jackiemirek As an American, I have nothing really invested in whether or not this represents Ireland accurately or well, or if it measures up to The Sopranos or The Wire, two common comps for this show. I'm just curious about TV and can watch and appreciate anything. And having said that, I really don't think any of the strengths or flaws of this show have much to do with any particular national pride either. They're pretty universal.First, the good. The guy playing Nidge is fantastically sleazy, and he only gets moreso as the show goes on. How he manages to keep it from spilling over into scenery chewing or overacting is impressive. The same goes for Fran. This dude does hot and cold , terrifying and reasonable in a way that unnervingly realistic. I easily could know this guy, I'm glad I don't. Also, as the seasons go on, the scripting gets better at suspense, stuff doesn't seem to happen at the same plot churning, almost melodramatic way, all the shootings and changing loyalties and all that. Another big plus for me was the cop. I know that storyline represented a weird shift in focus for some people, but that character is so level headed yet sympathetic, I enjoyed his scenes with Siobhan especially as she came to her dilemma.Now the bad. I'm sort of shocked that a show produced in this decade is so unapologetically sexist. Just about every single woman is either a wife with no storyline of her own (really, after FIVE seasons Trish couldn't be more than the gangster's wife who a. complains or b. looks sexy, really!?), a pregnant girlfriend who *just can't abide by this lifestyle anymore!* before she leaves to never be seen again, a crack whore with no agency who becomes useless (What exactly happened to Debbie?), a regular whore who appears only to have sex with the men, a wife/ girlfriend who gets killed to tip off a revenge plot, or a woman raped onscreen whose storyline turns into being "disloyal" to the comatose boyfriend who had more story in the wake of the rape than she did. And the moment when she actually makes a bold decision that can change everyone's lives, she gets killed. Nice.Another major sign that the writing is subpar - the entire Tommy storyline. No matter what I consider I cannot wrap my brain around WHY he had to be in a coma TWICE, including the entire last season, without so much as a single MOMENT of wakefulness to wrap up his story. Did this actor piss someone off? What was ultimately the point of Tommy? To sleep with everyone's women and then slowly die onscreen? Why not kill him quickly? There wasn't even a CHANCE of him waking to offer Siobhan dilemma about talking to the cops and him finding out. Unbelievably amatuerish writing on this account.There are more strengths and weaknesses, but those come to mind immediately. I really don't mind that the budget on this show isn't HBO levels, or that some likable characters met (sometimes too abrupt) ends. But its flaws are big enough to keep it out of conversations about prestige TV.

decfry I too had dismissed this show. After all it was an RTE production and when did they last produce anything of merit? I apologise.I tend to ignore terrestrial t.v and watch a lot of HBO box sets. The Wire is beyond everything else in my humble opinion. But credit where it's due Love/hate is something really special. Top notch acting (where did they all come from?), great story lines, tension, chases and a production that looks like money was spent on it. I was totally engrossed and the three series boxset flew by.This is brilliantly done. It deserves to be a worldwide hit. Congratulations to all involved. Really looking forward to series Four.

jackgoodway Comparisons to "The Wire" are wide (and above) the mark; but LOVE/HATE does mark an ambitious and dramatic departure for Irish television. Gritty, brutal, authentic, entertaining and accessible despite a grim portrayal of a corner of Dublin's gangland underworld. Having the watched the compact (4 episodes) first series, The Law or Garda are absent from proceedings, mainly due to the gang's amazing ace lawyer. While divisive and simplifying the storyline somewhat, but this does give the close knitted band of characters free reign, to have their own suspicions, in-fight and dispense their own kind of justice; following the murder of one of their number.The strong performances all round, departure in production value, plus the tone and intensity; rather story telling craft, mark this series out as one to watch. With the promise of better to come.

noelhogan13 This has to be one of the best crime drama serious to come out of rte in a long time, the acting is superb the drama is edge of the seat and story line never leaves the watcher in any confusion about what is going on its a bit like being part of the story you get so engrossed and the action never leaves you wanting, I would love to see a full length film from the writer Stuart Carolan and i will be looking out for any thing else he may have done this is a total recommendation with no res aversions about the quality of this crime/drama i gave it 9 out of 10 only because i had to sit and watch the ads on telly as well not really the shows fault lol