Raw on RTE – will you be having the main course?
By
RTE’s latest drama offering kicked off last night on RTE2. Having a drama series set in the pressure cooker environment of a restaurant sounded promising so I decided to take look. That, and the fact it was impossible to have missed the billboards and various promos running for it.
The opening scene introduced the main characters in quick succession, with the action freeze framed while their name appeared on screen. Keith McErlean (Bachelor’s Walk fame and the McDonald ads!) was first up on screen. We saw him getting robbed by two of Dublin’s finest and going on a bit of chase down Moore Street where he eventually took a tumble into some well placed boxes of apples. While this chase was going on, we got a glimpse of the other characters in the series all going about their morning business.
‘Bobby’ – a jack the lad whose opening scene saw him wake up and forget there was someone in the bed with him.
Geoff – The tempremental chef arriving into the restaurant kitchen which hadn’t been tidied from last nights service.
Jojo – Party girl being carried down some steps and deposited at the side of the road and told the party is over. With a defiant last swig of wine and puff of a cigarette, she told the party poopers the party “was shite anyway”. So she’s going to be the feisty one then.
I won’t go through all the others as I would even put myself to sleep but I thought it was a bit contrived to bring the names of the characters up on screen. Why the rush? We could have learned the names as the plot progressed.
The characters all seemed a bit one dimensional and slightly unbelievable but it’s hard to judge any series from the first episode. Hopefully, a bit more depth will be introduced in the coming episodes.
One thing that did stick out for me was the odd collection of accents. I know, I know, we’re obsessed with accents in Ireland when they appear on screen but they did grate a bit. I just don’t get where the faux British accents come from at all.
There wasn’t one Dublin city accent of anyone that worked in the restaurant. The only Dublin city accents were of two tracksuit wearing guys at a bank machine depicted as a pair of thickos that didn’t know how to operate an ATM and 2 drug dealers supplying various banned substances to the aformentioned Bobby.
What I saw this week has certainly piqued my interest enough to tune in again next week. It reminded me a bit of This Life, and if it turns to half as good as that, it won’t be too bad at all at all.
Did you see it? Would be interested to hear what you thought.
If you missed it, catch it online on the website.
Any articles/blog posts/photos/stuff of interest I could blog about here ? Send the link direct to my iPhone now
13 Comments
September 9th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
Faux british accents? There are two british actors in Raw….Liam Garrigan who plays Bobby, and Shelley Conn, of The Palace (ITV), Mistresses and Party Animals (both BBC) who plays Tanya.
I presume they wanted to give Dublin a real cosmopolitan air, by having, brits, aussie, czech and african characters.
September 10th, 2008 at 12:12 am
It was the restaurant reviewer I was thinking of . It’s fair enough to have a cosmopolitan air but the only Dublin city accents were as I mentioned. Implication being that the natives are only drug dealers or tracksuit wearers
September 10th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Same as you. It didn’t bowl me over but I saw a lot of potential in it. I enjoyed it and I loved the end of the episode. I’ll be tuning in next week.
Bobby’s accent was a complete mystery to me. For a short while he seemed to have a Dublin accent and then it became three distinctly different British accents. I wish he’d pick an accent and stick with it.
I loved the mysterious Czech boy, Pavel. I’m very interested to see his relationship develop with the manic Sous chef, Geoff. That could be electric.
I don’t think it’ll ever hit the heights of This Life, but I am already eager for more.
September 10th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
i love your woman that plays JoJo. i’d watch her in any old shite, to be honest.
September 10th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
@Darren Yes, had the same thought too about Pavel – thought they made him out to be a bit witless but should be interesting to see where it goes.
@Rosie, She’s a great character alright but may be in danger of being cast in everything rte does!
September 16th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Episode 2 was very lively yet again. I am enjoying this, even though its not especially original. That’s not a serious criticism however, because it is an original for RTE…I think it owes a lot to This Life, but that’s not a bad thing. I’d like to see JoJo less angry – she’s becoming a little one dimensional for me…Hopefully we’ll see that there’s a bit more to her than tough foulmouthed harridan.
Can’t really see what the beautiful Shelley Conn (Tanya) is doing with genius/waster Mal either…though that may be sorted next week, based on the preview
September 28th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
RAW is a great show, I’ve just caught up it with the back to back shows repeated last night, its refreshing. The whingers on here never seem to be happy with anything RTE produces, yes they seem to get it wrong more times than right, but recently they have produced fantastic drama and this is definitely a classic, it left me itching for more!
October 1st, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Here’s an interesting take on it…
http://www.oxygen.ie/page/1766
January 11th, 2010 at 12:03 am
Enjoyed last series, found it was a great production by RTE standards. Just watched new series, yes I sat and cringed! they have ruined it and Aisling O’Sullivan is useless and does not have enough style and presence onscreen for the part. She should be in a theatre where over “acting” is easier to take. Its becoming more like Fair City. Ireland has more than the small selection of rehashed actors RTE keep using. And please sack the stylist. They obviously put more effort into the new series and ruined it in the process. RTE needs an overhaul and to make use of new talent.
February 6th, 2010 at 11:52 am
really liking the new season of raw, pity its only 6 episodes long.
but can anyone tell me what song was being played over and over in the first episode?the one with the girls voice singinhg.i’ve been trying to find it for ages now with no luck.
February 8th, 2010 at 10:51 am
Great programme great acting especially head chef.Didn’t like Aisling O’sullivan at the start but she is growing on me.Finally a decent Irish Drama .Hated the Clinic.Now that was cringe!!!
February 10th, 2010 at 11:07 pm
Does anyone know where I could get a list of songs used in series 1 and series 2 of Raw? So many good tunes and google yielding no results!!!
thanks a mill
February 24th, 2010 at 12:01 am
shame on all you nay-sayers, i found this to be top quality drama and not just in comparisons to rté’s usual bollocks. this is a far cry from what were used to seeing from them(poorly funded, unimaginative, badly constructed crap).RAW is a show of the highest calibre and you can tell the producers\directors\actors actually put some love and care into it and arent jsut doing it to make a quick buck.
interesting characters,involving plotlinea dose of reality(in the form of drugs,sex,swearing etc) and most of all its FUCKING HILARIOUS!! TBH i thought the second series would let me down and be inconsistent but i was very happily proven wrong….WELL DONE RTÉ!!Im proud for once……