Say Nothing comes hot on the heels of with Trespasses, another drama where you need to put the subtitles on, since these garish, Northern Ireland-acted accents will split your ears.
Okay, some of the cast ARE from that country, but Maxine Peake (I Swear) definitely isn’t, and even when a genuine twang, I DEFINITELY need the words along my screen.
She takes the role of the older Dolours Price – the younger by Lola Petticrew, also from Trespasses – being one of many anonymous participants being interviewed.
Based on a true story, this is the time of Northern Ireland’s “troubles” and of Gerry Adams (Josh Finan – Black Mirror: Plaything), with the Brits – led by Rory Kinnear – failing to find Adams, when they don’t know what he looks like; and Dolours is shown growing up as a child, in Belfast, 1957, where her parents were members of the IRA, also a time when people are taken and just disappear
She lived in the Catholic side of society, where everything went to the Protestants. Cue plenty of violence, such as going on marches and getting pelted with rocks, but while this only spurs her on further to take part in such actions – and with Adams recruiting her for the IRA, too – she admits in her interview that there’s a good chance you can end up dead, when doing this.
In her older self, it’s probably a bit too late for her to spill the beans about the IRA, since it’s all long in the past, but one thing they were to be made sure of: If you do know of any of those involved and what they’ve been up to… say nothing.
However, it is amusing to see her and her sister, Marian (Hazel Doupe – The Miracle Club), stealing money from a bank while dressed as nuns, so… Nuns on the Run.
Overall, it’s well-acted, but so soon after the aforementioned Trespasses, making me wonder do we need more Protestants vs Catholics when it was something that was never round my way? I remember it on the news, as well as the Adams’ voice having to be dubbed by an actor because it was against the TV rules of the time to broadcast his real voice.
Then again, when seeing the trailers for this coming to Channel 4, I didn’t realise at first that this was broadcast in the USA a year ago. I wonder why it’s taken so long to be shown?
It’s also not exactly easy viewing – even if rather rewarding for your time, but while the first episode is showing at 9pm primetime, the remainders are either 10pm or 11pm, so it’s just getting later and later. Why have C4 run scared of broadcasting it at a proper time?
Say Nothing begins Monday night on Channel 4 at 9pm, but isn’t yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD. However, once announced, it will appear on the New DVD Blu-ray 3D and 4K releases UK list.
All episodes will be online at All 4.
Cert: 
Running time: 45 minutes per episode (9 episodes)
Release date: December 1st 2025
Channel: Channel 4
Format: 2.00:1
Series Directors: Michael Lennox, Anthony Byrne, Mary Nighy
Producers: Clare Barron, Cass Marks
Screenplay: Joshua Zetumer, Clare Barron, Joe Murtagh
Creator for TV: Joshua Zetumer
Novel: Patrick Radden Keefe
Music: Sion Trefor
Cast:
Dolours Price: Lola Petticrew
Marian Price: Hazel Doupe
Helen McConville: Emily Healy
Older Dolours Price: Maxine Peake
Michael McConville: Rylee Neilly-Large
Brendan Hughes: Anthony Boyle
Gerry Adams: Josh Finan
Jean McConville: Judith Roddy
Anthony ‘Mackers’ McIntyre: Seamus O’Hara
Tucker McConville: Lennox Loughran
Agnes McConville: Ava-Rose Gallagher
Archie McConville: Isaac Heslip
Billy McConville: Matthew Murphy
Jim McConville: Conor Trainor
Francis: Art Parkinson
Older Brendan Hughes: Tom Vaughan-Lawlor
Chalkie: Cúán Hosty-Blaney
Private Sarah Jane: Amy Molloy
Wee Pat McClure: Martin McCann
Jimmy Dooley: Ryan McParland
Susie McConville: Sarah Gordon
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.