Redemption (I) (2022) User Reviews

... had to be a seven hour ferry ride away to possibly make it all work

[bjarias · 7/10 · 17 July 2022]

... Paula Malcomson is an extremely-prolific well-known film-TV-actor from Belfast, Ireland... she makes this entire series start-to-finish hers-to-happen & she's wonderful in it... entire cast is very-good

... just don't know about the starting storyline premise that she had readily let her daughter run-off & that after extensive searches is never able to find her... she goes on to have an outstanding thirty-year-career achieving rank of Detective Chief Inspector in Liverpool... then permanently gives it all up to move to Dublin accepting a considerably reduced rank of Detective Inspector

... anyway, it's a series well-worth-watching, whose status is that of "returning-series"... so maybe some plot-adjustments get addressed in upcoming season(s)

Well worth your time.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 31 May 2023]

Merseyside Detective Colette Cunningham receives a phone call explaining that her estranged daughter Stacey has died, Colette heads to Dublin to look into her death, and take care of her grandchildren.

I watched episode one and couldn't get into it, I think it's fair to say that Redemption is something of a slow burner, if you struggle with episode one, my advice is power through, the rest is very rewarding. Colette investigates a series of crimes, but she's there for one reason only.

Episode four was the real turning point for me, it really sprang into life at that point.

There is a complexity to the storyline which makes it very engaging, Colette is discovering a whole new world, and has to adapt to dealing with two grieving, but very different children, Paula Malcomson is excellent from start to finish.

Colette's relationships with her boss, colleagues and grandchildren are all so engaging, she's a great central character.

The acting throughout is first rate, aside from the excellent Malcomson, the performances are quality, Siobhan McSweeney, More Dunford and Thaddea Graham are all spot on.

I'd love there to be another investigation for Colette, there's more mileage here. Hopefully a second series will follow.

8/10.

Just popping in to say this was a great series

[kimmgould · 8/10 · 29 May 2022]

I've noticed that shows with a female lead gets lots of 1/10 - the character wasn't realistic, or the acting was bad, or no one would behave like this. I wonder if the people leaving those reviews has ever met an actual woman?

This was a really enjoyable series. The police procedure was dodgy af, had me yelling at the tv, but other than that minor issue, really well created characters, great story and a good ending (always important to get the payoff after 6 hours of time invested!).

Plot holes

[sgar-1 · 7/10 · 25 June 2022]

Colette gets a call from the authorities that a woman has died, realizes it's her long-estranged daughter, travels from Liverpool to Dublin, eventually goes into her daughter's house and THEN the kids casually come home not knowing at all that their mother was missing from their home all night or that she's dead.

The whole thing of not handing the bag of stolen drugs and cash to the organized crime squad is fairly contrived with the only reason being to protect the children from the possibility that their mother was a criminal, or something.

Somehow the fact that Colette withheld this evidence (kept it in the house and the car!) and the fact that her partner's fingerprints would be on it are glossed over or forgiven.

Colette gets a call at 8:30 PM to meet the baddie "in 40 minutes" where they have a confrontation, then after sunrise at the same location we see him being loaded into an ambulance and her granddaughter being treated in another ambulance. So about eight hours elapsed between the confrontation and taking him away in the ambulance? What were they doing hanging around there all that time?

7 for the performances, pacing, and otherwise OK plot but it's a little beyond belief.

Proper

[stephenmsaunders · 9/10 · 21 June 2022]

Amazing little series. Really hope we get another.

The acting is brilliant, and it's great to see a story written around a woman in her fifties.

The casting is inspired, everyone.is 100% believable, and the whole thing is surprisingly moving.

I loved this show.

Expecting more realism

[repete52 · 6/10 · 23 June 2022]

At the beginning of the first episode, Detective Collette, who is reportedly highly experienced, knowledgeable, efficient as a detective, is in charge of a raid looking for a wanted suspect. The suspect is confronted, runs, is caught after a struggle. As the officers are holding him, he continues struggling. It apparently never occurs to any of the officers, of any rank, to handcuff him. Instead they scold him and advise him of his "right to remain silent"; which is NOT required to be given immediately upon arrest. The suspect continues struggling, breaks away and runs again.

The efficient, professional detective finds a bag of drugs and and money in her deceased daughter's bedroom. There is no apparent good reason for her to hang on to this bag of loot, yet at the risk of her job, her safety, her life, she doesn't immediately call the police station to report it and have them pick up the bag.

C'mon; I know it's a TV show, but please, a little more realism, especially consistent with the quality of officer they're trying to convey here.

Excellent series - hope there will be more seasons

[martinmichaelkelly · 10/10 · 21 June 2022]

An excellent show with a good plot, great characters and outstanding acting. The show had a few good twists and turns. I would love to see a second season to allow some of the character relationships to develop further.

For a long-time policewoman, she is really stupid.

[donnalynnevans · 6/10 · 23 June 2022]

We enjoyed the first couple of episodes, but then we started to notice some blatant errors of police procedure, namely, the main character never wore gloves when searching through potential evidence!!!! Evidence that could damage her daughter's legacy, as well as could possibly connect her to the crimes!! She's rifling through that gym bag full of oxy & gobs if money, no gloves. Breaks into an abandoned apartment, rifles through the cabinets, no gloves. Seems minor, but so ridiculous. It's also a bit s l o w.

Fabulous Irish cop drama

[wrxsti54 · 9/10 · 23 June 2022]

Redemption traces the experiences of Detective Inspector Collette Cunningham (Paula Malcolmson), a successful Liverpool Serious Crime Squad senior detective called back to her native Dublin by the Irish Garda (Police) due to the untimely death of her daughter Stacey (Rachel O'Byrne) from whom she'd been estranged for over 35 years. Collette is named as guardian of two unknown grandchildren, 16 year old Cara (Abby Fitz) and 14 year old Liam (Evan O'Connor), who have an absent father Eoin (Moe Dunford). To care for her grandkids and to more fully investigate the suspicious circumstances of her daughter's death, Collette swings a 6 month transfer as a junior DI with the Dublin Garda.

What emerges is a thoroughly gripping drama with a taut and intense story line over 6 episodes as Collette begins to unravel what really happened to her daughter against the backdrop of Dublin's organized crime syndicates whilst trying to develop a relationship with grieving teenagers with complex lives and zero history with their grandma. The show features excellent Irish acting talent and provides a view into modern Irish policing which makes for some fascinating and distinct cultural and procedural/legal differences from the far more common UK police dramas. Collette's quirky partner Siobhan (Thadea Graham), down to earth colleague Patrick (Keith McEarlean) and acerbic boss Jane (famous Irish actress Siobhan McSweeney) are magnificently cast. Of particular note were the fantastic and intense performances of the two young stars, 21 year old Fitz and only 15 year old O'Connor, both novice actors with prior experience only in more minor roles.

I'm surprised at some of the negative reviews as this series was a great showcase of Irish acting talent which meant this was not just a regional variation of a British cop show.

Unbelievable plot

[kkahrs-1 · 6/10 · 22 June 2022]

This is an OK series about reconnecting with grand children, with good acting from Paula Malcolmson and others. However, the plot does not seem believable when a Liverpool police officer so easily get employment in Dublin. Collette takes a lot of liberties that are not realistic. In the last episode where Eoin Molony threatens Collette's granddaughter Cara, it is not very likely that Collette would go on a one-woman rambo mission without getting assistance from her colleagues in the Dublin Garda.

Crime Drama makes a comeback

[turtlebay-94983 · 10/10 · 23 June 2022]

Things haven't been the same in crime drama until now. Redemption has renewed my faith in the industry and topped it off with a tear.

Paula Malcomson has the qualities to pull off the female detective role and would love to see more of her in future crime dramas.

We'll worth my time.

really trying to like this...

[nanci-68115 · 6/10 · 24 June 2022]

Firs it is absurd that Collette would have not spoken to her daughter in 35 years. They had a fight when Stacey was 17 and then didn't talk for 35 years?! And Collette is a high ranking detective but could not find her? OK, sure. In episode two, the entire house is ransacked for the missing drugs and money, but the bad guys don't find the bag UNDER THE COUCH. Right.

That said, getting over these (and other) plot holes, my biggest issue is that this show has 60% extra dialogue. It is as though the writers were PAID BY THE WORD.

I am continuing to watch though - hoping it picks up.

Weak and predictable script

[qui_j · 5/10 · 27 July 2022]

This is a "feel good" series that is based on a very weak and predictable script. The acting is very variable, ranging from top-notch to amateurish. It's average entertainment but not spectacular. The plot has the usual holes but one has to ignore them for the sake of the narrative.

Does every single show have to be about inclusivity?

[jim-75272 · 2 October 2022]

What happened to suspension of disbelief? When "the message" overides the narrative and acting talent etc. What is the point? That we have to be more open minded? Who are these people to judge the viewers? Why feed us this constant message of exclusivity vis avis LGBT, colour and race and gender?

I have nothing to say about the plot of this show as I am fed up of it all. Always a "mindblowing strong woman" and "stupid weak or mean: men.

There are ways to show this to the audience and educate them without being condescending. Yes it is fiction but it's not Fantasy is it? All shows now seem to have an agenda of some political or moral social code they need to educate us deplorables.

This is the equivalent of force feeding a child that does not want to eat his food. What a great way to make sure the kid develops an eating disorder or learnes to hate some foods?

Just tell us the story in a believable way. Not every story needs to have gay men or women in it. Not every story needs to have a strong woman and weak immature pitiful men in it.

Not the worst.

[ronaldalamascus-90506 · 7/10 · 23 June 2022]

While better than some detective series, Redemption falls a bit short of really being "good". The main character, Collette, is either on Prozac or is just wooden much of the time. The story develops a bit too slowly at times and all the prerequisite politically correct races, sexes, lack of sexes, blah, blah, blah are present and is every British/Irish teenager a potty mouthed brat?! The granddaughter, Cara, is a worthless little twit who should have her backside lit on fire. She is a juvenile delinquent. And the grandson has a "boyfriend"? B. S.! We definitely have a totally screwed young generation. The producers really need to rethink their priorities on what makes good entertainment.

Top notch acting and plot

[llamasarse · 9/10 · 27 April 2022]

I watched the first episode of season one, and I rate Paula Malcomson's performance as up there with Sarah Lancashire of the BBC's "Happy Valley", another wonderful crime/drama featuring a strong female lead. I look forward to seeing the rest of the series!

Who forgets they have an entire DAUGHTER???

[reflectarts · 6/10 · 22 June 2022]

This is not a spoiler because you find out in the first minutes of the first episode but will include as such just in case: the protagonist has a daughter, who dies, that she utterly seems to have forgotten existed. She kicked her daughter out when the daughter was 17 and later 'looked' for her but in 20 years was unable to find her, mind you the mother (protagonist) is a police detective with the tools at her disposal. What sort of sociopath is this woman?! Appalling premise. Other than that, the usual BBC sort of detective show which is fair enough.

Wow excellent drama

[amandamcg-81641 · 10/10 · 26 March 2023]

Really good tv crime drama. Excellent acting from the main character & the children & supporting cast. I loved the collaboration with Liverpool and Dublin. Great storyline, not your normal run of the mill. Well worth watching. Each character played an integral part.

The final episode was everything you want in a final episode and more. It kept the suspense and emotional storyline right up until the end. Really hope there is a series 2, showing Colette working in Dublin and solving crime there and maybe a follow up on bringing the O'Donalds to justice, but still keeping additional story lines with her grandchildren.

Just ok but big weaknesses

[ealander · 7/10 · 4 July 2022]

This is another forgettable cop show. I've started rating them here just so I know which ones I've already seen. As many reviewers have pointed out, the big flaw is that this experienced police detective couldn't find her daughter who lived not very far away for decades. And that someone who was estranged from her own daughter for 20 years is all of a sudden so devoted to her grandkids. Silly. The rest is like so many of these merely ok cop shows these streaming services churn out. Definitely not a 10 like some of these questionable reviews. Also not a 1. Some effort but nothing special. A solid 6.8 but I won't remember it in a few days.

It was the talk of the shop floor.

[winstanleyaaron · 10/10 · 2 April 2023]

My friends, colleagues and family were talking about this and it was all world of mouth. Usually I tend to look on here at the reviews but I didn't this time because it didn't pass the vibe check. This was hands down one of my favourite detective series of all time. In my opinion, the critics need to give it another watch and take note. I'm not the best reviewer on this platform but it was such a heart-warming story in the end (no spoilers).

She went above and beyond for her family and changed her ways for the betterment of her family. ITV has won with this one and I'll continue to spread the word if anybody is looking for something good to watch. Try it.

Good but predictable

[gallagherkellie · 6/10 · 21 October 2022]

It's kinda weird they got a northern Irish actress to play a character from Liverpool in Ireland. Apart from that, she's a great actress and did a great job in this role.

I do on the other hand find it hard to believe a top detective couldn't find her runaway daughter who was a 5 hour drive/ferry away for 20 years. I also expected a much bigger reason as to why she ran away and never contacted her mum all those years, but left her kids to her.

The 6 episodes were still gripping and enjoyable, I watched it all within 2 days. However if you're expecting twists and turns you might not get it as I found most of the storyline predictable. Maybe I just watch too much crime tv? Still would watch a second season though!

Very good series with unusual story line

[fresnelite · 8/10 · 20 June 2022]

Interesting characters and story that kept my interest for 6 episodes. Well acted, directed and written with central character who holds it together with emotionally satisfying performance, and believable as a cop with some family baggage in her past. Secondary characters are equally well done, especially the two teenage kids. The last episode is nail-biting, edge of your seat suspense. Most important, I really cared about the people being portrayed, which is not always the case in a detective drama. Suggestion for improvement would be occasionally the police procedures are a bit unrealistic. I binged watched it, and well worth my time.

WOULD GIVE IT 8 OR 9 STARS IF THEY HAD CUT THE LAST CHEESEY 5 MINS

[daftrancenergy · 7/10 · 26 October 2022]

This was a solid drama with a little different plot. Solid cast and Paula. Malcolmson was excellent. Siobhán McSweeney turns in another fine performance yet again showing us her broad range of work and characters. The only negative was the last 5 minutes the director and producers felt the need to dumb down the post ending with a cheesy redundant vocal song that just undoes the good feeling I had before this long montage. The montage would have worked if they had killed the most annoying cheesey vocal soundtrack and just stayed consistent with the great theme song or similar. UGH why do they feel they need to make something so unique so mainstream at the end!!!!!!

It had potential, but it went downhill.

[Avidviewer-02847 · 3/10 · 3 July 2022]

The description didn't interest me, but I tried watching it and gave up after three episodes. So many things in the script that just didn't work, poor research and writing. A female DI with Merseyside Police takes a demotion to basically go back down to detective constable to work in the Garda to keep her grandkids in Dublin and work her daughter's mysterious death. Somehow she instantly learned Irish criminal law so she can work as a Garda detective. She finds cash and drugs in her daughters house and instead of turning them over to the Garda, she puts them in the boot of her Mazda SUV which is bright red, great color if you don't want to be obvious. She shows up on the first day of work and her handgun is sitting on her desk, civil servants have to sign a lot of paper work to even get a mobile phone.

I like the cast, they were just strapped with a poor script.

Good but too many loopholes

[chrissyjamescjcj · 6/10 · 26 March 2023]

Started quite well but :

1 why had nobody told the two children that their mother had died? They find out when arriving home two days later

2. Why does she keep working off her own bat ?

3. Her accent flips from Irish to Liverpudlian

4. Why didn't she give her grandchildren spare keys when she had the locks changed?

5. Why put a holdall with an obscene amount of money and drugs in the boot of her car? Oh wait she's covered it over with a tartan blanket. That's ok then. She, then gets hacked off when her colleague finds it duh

6. Why oh why doesn't she ever lock her damn car? Even leaving it on a side street and walking home from the pub one night

Can't wait for the last episode.