‘Love/Hate’ plot shortfalls leave viewers underwhelmed

Sunday night’s finale of Love/Hate may have ended with Nidge apparently going mad, but it would appear many of the million viewers who turned in were also losing the plot — literally.

As one of the country’s most successful homegrown drama production, it was unsurprising that the hype ahead of the series climax had been huge — 1,007,500 viewers tuned in, attracting 54% share of viewers in the time slot.

They witnessed the dodgy dentist being violently rooted into a canal, the killer of the cat — which caused its own media frenzy — getting creamed, and crime boss Nidge showed his solidarity for the feline fatality by using his own body as a scratching post.

However, many viewers thought the atmospheric shots amid the violence were merely filling the plot’s shortfalls.

“I’ve seen better endings to Mass”, one embittered viewer proclaimed on Twitter.

Ive seen better endings to mass #lovehate

— Jimmy Dillane (@JimmyDillane) November 10, 2013

“The entire country is as unsatisfied as Nidge’s bird after that finish....” commented another.

The entire country is as unsatisfied as Nidges bird after that finish.... #IsThatIt #LoveHate

— Lisa McKeown (@Lisamckeownx) November 10, 2013

One common complaint about this season has been the requirement that it be shoe-horned into six episodes.

“Love/Hate felt like the end of a mid-season rather than a full season,” one viewer commented.

Not all the observations regarding series four as a whole, or Sunday night’s climax in particular, were negative. In fact, even those who castigated series four have begrudgingly admitted that the tools for a great series are still there, not least the quality of the acting by the cast leads.

Nidge’s crazed behaviour at the conclusion gave the ideal launch-board for writer Stuart Carolan to pen series five.

The tweets

* Luke Lonergan — I thought #lovehate was decent, think the writers played it safe. Possibly a little too safe. Can see why some found it anti-climatic.

* Game of Tunes music — So over #LoveHate that is the end of that! Good performances, bad finish

* Éanna Drury — Still reeling from how disappointing #LoveHate was. Season started so strongly but overall very weak.

* Nick Webb — Similarities between #newbridge CU and end of #lovehate. Not quite sure what happened in either one yet...but know there’s more to come!

* Colm Tobin — Activists will be on Liveline tomorrow to complain about how #lovehate encourages people to pollute swan’s habitats with dead dentists.

* paulkeogan — I think #LoveHate hast just gotten better and better as it has been going on. Looking forward to Series 5. Hope RTE will make more Drama.

* Felicity fitz — I thought the ending of #LoveHate was brill very clever. Invincible