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Ballykissangel - Series 4
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Heretofore engaging series achieves epic mediocrity
Review date: 2007-07-05 Rating: 4 out of 10
In case you haven't tuned-in to the British series BALLYKISSANGEL that aired on the telly from 1996 to 2001, its premise was to follow the career of a young priest assigned to the parish church in the Irish town of Ballykissangel (real-life Avoca, County Wicklow, Ireland), and specifically as he interacted with the town's cast of colorful and/or misfit characters. In series 1-3, the priest was Father Peter Clifford (Stephen Tompkinson), and it soon became evident that he was imperiling his priestly vows by falling for the owner of the local pub, Assumpta Fitzgerald (Dervla Kirwan). The growing sexual tension between the two, in addition to the charming and humorous subplots of each episode involving the village's other residents, made the series watchable to the point of addiction.
At the end of series 3, Assumpta dies tragically, and Fr. Clifford, grievously heartbroken, departs abruptly. From that point on, beginning with the first episode of series 4, the production becomes but a shadow of its former self.
The new priest, a former monk, is Fr. Aidan O'Connell (Don Wycherley), whose character is totally colorless and out of his depth. Without the Clifford-Assumpta axis, the other cast regulars bravely attempt to carry on: the local wheeler-dealer and business schemer, Brian Quigley (Tony Doyle), his daughter Niamh (Tina Kellegher), who takes over ownership and management of Fitzgerald's pub while staying married to Ballykissangel's deer-caught-in-the-headlights Garda officer, Ambrose Egan (Peter Hanly), and Quigley's two idjit can-carriers, Donal (Frankie McCafferty) and Liam (Joe Savino). But, it's just not the same - not even close.
Casting tried to keep things alive with several new personae, the most intriguing of which is Fr. Aidan's somewhat mysterious sister, Orla (Victoria Smurfit). Orla is steamy, but by the time I gave up on series 4 at episode 9, the writers had failed to take her character much of anywhere. Probably the most useless newcomer is Colin Farrell as shepherd Eamonn's nephew Danny, on the lam from the big city with a favorite horse for some unexplained reason. With this small-screen appearance, Farrell was perhaps trying to duplicate the early 90s success of Catherine Zeta-Jones in British television's popular DARLING BUDS OF MAY. But, unlike the luscious Catherine, Colin manages only a scruffy and lumpish taciturnity. In any case, it was impossible for this viewer to engage with Danny; another segment of stacked-stone wall around his uncle's pasture would've been more entertaining. Perhaps female viewers find him attractively enigmatic. (Ok, ok, I see the political incorrectness here; Victoria and Catherine are both Hot Babes, and Colin might as well be a rock. I'm a Male Pig; so sue me.)
At one point during the filming of BALLYKISSANGEL, Tompkinson and Kirwan became engaged, but they later separated after leaving the show. This perhaps illustrates the improbable truth that television art sometimes mimics real life and, in the cases of BALLYKISSANGEL and its protagonists' love affair, all good things must end. Two stars in admonition of what the former once was and fails to be.
Requiescat in pace.
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Product Details/Specifications
Artist(s):
Ballykissangel
Recording label: Cinema Club
Manufacturer: Cinema Club
EAN: 5014138303143
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 4
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2006-04-10
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Language: English (Original Language)