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An Bronntanas, the five-part Celtic Noir drama from TG4, came to an explosive end on Thursday night following several weeks of slow but steady plot revelations. The show, which began when a coastguard rescue mission discovered a murdered woman and €1 million worth of drugs onboard a boat, returned in the finale to the murder case itself. After increasing uncertainty about who else might be killed off, the final confrontation between JJ Magill and his prime antagonist took place, the drugs were disposed of once and for all, and familial fractures were brought to a despondent and fatal conclusion. Underlying all of this, the show repeatedly asked the question of whether survival at any cost is ever a morally palatable choice, and explored how this decision can lead those with good intentions down exceedingly grim paths.

The probing of such questions provides An Bronntanas with some very well crafted characters. The last few episodes in particular sketch out a fascinating juxtaposition between JJ and Inspector Fiachra Green. Fiachra is in many ways set up to be a darker version of JJ. The latter could easily have ended up as twisted had circumstances not ultimately turned in his favour. “That’s what they all say,” Fiachra retorts when JJ claims he could never have turned out like him — one is left thinking that that is one of the only honest sentences that Fiachra has ever uttered. The characterisation is further supported by the show’s attempt to connect motivations to real life situations and its attempt to stay relevant to a modern audience. JJ’s decision to take the drugs is strongly tied to the economic downturn, as he is faced with debts and the potential closure of the family fish factory. The drug money is his only option to save the family business, and the relentless pressure he is under because of the recession resonates with the viewer.

There are, however, a few weaker aspects that let the show down. Dara Devaney, who plays JJ, sometimes feels out of his depth as the lead, particularly in the final two episodes when the plot is escalating. The other weakness comes from the writing and its excessive reliance on trope. The spectral father’s legacy hanging over his son, the on-off relationship with a local girl, the jealous tension and strained relationship between two brothers all feel somewhat stale and require greater imagination to really carry the show along.

That said, the writing in An Bronntanas still has enough to recommend it. Its dark humour flashes up at many points, prompting chuckles at even the grimmest moments. One such moment is when Macdara, the good-for-nothing brother, reacts to the prospect of being shot by exclaiming, “What? Ah come on lads!” Some of the acting is also excellent, especially Owen McDonnell as Fiachra Green, and John Finn as Fiachra’s father Seán Óg. All of this, with the stunning — but often bleak and relentless — Connemara scenery in the background, makes An Bronntanas an enjoyable, engrossing drama, whose ambition will hopefully be carried further in future Irish language projects.

Missed An Bronntanas? Check out the final four episodes on the TG4 player online. For more An Bronntanas, read our interview with Owen McDonnell.