13 reviews
This series is so, well, very Irish - in the best possible ways. Yes, the series is grey, as noted by the previous reviewer and it fits the mood not just of the title of the series, but of the town and the lives therein.
And then things start poppin when the editor of the town newspaper changes things up. That one sentence flips the towns' world and we get to view all the twists and turns along with all the shadows and learn all townspeople secrets.
Great characters and story lines. The cinematography is subtle, like the colors of the winter sea and landscape.
If you want flashy - this isn't the one. If you want subtly funny and smart - give this one a go. You just might enjoy it!
And then things start poppin when the editor of the town newspaper changes things up. That one sentence flips the towns' world and we get to view all the twists and turns along with all the shadows and learn all townspeople secrets.
Great characters and story lines. The cinematography is subtle, like the colors of the winter sea and landscape.
If you want flashy - this isn't the one. If you want subtly funny and smart - give this one a go. You just might enjoy it!
Episode 1:
So off we go. Our female protagonist/lead is the death notice writer in small town Ireland. Surprisingly a topic of huge interest around these parts. Funerals are more than an "Irish Wake". You meet people you haven't seen in years. Great chance to place your bets on who might be next. Our grave yard punter is an enigma. That's unusual.
The organ Elvira works at.. is.. another surprise laying off staff.
Spoiler: I'm Irish. And know all about this morbid fascination with the dead. Sure no better man than Joyce himself wrote a classic called "The Dead".
The premise of this show is clever. Have to give the writer (West of Ireland native Ray Lawlor) props for the idea. This virgin of TV production has a something that could run and run. Everybody dies. You can't defame the dead. The obituary can go anywhere.
The cast of characters are good. Production good. Ok it's a little slow. But in modern binge watching that's not a bad thing. It kinda lures you in. It will get better.
Ireland's byways and lay-bys are full of great material. I'm always reminded of an Irish classic "The Butcher's Boy". Shows the town clown in the most brutal way.
Evil deeds are a foot.
I'm staying with *The Obituary* Will you???
P. S. I would't have told Mr. Lawlor any secrets Castlebar.. He'll tell the world...
The organ Elvira works at.. is.. another surprise laying off staff.
Spoiler: I'm Irish. And know all about this morbid fascination with the dead. Sure no better man than Joyce himself wrote a classic called "The Dead".
The premise of this show is clever. Have to give the writer (West of Ireland native Ray Lawlor) props for the idea. This virgin of TV production has a something that could run and run. Everybody dies. You can't defame the dead. The obituary can go anywhere.
The cast of characters are good. Production good. Ok it's a little slow. But in modern binge watching that's not a bad thing. It kinda lures you in. It will get better.
Ireland's byways and lay-bys are full of great material. I'm always reminded of an Irish classic "The Butcher's Boy". Shows the town clown in the most brutal way.
Evil deeds are a foot.
I'm staying with *The Obituary* Will you???
P. S. I would't have told Mr. Lawlor any secrets Castlebar.. He'll tell the world...
- anthonymcdonald-52902
- Oct 1, 2023
- Permalink
It's a backdrop of a quiet and rather alcoholic-fuelled quaint Irish town which is very beautiful and old. A romantic setting against an unromantic script and storyline!
A romance of journalism and morbality is the concept. A local paper hires a young up-and-comer called 'Elvira Clancy'; played by Siobhán Cullen; whose job is to write the local obituary pages!
Yes there is a speficied job for just the Obitruary pages! This seems obsurd to me as journalists normally cover more than just one criteria.
Still it sets the scene for the grim outlook and the script unravels. Her boss; Hughie Burns; played by David Ganly; has no idea of her actual goings-on. He's happy with the literature quest except until he can't afford to keep her on staff due to finance problems.
This is an ongoing issue for small print local journalism. It's very hard to keep afloat and financially ticking-over. So many printed newspapers don't last. They rely on local businesses to sustain them with advertising revenue.
Then the story goes insane with a LOT of twists and if I mentioned those it would be giving the gist away. I enjoyed the show and it was a nice pace. It was dark and witty and the humour was throughout.
It's a descent show and refreshing compared to some garbage on tv these days. A solid 7/10! Great to see the lead protagonist being a women as well when so many of these dark roles are played by men!
A romance of journalism and morbality is the concept. A local paper hires a young up-and-comer called 'Elvira Clancy'; played by Siobhán Cullen; whose job is to write the local obituary pages!
Yes there is a speficied job for just the Obitruary pages! This seems obsurd to me as journalists normally cover more than just one criteria.
Still it sets the scene for the grim outlook and the script unravels. Her boss; Hughie Burns; played by David Ganly; has no idea of her actual goings-on. He's happy with the literature quest except until he can't afford to keep her on staff due to finance problems.
This is an ongoing issue for small print local journalism. It's very hard to keep afloat and financially ticking-over. So many printed newspapers don't last. They rely on local businesses to sustain them with advertising revenue.
Then the story goes insane with a LOT of twists and if I mentioned those it would be giving the gist away. I enjoyed the show and it was a nice pace. It was dark and witty and the humour was throughout.
It's a descent show and refreshing compared to some garbage on tv these days. A solid 7/10! Great to see the lead protagonist being a women as well when so many of these dark roles are played by men!
I love it! It's like the female version of Dexter, just not as bloody. Superb acting across the board! The storyline was well thought out & kept me interested every minute. It's a dark & compelling series with twists and turns.
Siobhán Cullen stars as Elvira, the main character & does a great job of maintaining her demeanor as a dark, almost soulless person. Like Dexter, Elivera still has a good side as well.
It's listed as a "dark comedy" but there's not that much comedy involved. Although there were a few scenes that did make me laugh. All in all I recommend the series & am anxious for another season!!
Siobhán Cullen stars as Elvira, the main character & does a great job of maintaining her demeanor as a dark, almost soulless person. Like Dexter, Elivera still has a good side as well.
It's listed as a "dark comedy" but there's not that much comedy involved. Although there were a few scenes that did make me laugh. All in all I recommend the series & am anxious for another season!!
- suzannedallefeld
- Nov 29, 2023
- Permalink
Meet Elvira (Siobhan Cullen) a normal girl, apart from she's obsessed with death, who has just been accepted for her perfect job as an obituary writer. But she soon finds out that obituary writers don't get paid very well especially in the small town where she lives because not many people die. So Elvira decides to start killing people, but so she doesn't get caught she makes the deaths look like accidents or suicides and only kills people that deserve it.
I enjoyed this series, because it's funny in a dark way and there are several parts were Elvira nearly gets caught and this adds tension and also sometimes adds to the comedy. But I do think there should have been more murders and at times I did find the series a bit slow.
The pace of the series also wasn't helped by this side plot where a new reporter (Emerson - Ronan Rafferty) is investigating a mysterious murder that happened 5 years ago. Although this side plot does lead to a good twist at the end I often found it uninteresting.
Although overall I enjoyed this series and I would happily watch a second series if they made one.
I enjoyed this series, because it's funny in a dark way and there are several parts were Elvira nearly gets caught and this adds tension and also sometimes adds to the comedy. But I do think there should have been more murders and at times I did find the series a bit slow.
The pace of the series also wasn't helped by this side plot where a new reporter (Emerson - Ronan Rafferty) is investigating a mysterious murder that happened 5 years ago. Although this side plot does lead to a good twist at the end I often found it uninteresting.
Although overall I enjoyed this series and I would happily watch a second series if they made one.
- mrdanielkanewilliams
- May 14, 2024
- Permalink
Loved this series so much. It was so funny in a dark Irish way, well acted, so enjoyable, such a refreshing change to all the mundane boring series that have been on lately. This series is something completely different. We binged this over 2 days and we wished we had made it last longer. It has the lead actress out of Bodkin another great Irish series. If you live the the Irish sense of humour this is a show for you. I loved the beautiful scenery. What a great series I do hope there will be a second one as there is definitely more to work with. If you want to be entertained Obituary is for you!
- sonsearle-78410
- Jun 3, 2024
- Permalink
Don't come here looking to get your heartstrings pulled.
This show is not warm and fuzzy, but it is stylish, smart, and extremely well-acted. Also has a great soundtrack, and doesn't rely on gore/ shock. It prioritizes wit and plot.
Save a few moments of asking just 1% too much belief suspension, this show is perfect. Im sure it will survive a few re-watches. I suspect there are telling details to be caught the second & third time around. I could change my mind on the last 1%.
We've seen anti-hero shows before, but this one is the most sophisticated. It trusts the viewer to understand. It's better than Dexter, Based on a True Story, etc. It's Wednesday for the real world (which is to say, darker.)
Not warm and fuzzy at all. Very cold.
This show is not warm and fuzzy, but it is stylish, smart, and extremely well-acted. Also has a great soundtrack, and doesn't rely on gore/ shock. It prioritizes wit and plot.
Save a few moments of asking just 1% too much belief suspension, this show is perfect. Im sure it will survive a few re-watches. I suspect there are telling details to be caught the second & third time around. I could change my mind on the last 1%.
We've seen anti-hero shows before, but this one is the most sophisticated. It trusts the viewer to understand. It's better than Dexter, Based on a True Story, etc. It's Wednesday for the real world (which is to say, darker.)
Not warm and fuzzy at all. Very cold.
Terrible acting and directing, a knowing smirk on its face (convinced of its own cuteness) this is a dumb, shallow comedy that has little sense of place or purpose, no targets for its humour, and is way too smug for its own good. Two minutes in and you're confronted by the first of dozens of ridiculous inconsistencies: in a small town of a few thousand inhabitants and where the editor of the local print newspaper declares that circulation is down, they still employ a dedicated obituarist fWhat is this the New York Times?) though there's a death only every 10 days. See where this is going? How to make ends meet? If only people died more often? It's all downhill from here.
Every now and then I get surprised when I stumble upon something that's very good.
I am not sure how I even came across this, maybe it was one of those suggestions of" you may like".
It's not a light show. You have to pay attention and it's The Great with twist and turns. So many shows spoon you the viewer and this doesn't yet not too complicated. Is not a comedy at all. I would consider it a quirky dark who done it.
Similar to Dexter but, in my mind with more of a twisted plot.
There better be a season two. I am enough to even contact Hulu and asked for one. Definitely give it a chance he won't be disappointed.
I am not sure how I even came across this, maybe it was one of those suggestions of" you may like".
It's not a light show. You have to pay attention and it's The Great with twist and turns. So many shows spoon you the viewer and this doesn't yet not too complicated. Is not a comedy at all. I would consider it a quirky dark who done it.
Similar to Dexter but, in my mind with more of a twisted plot.
There better be a season two. I am enough to even contact Hulu and asked for one. Definitely give it a chance he won't be disappointed.
- darrylmsmith
- Feb 17, 2024
- Permalink
Comparing this nothingburger to Dexter is like comparing Prosecco to champagne. A wishy-washy attempt to create a narrative that simply is not possible, because there is no story to tell. Dexter spends time researching the victims, contemplates, offers us a lot of interesting observations about human behaviour. He is engaging, because the evil itself is. The Obituary creators had a material for half an episode and then started the damage control by introducing more and more incohesive randomness, and even if we forget the obvious IQ level of the 'kill' decison making process of the main character, complete avoidance of police and investigative element that added so much charm in Dexter, it really must be said: you won't be remembered.
- galaver-89894
- Aug 31, 2024
- Permalink
Ah, thank God there is finally a show worth watching lately. It's smart, clever and witty - those who came before and gave this 1 out of 10 stars (Well, just one of you) probably logged off Hulu to go and watch the next SpongeBob SquarePants release.
This is dark, not too dark, but it just works. Ireland, misty clouds, grey skies but in this series it's always blue skies and sunshine- especially when our protagonist is out and about. That smile, that wry grin when Elvira realizes she has to continue... it gives me goosebumps. I love it. I want more.
This series re-designs whatever genre you found it in, and I love that. The comedy is dark, the drama is light, the stories are believable. These are the crazy stories that could befall any one of us. Misfortune bound out of human weakness, the failed attempts to fix them. Every one of the main characters has stuffed up and for that we can relate to each of them. They are human and make human mistakes with incredible consequences. Just like in real life.
This is dark, not too dark, but it just works. Ireland, misty clouds, grey skies but in this series it's always blue skies and sunshine- especially when our protagonist is out and about. That smile, that wry grin when Elvira realizes she has to continue... it gives me goosebumps. I love it. I want more.
This series re-designs whatever genre you found it in, and I love that. The comedy is dark, the drama is light, the stories are believable. These are the crazy stories that could befall any one of us. Misfortune bound out of human weakness, the failed attempts to fix them. Every one of the main characters has stuffed up and for that we can relate to each of them. They are human and make human mistakes with incredible consequences. Just like in real life.
- samanthadoherty-47934
- Jun 24, 2024
- Permalink
I have watched this after watching the Bodkin series with the same lead actress, and it feels somewhat connected in spirit - not plot-wise, but more like in sense of characters and general setting. Which is actually a good thing, as I've enjoyed the atmosphere.
Overall, I think it's a great little show that hopefully gets a continuation. There's a lot to like about it - distinct characters, significant backstory development, coherent storyline throughout the season, smart and sharp narrative and great cast doing great job. I did thoroughly enjoy it.
There are certain downsides, mostly in the general story and uneven decisions taken in the plot - not too serious, but some lines felt left dangling and some stories untold or rushed. But it's well worth viewing overall.
Overall, I think it's a great little show that hopefully gets a continuation. There's a lot to like about it - distinct characters, significant backstory development, coherent storyline throughout the season, smart and sharp narrative and great cast doing great job. I did thoroughly enjoy it.
There are certain downsides, mostly in the general story and uneven decisions taken in the plot - not too serious, but some lines felt left dangling and some stories untold or rushed. But it's well worth viewing overall.