“A life-shattering disappearance”: Why “world-class” crime drama Say Nothing will leave you shaken

It’s been a good year for dramas inspired by real-life events – first there was A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, then came The Bombing of Pam Am 103, before things got really good with Sheridan Smith’s I Fought the Law. And fortunately, they don’t end there as Channel 4 has just acquired a brand-new one that deserves the top spot on your watchlist. Enter Say Nothing - the “world-class” series that revolves around a life-shattering disappearance and that will leave you seriously shaken.

Having wowed audiences when it aired on Disney+ last year, the drama is now coming to Channel 4 - and we strongly advise you take the opportunity to watch it. Based on the 2018 book of the same name by Patrick Radden Keefe, the series takes us to Northern Ireland during The Troubles - specifically, one of the most harrowing atrocities that took place during the conflict. At the centre of it is Jean McConville, a widowed mother of ten who was abducted from her home by the IRA in 1972 – and never returned. It’s a powerful watch, with the series comprising seven narratives over the course of four decades (it’s much less confusing than it sounds).

Ahead of the series arriving on Channel 4, here’s everything you need to know about Say Nothing before you tune in, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.

What is Say Nothing about?

As we mentioned, the nine-part series is based on the book of the same name by Patrick Radden Keefe and is set in Northern Ireland during The Troubles. Described by Channel 4 as “a gripping story of murder and memory”, the series spans four decades and opens with the shocking disappearance of Jean McConville, a single mother of ten who was abducted from her home in 1972. She was never seen alive again.

The drama tells the story of various Irish Republican Army (IRA) members, exploring the extremes some people are willing to go to in the name of their beliefs and, as Channel 4 puts it, “the way a deeply divided society can suddenly tip over into armed conflict, the long shadow of radical violence for all affected, and the emotional and psychological costs of a code of silence.”

It has a huge cast of both established actors and rising stars, including Lola Petticrew as Dolours Price and Hazel Doupe as Marian Price – two young women who became powerful symbols of radical politics. Anthony Boyle plays Brendan Hughes, a charismatic but conflicted military strategist, while Josh Finan is Gerry Adams, a leading political operator who would go on to negotiate peace and has always denied having any involvement with the IRA. The brilliant Maxine Peake also stars as the older Dolours Price.

Who’s in the cast of Say Nothing?

The cast of Say Nothing includes:

• Lola Petticrew as young Dolours Price
• Maxine Peake stars as older Dolours Price
• Hazel Doupe as young Marian Price
• Helen Behan as older Marian Price
• Anthony Boyle as young Brendan Hughes
• Tom Vaughan-Lawlor as older Brendan Hughes
• Josh Finan as young Gerry Adams
• Michael Colgan as older Gerry Adams
• Judith Roddy as Jean McConville
• Rory Kinnear as Frank Kitson

Is Say Nothing based on a true story?

To some degree, yes. It’s based on Patrick Radden Keefe’s 2018 book, which focused in large part on the real-life abduction and murder of Jean McConville in December 1972. Jean was a mother-of-10 who converted from Protestantism to Catholicism after she got married to Arthur McConville. In December 1972, when Jean was 37 and had been widowed, she was taken from her home by the IRA on suspicion of being an informant; she was killed by a gunshot wound and secretly buried. She became one of “The Disappeared” - a number of people who were abducted, murdered and secretly buried during The Troubles. The life-shattering abduction meant that Jean left behind 10 children and, eventually, most of them were split up and placed in care.

Is Say Nothing any good?

Yes – this isn’t the first chance we’ve had to watch Say Nothing as first aired on FX on Hulu in the US and Disney+ in the UK last November. At the time, it received hugely positive reviews across the board, with critics and viewers calling it “world-class”, “a superb drama” and “immensely bingeable”. If you enjoy true story dramas, we’d highly recommend tuning in, but do be warned that it’s an incredibly sobering watch.

Is there a trailer for Say Nothing?

Yes – and it’s a good one! You can watch the trailer for Say Nothing below:

View full post on YouTube

How can I watch Say Nothing?

While Channel 4 hasn’t shared an exact release date for Say Nothing, we do know that it will air at some point later this year. As soon as we have a confirmed date, we’ll update you here.

What other true story dramas can I watch now?

If you haven’t yet watched ITV’s I Fought the Law, do so immediately (or as soon as you can!). The drama stars Sheridan Smith as Ann Ming, the grieving mother who overturned the double jeopardy law in order to get her killer brought to justice, and is available to stream on ITVX. Another outstanding series comes from the producer of Line of Duty: the BBC’s The Bombing of Pan Am 103. The drama tells the horrific true story of the bombing of a passenger flight over the Scottish town of Lockerbie in 1988, which killed 270 people. You can stream it all on BBC iPlayer. Still not satisfied? Check out our round-up of the best real-life dramas to watch now here.