Blue Valentine

I am basing my opinion here on only the first season trilogy so far, but if my opinion radically changes after watching more episodes, I can always come back here and edit.

I like Jack Taylor so far, the character and the program. This is a feat as I am not usually drawn to shows that draw a lot from organized crime or conspiracies that reach into political or law enforcement ranks. But Mr. Taylor is interesting enough to have me rooting for him. He is tough and smart, as you would expect, with a caustic wit and a soft heart, though it is well-hidden a lot of the time.

The show reminds me of the old American Rockford Files series, which has the same humor and caustic edge, and a main character who seems to get physically roughed up a lot. So far it feels like a crime or set of crimes is solved during the course of every 90-minute episode, but there is also further dramatic thread that runs through the three shows. Each episode seems to reaches a point where Jack Taylor’s cause is hopeless, but his way through his crises don’t seem contrived or miraculous. I recommend the shops for those who like a mixture of wit, violence and Irish noir, and I am looking forward to the next season.