Smother (TV series)
| Smother | |
|---|---|
| Genre |
|
| Written by |
|
| Directed by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Composer | John McPhillips |
| Country of origin | Ireland |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 18 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producers |
|
| Production locations | Lahinch, County Clare, Ireland |
| Cinematography | Cathal Watters |
| Editors | Dermot Diskin, John O'Connor |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | RTÉ One |
| Release | 7 March 2021 – 12 March 2023 |
Smother is an Irish thriller drama television series written by Kate O'Riordan and directed by Dathaí Keane.[1] It stars Dervla Kirwan as Val Ahern, a mother who is determined to protect her family at any cost.[2] The series is produced by BBC Studios and Treasure Entertainment for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, and premiered on 7 March 2021 on RTÉ One. A second series was announced in April 2021 and had its premiere on RTÉ One on 9 January 2022. It aired in the UK by Alibi in June 2021. The show then premiered on Peacock in the US on July 1, 2021. The second season premiered on April 28, 2022. The series airs in Norway on TV2.[3] In August 2022, it was confirmed that the series would end at the end of the third season. The third and final series began airing on 6 February 2023.
Plot (series 1)
[edit]Set in a small town on the wild and rugged coast of County Clare, Val Ahern, a devoted mother, is determined to protect her family and particularly her three daughters—Jenny, Anna and Grace—at any cost. When Val's husband Denis is found dead at the foot of a cliff near their home the morning after a family party, Val attempts to investigate the events that unfolded the night before.
Cast
[edit]Main
[edit]- Dervla Kirwan as Val Ahern
- Gemma-Leah Devereux as Anna Ahern
- Seána Kerslake as Grace Ahern
- Niamh Walsh as Jenny Ahern
- Justine Mitchell as Elaine Lynch
Supporting
[edit]- Stuart Graham as Denis Ahern
- Conor Mullen as Frank Ahern
- Hilary Rose as Alanna Hutchins
- Kevin McGahern as Michael Foley
- Michael Patric as Sgt. Paudie Manning
- Thomas Levin as Carl Jensen
- Hazel Doupe as Ingrid Jensen
- Lochlann O'Mearáin as Rory Dwyer
- Éanna Hardwicke as Joe Ryan
- James O'Donoghue as Calum Dwyer
- Elijah O'Sullivan as Jacob Dwyer
- Ayoola Smart as Cathy Cregan
- Carrie Crowley as Mairead Noonan
- Dean Fagan as Finn Ahern (series 2)
- Jason O'Mara as Paul Madigan (series 3)
- Fionnula Flanagan as Caro Noonan (series 3)
- Rebecca O'Mara as Sheahan (series 3)
Episodes
[edit]Series overview
[edit]| Series | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | |||
| 1 | 6 | 7 March 2021 | 11 April 2021 | |
| 2 | 6 | 9 January 2022 | 13 February 2022 | |
| 3 | 6 | 5 February 2023 | 12 March 2023 | |
Series 1 (2021)
[edit]| No. overall | No. in series | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Episode 1" | Dathaí Keane | Kate O'Riordan | 7 March 2021 |
| 2 | 2 | "Episode 2" | Dathaí Keane | Kate O'Riordan | 14 March 2021 |
| 3 | 3 | "Episode 3" | Dathaí Keane | Tom Farrelly | 21 March 2021 |
| 4 | 4 | "Episode 4" | Dathaí Keane | Daniel Cullen | 28 March 2021 |
| 5 | 5 | "Episode 5" | Dathaí Keane | Ursula Rani Sarma | 4 April 2021 |
| 6 | 6 | "Episode 6" | Dathaí Keane | Tom Farrelly | 11 April 2021 |
Series 2 (2022)
[edit]| No. overall | No. in series | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 1 | "Episode 1" | Dathaí Keane | Kate O'Riordan | 9 January 2022 |
| 8 | 2 | "Episode 2" | Dathaí Keane | Kate O'Riordan | 16 January 2022 |
| 9 | 3 | "Episode 3" | Dathaí Keane | Tom Farrelly | 23 January 2022 |
| 10 | 4 | "Episode 4" | Dathaí Keane | Sonya Kelly | 30 January 2022 |
| 11 | 5 | "Episode 5" | Dathaí Keane | Ursula Rani Sarma | 6 February 2022 |
| 12 | 6 | "Episode 6" | Dathaí Keane | Tom Farrelly | 13 February 2022 |
Series 3 (2023)
[edit]| No. overall | No. in series | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 1 | "Episode 1" | Dathaí Keane | Kate O'Riordan | 5 February 2023 |
| 14 | 2 | "Episode 2" | Dathaí Keane | Kate O'Riordan | 12 February 2023 |
| 15 | 3 | "Episode 3" | Dathaí Keane | Sonya Kelly | 19 February 2023 |
| 16 | 4 | "Episode 4" | Dathaí Keane | Sinéad Collopy | 26 February 2023 |
| 17 | 5 | "Episode 5" | Dathaí Keane | Nessa Wrafter | 5 March 2023 |
| 18 | 6 | "Episode 6" | Dathaí Keane | Marcus Fleming | 12 March 2023 |
Production
[edit]Filming began in February 2020 in and around Lahinch.[4][5] On the series' way of writing and storytelling, lead actress Dervla Kirwan said that "it's been a long time since anything this well written about an Irish family has come my way. In Smother, [Kate O'Riordan] has created a riveting thriller that will wake the world up to contemporary Ireland and rewrite an outdated narrative that has been peddled about the Irish for years."[6] She also relates the series' setting to the character in the series, in particular to the Ahern family:
Even if you just look at their beautiful house, which is also a character in our story — it dominates the skyline, the horizon of that village. It's all about corruption, privilege and wealth, and how that breeds a dysfunction. That dysfunction acts as a poison, creating a sense of entitlement in those women. They lie and cheat to get what they want, and their behaviour's upheld by their privilege. They're all a piece of work, as we'd say in Ireland. They're all quite dark, really damaged women.[7]
In March 2020, production was halted due to social restrictions being imposed nationwide to combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. On the filming halt, cast member Niamh Walsh states:
Actors are basically idiot children. We blunder round the world feeling feelings for money – those of us who are lucky enough to get paid to do it. Sure, we'll sell you the fear or excitement or whatever hanging off the cliff edge requires, but we are absolutely the last step in the process. Before any of those feelings can be caught on camera, this invisible army has to mobilise to make it happen.[8]
On 4 April 2021, it was revealed that comedian Kevin McGahern has joined the cast in episode 5, portraying Michael Foley.[9]
On 26 December 2021, it was announced that former Coronation Street star Dean Fagan will be starring as Denis Ahern's estranged son in the show's second series.[10][11]
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IFTA Film & Drama Awards | 4 July 2021 | Best Drama | Production Team | Nominated |
| Best Director – Drama | Dathaí Keane | Nominated | ||
| Best Script – Drama | Kate O'Riordan | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress | Dervla Kirwan | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Gemma-Leah Devereux | Nominated | ||
| Seána Kerslake | Nominated | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Éanna Hardwicke | Nominated | ||
| Best Score | John McPhillips | Nominated | ||
| Best Cinematography | Cathal Watters | Nominated | ||
| Best Costume | Triona Lillis | Nominated | ||
| Best Sound | Hugh Fox, Fionán Higgins & Mark Henry | Nominated | ||
| IFTA Film & Drama Awards | 12 March 2022 | Best Drama | Production Team | Nominated |
| Best Director – Drama | Dathaí Keane | Nominated | ||
| Best Script – Drama | Kate O'Riordan | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress | Dervla Kirwan | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Justine Mitchell | Nominated | ||
| Best Sound | John "Bob" Brennan, Fionán Higgins, Mark Henry, & Andrew Kirwan | Nominated | ||
| RTS Republic of Ireland Awards | 12 April 2022 | Drámaíocht / Drama | Smother | Won[12] |
| RTS Republic of Ireland Awards | 28 March 2023 | Drámaíocht / Drama | Smother | Nominated[13] |
| IFTA Film & Drama Awards | 7 May 2023 | Best Drama | Production Team | Nominated |
| Best Director – Drama | Dathaí Keane | Nominated | ||
| Best Script – Drama | Kate O'Riordan | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress | Dervla Kirwan | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor | Jason O'Mara | Nominated |
References
[edit]- ^ "'Spanish Princess' Writer Kate O'Riordan's Noir Thriller 'Smother' To Be BBC Studios' First Show For RTÉ". Deadline Hollywood. 4 December 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ "'The Stranger' Star Dervla Kirwan Leads Cast For Irish Thriller 'Smother' From 'Spanish Princess' Writer". Deadline Hollywood. 9 March 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ "Smother | TV Guide". VG TV-guide.
- ^ "New RTÉ drama Smother begins filming in Clare". RTÉ. 10 March 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ "Clare 'a beautiful & dramatic backdrop' for new RTÉ/BBC drama Smother". Clare Echo. 16 March 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ Dray, Kayleigh. "Smother: this intriguing new Irish noir series ticks so many boxes". Stylist. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ "Actress Dervla Kirwan calls for more roles for women". Irish Mirror. 8 March 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ "What It's Really Like On A TV Set During A Pandemic". British Vogue. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ "Smother fans in stitches as RTE comedy star Kevin McGahern makes unexpected appearance". Irish Mirror. 5 April 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
- ^ "Sneak peek at season 2 of top Irish drama Smother". RTE. 26 December 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ "Coronation Street turned RTE Smother star Dean Fagan tells of differences in shows". Irish Mirror. 11 January 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ "imro.ie". 13 April 2022. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ "RTS Republic of Ireland Awards". 28 March 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
External links
[edit]