If you are hoping to binge something memorable over Christmas, look no further than Say Nothing, the groundbreaking FX limited series that first aired on Disney+.

The haunting show, harboured around a culture of deafening silence, is based on Patrick Radden Keefe’s bestselling book – and this month it was welcomed to Channel 4.

And while it may be over a year old, the ripple effect from Say Nothing, which is set in the early days of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, is ongoing.

That’s because republican Marian ‘Price’ McGlinchey is suing Walt Disney and a production company for suggesting she shot suspected informer and mother-of-ten Jean McConville to death.

The historical drama of murder and memory follows the lives of former IRA members Marian and her sister Dolours, expertly portrayed by Lola Petticrew, who coincidentally recently returned to our screens in Trespasses – a Channel 4 series also set in the Troubles era.

Central to the nine absorbing Say Nothing episodes is the abduction of the previously mentioned Jean, and one of the first scenes captures her being snatched from her own home. Almost immediately after starting episode one, I knew I was in for a deeply upsetting, and at the same time, an utterly absorbing drama.

Also a key figure in the production is a young Gerry Adams, played well by Merseyside actor Josh Finan. In one scene, Dolours Price asks: “Who put that gawky f***er in charge?”

However, a disclaimer at the end of each episode reports that Adams denies “participating in any IRA-related violence”.

The show, like most things related to republicanism, splits opinion, and in the The Sunday Times today (December 7), it was described as “beautifully nuanced and scripted”.

It also complimented the depiction of Marian and Dolours, who both bombed the Old Bailey in 1973, by saying the temptation to glorify them was resisted.

However, Elis O’Hanlon, writing in the Irish Independent this week, had almost the opposite take. She believed sympathy was given to certain “morally dubious” characters, describing this as wrong, even if it does make for good television.

Elis added that “our sympathy should be with the dead” before adding: “Too often in Say Nothing, we are accomplices to their self-­vindication.”

Both takes are understandable, and whatever your opinions after watching the show, the chances are that you will mightily enjoy the ride.

So many of the scenes inspire a strong range of feelings no matter your political viewpoints – most notably profound sadness.

But there is much more to it than that, there is great humour, and like all gripping dramas, some of the episodes offer incredible tense moments.

Ultimately, I found it to be a moving piece of work, and given the lawsuit backlash, a brave and bold one too.

And despite the different perspectives from critics, Say Nothing, which has a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, is worth shouting about, and for me, it was the best show I watched this year.

SOURCE: EXPRESS