Following in the footsteps of the ultimately disappointing BBC/RTÉ drama The Fall, Paula comes with great promise as it's written by celebrated Dublin playwright Conor McPherson. John Byrne watched the opening episode for RTÉ Entertainment.
Warning: slight spoiler alert!
Anyone who was turned off by the third season of The Fall might want to give this latest BBC Northern Ireland/RTÉ drama a wide berth. Understandable, but they'd be making a mighty mistake. Listen up.
I'll admit that I didn't even watch a minute of the final run of The Fall. I really enjoyed season one; thought that the ending was a cop out, then gave up midway through season two because it was making a virtue out of silliness.
Apparently, season three was so bad it made season two look like The Sopranos, so my mind was suitably boggled. Now we're all a bit wary of any drama from the same stable. But wait! What's this? Conor McPherson? Who's that now?
Just in case you're not into the oul' theatre and his name means about as much to you as the national debt of a Central American country, here's the lowdown: this Dubliner is regarded as one of the greatest living playwrights, thanks to the likes of The Weir and The Seafarer, while his film CV includes the screenplay for I Went Down. This chap has a tremendous track record. And Paula is his baby.
With a largely Irish cast, this trim, three-part drama wastes little time in getting to the point. Denise Gough stars in the titular role, a chemistry teacher at a posh South Dublin school (well, they play some crazy game called rugby). Living on her own, she's had an affair with Philip, a fellow - and familied - teacher played by Edward MacLiam.
She's as eager to keep things ended as he is to re-open for business, but one evening while they're arguing the toss at hers, they hear a noise from her basement. It's a rat. And this is where James comes in.
James (played by Tom Hughes) is a general handyman kind of guy, and Paula enlists him to eradicate the invader, but after some post-rodent whiskey, they end up creasing Paula's bed linen. They agree it's a one-off, but what drama's going to take that as an option?
Problem is, Paula or no Paula, James isn't in a good place. Not at all. He's living with two women, one of whom has a daughter by him; his mother's an unresponsive patient at a care home; and his landlord wants the owed rent paid - by any means necessary. Picking Lotto numbers would pretty much be a waste of his time.
On top of that, James hears noises in the back of his van, and sees a face of a little girl with what seems like a mutilated mouth. He also has major anger issues. Clearly, this lad has demons swilling around inside his head.
As the first episode rolls un-merrily along, reminiscent of The Killing in terms of its gloomy, rain-sodden look and general air of unhappiness and percolating despair, it becomes apparent that James will take centre stage, and it won't be pleasant.
Seeing an opportunity, he desperately seeks to blackmail Philip when he gets his hand on an incriminatory card Philip sent to Paula. They meet up - of course - in the dark and under some impressive rain. Philip's problem is quickly resolved, though not in a way he'd have either foreseen or desired.
The next day sees the inevitable arrival of the Gardaí. Paula's brought in for questioning. And we're up and running.
It was a moody opener that hints of greater menace to come. It's not my life, so I'll be back for more. But if I were Paula, I'd be emigrating.
Paula continues on RTÉ One on Wednesdays and begins on Thursday May 25 on BBC Two
John Byrne @tellyjohn
