich
🥁🥁🥁🥁

Trailer

Film-Loving Foodie

Bloodlands opens in a Belfast pub with DCI Brannick experiencing a rare moment of happiness with Izzy, the daughter he adores. He meets her and her new boyfriend at a pub to celebrate her birthday. The light in his eyes, the softness in his smile set the mark from which he will descend as this cold case brings him and everyone around the case down with it. Down into the cold, sodden waters where an abandoned car dregs up old memories and a connection to an almost forgotten serial killer.

But let our detective enjoy this fleeting moment. We can help him and Izzy celebrate with these delicious Irish meat pies called pasties

This recipe originated in Cornwall England. It was originally made for the coal miners and wrapped in butcher paper. The hard pastry shell would keep the juicy contents fresh until the miners were ready to eat. If you want to make these more quickly, you can use refrigerated piecrusts instead of the pastry recipe. –J Johns

Irish Pasties

Ingredients

PASTRY:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup shortening
¼ cup cold water

FILLING

¾ pound boneless beef sirloin, cubed
1 medium onion, sliced

2 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried parsley
salt and ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup water, or as needed

Directions

Step 1
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cut in butter with a fork or pastry blender until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Stir in cold water with a fork until the mixture is able to come together in a ball. Knead a couple of times then divide pastry into two pieces. Pastry may be refrigerated for later use at this time.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out each half of the pastry into a 10-inch circle Step 3
Place half of the potato slices in a line down the center of each circle, leaving at least 1 inch at each end uncovered. Arrange onion slices over the potatoes, and season with salt, pepper and some of the dried parsley. Place half of the beef cubes over each onion layer, then season again with salt, pepper and dried parsley. Fold the edges over the pastry over the filling, and tuck in the ends.
Step 4
Transfer the two pastries to a greased baking sheet, and cut a few slits in the top of each one for ventilation.
Step 5
Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the oven, and reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spoon 1 teaspoon of water into each slit on the tops of the pasties. Return to the oven, and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve whole, or cut into halves.

All Recipes.com

*Do not read this link until after watching Bloodlands, but it answers many questions you may have