Say Nothing is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Patrick Radden Keefe, who’s emerged as one of the most popular nonfiction authors of his generation. Keefe has a talent for condensing complex material into entertaining mini-narratives. His takedown of the Sackler dynasty, Empire of Pain, inspired greater awareness of the opioid crisis, as the Netflix series Painkiller and the Hulu drama Dopesick were inspired by similar events. It was only a matter of time before a prestigious television network took a stab at adapting Say Nothing, which recounted various testimonies and records from “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland during the second half of the 20th century.
This isn’t an era that’s been ignored, as there have been various films that examined the bitter conflict between the British Armed Forces and the resistant Irish Republican Army. Steven McQueen’s directorial debut Hunger examined the 1981 hunger strike, the British thriller ‘71 tackled the Belfast protests from the perspective of a young soldier, and the true story of the 1974 Guildford pub bombings served as the inspiration for drama In the Name of the Father. However, these stories are simply microcosms of the ethno-nationalist conflict. Generally, they avoided making grandiose generalizations about the motivations behind the warring parties.
Say Nothing encapsulates a larger span of time, and not just because it has the luxury of nine hours to tell its story. While it begins during the rise of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, Say Nothing explores over three decades of history, and uses the investigation into the murder of Jean McConville (Judith Roddy) as the overarching mystery. The series emphasizes its ensemble, but primarily centers on the Dolours sisters (Lola Petticrew and Maxine Peake) and Marian Price (Hazel Doupe and Helen Behan), who became IRA volunteers during their adolescence.
Say Nothing doesn’t claim to be an all-encompassing portrayal of “The Troubles.” It would have to reference centuries of political and ethnic tension in order to properly contextualize why the violence grew so palpable at the end of the 1960s. Instead, Say Nothing offers observations about why the IRA commanded such loyalty among its youthful members by framing itself as an espionage series. The use of “flashforward” sequences that feature older versions of the protagonists is cliched, but it works well to contextualize the feelings of regret that Dolours and Marian feel as they reflect back upon their initial commitments. It’s notable that the first episode, “The Cause,” ends with a character making specific reference to the lies that initially sparked their interest in joining the revolutionary army.
Like many resistance movements, the IRA comes to fruition thanks to frustrated young people who want to make a conscious effort to ensure that their generation makes an impact. Initially, the scenes involving Dolours and Marian joining forces with other volunteers has the same rousing spirit as the heroes of Star Wars gathering to take down the Galactic Empire. It’s clearly established by an instance of police brutality that the IRA faces an uphill battle; Rory Kinnear appears as the British Army General Frank Kitson, whose mustache-twirling villain feels like he was plucked from a Marvel film. The IRA’s process of infiltrating covert operations, robbing banks, and recurring new members allows Say Nothing to become an entertaining genre thriller.
There’s a lot of merit in the ability of Say Nothing to make itself palatable to a broad potential audience. There’s just enough contextual information for those unfamiliar with Irish history to become engaged, particularly due to the charisma of the young actors. Although it’s bound to provoke strong reactions, Say Nothing goes out of its way to subvert the obvious framing of the IRA as the heroes. Any moments of fulfillment that Marian and Dolours feel are undercut by the revelation of deceitful tactics the IRA used to make disloyal members “vanish,” as the case of the “disappeared” becomes chilling in the final installments.
Say Nothing isn’t toothless in its assessment of the lasting impacts of “The Troubles.” The IRA radical-turned-politician Gerry Adams (Josh Finan and Michael Colgan) plays a prominent role in the series, and a disturbing disclaimer is included at the conclusion of each episode as a reminder that he has officially denied any involvement with the “disappeared.” The series is grueling to watch at times, as it doesn’t overlook the torture, kidnapping, and abuse. Nonetheless, each episode ends with a compelling hook for what comes next, as Say Nothing was intended for viewers intent on watching multiple installments at once.
Say Nothing will receive blowback for not condemning acts of terrorism, but that moral outrage could easily be directed at a number of historical shows. The Crown did a lot of public relations work for the English monarchy, Band of Brothers presented an idealized version of the “Greatest Generation,” and Ryan Murphy has made a career out of presenting sympathetic depictions of convicted killers. Say Nothing doesn’t need to be analyzed for its political leanings. It’s great entertainment.