Description
This critically acclaimed drama series reflects one policeman's quest to serve a rural community...Single-Handed.
Jack Driscoll (Owen McDonnell), a Sergeant with the Irish police, is completely at home in his new patch; he ought to be as he was born and brought up there. He knows the people, he knows the West of Ireland and, more importantly, he knows how the two fit together. But this is no cushy posting; Jack's 'patch' stretches from the Atlantic coast in the West to the glacial lakes in the East, from Galway City in the South to Killary harbour in the North - he's on call 24-hours a day and, more often than not, he's single-handed.
From the team that brought you ITV's award winning drama The Vice, Single-Handed explores how policing a rural community differs from city policing. Your precinct is vast, the terrain extreme and the community lives on the edge. You are always on duty. There's nowhere to hide. Stationed more than 40 miles from his superior officers and with specialist backup hours away, Jack is used to thinking on his feet. In circumstances like these, normal procedures are always under pressure and often bypassed altogether, but Jack has the shadow of his predecessor hanging over him. His father Gerry (Ian McElhinney - Little Dorrit, Closing the Ring, Rough Diamond) has only recently vacated the position and Jack's methods are not necessarily the same... The job has taught Jack one invaluable lesson - when the going gets tough, the only person you can rely on is yourself. Fortunately, the life suits him.
Additional Information
Reviews:
"Quality crime drama" The Observer
"A superior Irish police series." The Independent
"...fresh, absorbing drama... don't miss it." The Independent
"...RTE justifies the licence fee with a top class, slick production." Connacht Sentinel
"Single-Handed climaxed with a genuinely jaw-dropping twist... A triumph." The Evening Herald
"...this was the real deal and it didn't lose it's nerve by resorting to far-fetched plot twists or ludicrous melodrama." The Independent
"A must for fans of a good thriller, this has one of the best twists seen on television in years." The Sydney Morning Herald
Ratings:
- ITV (UK) - Series 1 averaged 20.6% audience share on ITV
- Single-Handed boosted ITV's ratings recording an average audience of 3.63m (17.5%) across two hours from 9pm. The previous Sunday, ITV1 drama Whatever It Takes struggled on just 2.7m (12%) over 90 minutes.
Awards:
- Winner of the Award Of Excellence in the Drama Program/Series category of the Accolade Competition (USA)
- Winner of Best Supporting Actor (Stephen Rea) and Best Supporting Actress (Ruth McCabe) at the Irish Film and Television Awards 2011