Watch Taken Down

Taken Down is a gripping crime drama series from the makers of the acclaimed Irish shows Love/Hate and Cardboard Gangsters. The show premiered in 2018 and features a brilliant ensemble cast led by Lynn Rafferty. The show is set in Dublin, Ireland and revolves around the murder of a young Nigerian girl called Esme. The girl was found dead in a local park and the police are struggling to identify the killer due to a lack of witnesses and forensics. With the help of detective Jen Rooney (Lynn Rafferty), the investigation team tries to find out more about the victim and her life leading up to the murder.

The story unfolds slowly but surely, revealing the many complexities and challenges that come with solving a crime involving immigrants and refugees. The show highlights the various issues that these people face while living in a new country and having to deal with racism, poverty, and exploitation. It also shows the difficulties that the police have in investigating such crimes.

One of the key strengths of the show is its realism – the characters and their situations feel authentic and relatable, and the storylines are grounded in the day-to-day realities of life in modern Dublin. The acting is uniformly excellent, with Lynn Rafferty delivering a particularly powerful performance as the tough but empathetic detective Jen Rooney. The supporting characters are also well-drawn and convincing, adding depth and nuance to the show's portrayal of contemporary Irish society.

The show's themes of social injustice and inequality are explored in a sensitive and nuanced way, with the writing never feeling preachy or forced. The show is also notable for its strong female characters – from Detective Rooney to Esme's mother Abeni (Aïssa Maïga), the women in Taken Down are complex, fully-realized characters who are as fascinating as they are inspiring.

Taken Down is a dark and often harrowing show, dealing with difficult issues such as human trafficking, abuse, and violence. However, it also has moments of humor and warmth that help to balance out the bleakness. The show's pacing can be slow at times, but this helps to build tension and suspense, making the eventual revelations all the more satisfying.

Overall, Taken Down is a compelling and thought-provoking crime drama that explores important social issues in a sensitive and nuanced way. Its excellent acting, writing, and direction make it a must-watch for fans of the genre and anyone interested in contemporary Irish culture. This Acorn TV original is a great addition to the streaming platform's catalogue, and one that will be enjoyed by subscribers around the world.

Taken Down is a series that ran for 1 seasons (6 episodes) between November 4, 2018 and on Acorn TV