Dan McGinn 
So, is this it? Are Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson about to pull the plug on ‘Blue Lights‘ for good? Or will the show live on in some other incarnation, heading in a new direction? Before we get into that, one more word of warning for those who have not seen all the episodes that have preceded tonight’s. As usual, this review will contain spoilers. Therefore if you haven’t seen the episodes already, maybe stop reading this and come back …
Last week, there was a ‘Dallas’ joke. This week, a ‘Derry Girls’ joke. However ‘Blue Lights’ remained no laughing matter as the show reached the penultimate episode of its fourth series. Before we get into that.. well, you know the drill by now. Don’t give away any plot spoilers from the remainder of the fourth series in the comments section if you’ve seen it all on the iPlayer. Please also bear in mind that this review will inevitably contain plot …
It was ‘Blue Lights,’ folks but not as we know it. But before we dissect Episode Four of the fourth series, let’s make our customary appeal. If you’ve watched the entire fourth series on the BBC iPlayer, please don’t give away any spoilers about the remaining episodes in the comments below. Please be aware this review also inevitably contains spoilers from previous series and recent episodes, so maybe you should pause reading this if you haven’t watched them. (SPOILERS ALERT) …
Well, the evil day finally arrived in the latest episode of ‘Blue Lights’. Episode Three of Series Four centred around the trial of dissident republicans Mo McIntyre and Anto Donovan for common enterprise in the murder of Constable Gerry Cliff. But before we focus on all that, I’ll still have to sound the usual warning about these reviews of individual episodes. So if you’ve watched the entire fourth series on the iPlayer, please refrain from giving away any spoilers about …
Episode One of the new series of ‘Blue Lights’ last week ended on a bit of a cliffhanger. But before we dive into that, another quick reminder of the ground rules for these reviews. We would urge those commenting on this post who have already binge watched Series Four, not to give away any spoilers about future episodes. Focus instead on this episode and the one that preceded it, as we’re reviewing each instalment as it airs each week on …
Amid all the tension this week around Drumcree, we all need to unwind. Right? So while we fret about how politicians and the police might handle the Portadown standoff, let’s grab some respite with a TV drama featuring a standoff involving PSNI officers. But before we get into that, a quick reminder. As usual, Slugger will be reviewing each ‘Blue Lights’ episode on the night it airs on BBC1. So if you’ve binge watched all of Series Four today on …
And so to the final episode of Series Three. But just for old time’s sake, let’s have one last warning that this post may contain spoilers about this and other episodes. Now we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get down to business. Buoyed by the fact that last week’s episode appeared to have got the third series back on track, could Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn’s show deliver the thrilling conclusion that we were all hoping for? (SPOLIERS …
After a dip in form over the past two weeks, could Series 3 of ‘Blue Lights’ get back on track in the final stretch? Before we find out, here’s another public service announcement for Slugger readers. This review will inevitably contain spoilers for this episode and others, so if you haven’t watched Series 1, 2 or 3 or even Series 3 Episode 5, then maybe hold off reading this. (SPOILERS ALERT!!!) Episode Five began with Katherine Devlin’s Annie Conlon heading …
We’re two thirds of the way into Series Three and as with previous reviews, there will inevitably be spoilers about this and other episodes. So if you haven’t watched Episode Four of Series Three, take my advice. Wait until you have watched it before reading any more of this. As for the rest of you, buckle up. Its going to be a bumpy ride. (SPOILERS ALERT!!) Episode Four began in sugar sweet fashion, with writers Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson …
Heading towards the halfway point in the third series, the question some ‘Blue Lights’ viewers have been asking was: could it maintain its strong start? Before we try to answer that, I’ll again warn readers that, as with previous reviews of episodes of ‘Blue Lights,’ this post will inevitably contain spoilers about previous episodes and this one. So if you haven’t watched Episode Three or haven’t even started Series Three, please look away now. (SPOILER ALERT!!!) After discovering a device …
After last week’s riproaring start to the third season of ‘Blue Lights,’ how did Episode Two fare? Before we find out, a quick reminder that as with reviews of episodes of previous series of ‘Blue Lights,’ this piece will inevitably contain some spoilers. So if you don’t want to know what happened at the end of Episode One or part of Episode Two, please refrain from reading this and return when you’ve viewed both episodes. (SPOILERS ALERT!!!) Episode Two began …
Its previous series have been lauded by The Times, The Guardian, The Scotsman and The Spectator. It airs not just in the UK and the Republic but in countries like Australia, Holland, Norway, Poland, India, Singapore and Malaysia. It has a BAFTA in the bag for Best Drama Series. BBC1’s ‘Blue Lights’ has made one hell of an impression inside and outside Northern Ireland. But nowhere is it more scrutinised than in the home patch of its creators Declan Lawn …
To lose one beloved ‘Blue Lights’ character last year was unfortunate. But to lose two this time around would have been disastrous. (SPOILER ALERT) Yet this was the scenario ‘Blue Lights’ viewers were facing at the end of last week’s penultimate episode when a passing car belonging to Sian Brooke’s Grace Ellis and Martin McCann’s Stevie Neil was hit with a bullet. Fans of the BBC1 show had witnessed Alfie Lawless’ young boy Henry Thompson accidentally discharging a gun hidden …
So let’s start with the good news. (SPOILER ALERT!!) After his beating in last week’s episode in a Belfast nightclub during a botched surveillance operation organised by Des Eastwood’s DS Murray Canning, Nathan Braniff’s Constable Tommy Foster was still alive. Katherine Devlin’s Constable Annie Conlon was on the warpath, though – pulling into the car park of Blackthorn Police Station as if she had just navigated Gambon Corner. As DS Canning and Frank Blake’s Constable Shane Bradley hunched over a …
The latest installment of ‘Blue Lights’ began with a tight close up of Seamus O’Hara’s Lee Thompson as he faced questions about the discovery of £30,000 in the boot of one of his taxis. Claiming it was the sum collected for charitable donations towards a new community centre in Mount Eden, he produced a statement corroborating his claim from its chairman, Dan Gordon’s veteran loyalist Rab McKendry. However Jonathan Harden and Joanne Crawford’s Inspectors Jonty Johnston and Helen McNally were …
After the conclusion of last week’s episode of ‘Blue Lights,’ nerves were fraying on the loyalist Mount Eden estate as residents fretted about a possible paramilitary feud. (SPOILER ALERT!!) The shooting last week of Chris Corrigan’s Jim Dixon sent shockwaves through the community and catapulted Blackthorn Police Station into a flurry of activity. Although you wouldn’t have known it from the start of this week’s episode, as Katherine Devlin’s PC Annie Conlon and Frank Blake’s PC Shane Bradley woke up …
It was a bit of a subdued start to the latest episode of ‘Blue Lights’. (SPOILERS ALERT!!) Nathan Braniff’s PC Tommy Foster was on a date with Dearbhaile McKinney’s fellow police officer Aisling after persuading her in last week’s opening episode of Series Two to go out with him. With her based in Derry/Londonderry and him in Belfast, they chose the rather unglamorous venue of a bus serving breakfast in a car park at the Glenshane Pass to meet up. …
Here we go. Series Two of ‘Blue Lights’ has landed and after an electrifying debut last year, the boulder has rolled back down the hill. Twelve months ago, Adam Patterson and Declan Lawn delivered not just the best Belfast TV drama to hit our screens but a cop show that could compete with the very best. Expectations for this series have subsequently rocketed and understandably so – especially now that the BBC has guaranteed a third and fourth series. Let’s …
So here we are – the final episode of this series of ‘Blue Lights’. And again, it only seems fair to fire another warning shot to those reading this review to expect a lot of spoilers from previous episodes. So if you’ve not yet seen all five episodes preceding this one, you should probably watch them first before reading this. With viewers still reeling from the events of last week’s episode, ‘Blue Lights’ immediately thrust its audience into the mania …
We hear a lot about the last 20 years being a Golden Age for television and with some justification. But right now it really feels like a Golden Age for Irish TV comedy and drama. After years of developing directing, writing, acting and film production talent, stories set in Dublin and Cork are really making their mark. Sharon Horgan’s Apple TV+ black comedy ‘Bad Sisters‘ was last year’s most exhilarating new show. RTE and AMC’s crime drama ‘Kin‘ with Clare …
