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14th Feb 2024

Under the radar series featuring Colin Farrell’s ‘best work yet’ available to watch in Ireland

Simon Kelly

The North Water RTE Colin Farrell

“[Farrell’s] Drax is a believable monster of a man.”

An underseen TV miniseries featuring what has been called Colin Farrell‘s ‘best work yet’ is available to stream for viewers in Ireland.

The North Water, which stars Farrell as a murderous thug aboard a whaling ship alongside an incredible cast, released in 2021 and went slightly under the radar for one reason or another.

However, the show is now available to watch on the RTÉ Player and with an incredibly strong 96% Rotten Tomatoes rating, it’s absolutely worth a watch.

The North Water: Under the radar series featuring Colin Farrell’s ‘best work yet’ available to watch in Ireland.

Despite being a standout in its own right, The North Water is positively compared to the hit show The Terror, which featured a similar location and story – a period drama about sailors out of their element in frozen waters.

The logline of the five-part miniseries reads: “A disgraced surgeon joins an Arctic whaling expedition – a voyage to the edge of reason, brutality and humanity.”

Written and directed by Andrew Haigh, who has recently received huge praise for his flick All of Us Strangers, starring Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott, The North Water also stars acting powerhouses Jack O’Connell and Stephen Graham.


Originally airing on the BBC in 2021, the series received a rather muted reception, but still carries some very positive reviews from critics, which you can check out below:

Globe & Mail – “This might be Farrell’s best work yet. His Drax is a believable monster of a man, uncivilized in thought and action, epitomizing the rawness under the surface of Victorian niceties.”

Variety – “By the strength of its storytelling, the show eventually earns its darkest flourishes; it adds depth and real heft to its vision of the past as a land of monsters.”

The Playlist – “Relentless and brutal, Andrew Haigh’s “The North Water” is the story of two men who are practically of different species and how they bounce off each other in the middle of nowhere.”

Decider – “Farrell has played a variety of roles in his career, but seeing him play Drax still feels like a welcome departure from his norm.”

All five episodes of The North Water are available to stream on the RTÉ Player.

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