RTE has finally aired the highly anticipated new drama Taken Down, and the reviews are in.
The show comes from the same team behind award-winning drama Love/Hate, so there was a lot riding on the first episode.
Viewers were quick to take to Twitter after the debut episode, applauding the show for focusing on the serious issue of Direct Provision in Ireland; the Irish system to house asylum seekers entering the Irish State in search of international protection.
In the first episode, the show highlighted the terrible conditions families are living in, as well as serious racism within the Gardai as well as in the general community.
Take a look at how people reacted:
Direct provision is such a stain on our national character. Leaving people in limbo while we advocate for our ‘undocumented’ elsewhere, because we love euphemisms. #TakenDown
— Philip Nolan (@philipnolan1) November 4, 2018
This show is putting the Gardai in such a bad light…. madness…. #TakenDown
— CROSSY (@CrossyTweets) November 4, 2018
This show will be one of the most if not the most important show of the year. Direct provision is horrendous, people have no idea how awful it is. It is not easy,and not a great place to be #TakenDown
— @Aoifs123 (@Aoifs123) November 4, 2018
Excellent start to #TakenDown. Really slick production, strong performances and plot building nicely. Great to have some decent Sunday night homegrown drama back on our screens.
— James McNamara (@jimmymacRTE) November 4, 2018
Impressed by #takendown tonight. Sad to say but the treatment of asylum seekers was presented so aptly
— Holly McAndrew (@HollyMcAndrew2) November 4, 2018
Absolutely gripped by the first episode of #TakenDown. Fair play to all involved: great actors telling an important story. Looking forward to the rest of the season.
— Sinéad O'Hart (@SJOHart) November 4, 2018
Bravo @SpainJoanne #TakenDown Gripping, gritty, grounded in the obscenities of direct provision and violence against vulnerables.
— Mary Lou McDonald (@MaryLouMcDonald) November 4, 2018
Overall the reaction has been overly positive, with many viewers saying they can’t wait for more.
However, there was also a mixed reaction to the portrayal of a lot of the main characters as racist on the show, while some racism itself took place on Twitter during the show’s premiere.
Lot of lads giving out about #takendown portraying Irish people as being racist and then tweeting racist things
— Marc O'Reachtaire (@O_Reachtaire) November 4, 2018
Just pure propaganda, could it be any more obvious, between the Garda at the start and the Irish people working in the direct provision centre. Talk about making Irish people look bad. @RTE what a disgrace #TakenDown
— Fran O'Connor (@FranOConnor38) November 4, 2018
Amazed (not really) at how many of the racists on the #takendown hashtag have the tricolour in their twitter profiles.
— Aoife Martin (@aoifemrtn) November 4, 2018
