FX's 9-Episode Crime Thriller Masterpiece Is Based on a True Story

The Troubles is among the most significant conflicts in 20th-century European history, but it has been notoriously difficult to turn into compelling dramatic material. While there are plenty of films, particularly in the ‘90s, that used the Irish Republican Army as a plot device or contained them to an inciting incident, studios have been hesitant to take a side in what remains a very controversial era in modern history, and one that still has repercussions today. Say Nothing is a nuanced crime thriller that explores the entire history of the Troubles, using point-of-view characters to offer a personal slant. Although it is by no means an easy series to watch, Say Nothing is also quite affirming, as it acknowledges the human lives that were lost, erased, and profoundly harmed as a result of the violence.

Say Nothing is based on the nonfiction book of the same name by Patrick Radden Keefe, a brilliant writer who has authored several historical texts that have inspired dramatic interpretations. Say Nothing drew inspiration from The Belfast Project, a historical research initiative that interviewed many survivors and participants of the conflict. The Troubles may often be associated with the 1970s, but Say Nothing spans into the ‘80s and ‘90s, using a dual narrative format to explore the lives of characters as they later recount their history. In many ways, Say Nothing is an inverted coming-of-age story; although many of the young IRA members joined at a time before they had matured, they made decisions that would have significant ramifications on both their lives and others.

‘Say Nothing’ Is an Inventive Take on Historical Events

Say Nothing benefits from some of the best performances in recent television history, as the series centers its emotional drama on the relationship between two sisters, Dolours and Marian Price. The Price sisters joined the IRA in 1971 and were involved in several key resistance activities, including the 1973 Old Bailey bombing and the hunger strikes by detained paramilitary members that followed; Dolours is played by both Lola Petticrew and Maxine Peak, and Marian is portrayed by both Hazel Doupe and Helen Behan. The interweaving structure is instructive because it shows the regrets felt by the Price sisters later on in life alongside the enthusiasm and desperation of their youth. It offers a more mature consideration of their actions and how they were coerced; instead of painting the Prices as restless agitators, Say Nothing examines why the IRA was so seductive, and why it was so successful in convincing young people to join its ranks.

Say Nothing offers an even-handed portrayal of history because the series explores the cyclical nature of violence, in which aggression and vengeance only pile up to create a conflict in which there is no reasonable solution. The show offers a visceral recreation of the 1969 Northern Ireland riots, in which Civil Rights activists advocating greater Catholic representation were brutally attacked by the police force, which largely consisted of Protestants. It’s a painful depiction because it doesn't explore the wider context of the ethnonationalist conflict as it developed over the course of history, and opts to primarily focus on the rage and desperation that compelled so many young people, like the Prices, to get involved in resistance movements. The series is similarly respectful in showing how violence escalated in the coming years as the generational hatred grew stronger; since this wasn’t a formal war held on battlefields, much of the action was done in the shadows, adding more intensity to the depiction of espionage activities.

‘Say Nothing’ Is the Definitive Depiction of The Troubles

Say Nothing doesn't pull any punches in reflecting upon the consequences of The Troubles, and the series is very critical of Gerry Adams, who is portrayed by both Josh Finan and Michael Colgan. Adams is a critical leader within the early development of the IRA who still holds a significant degree of influence today, having served as the president of Sinn Féin and Member of Parliament for the Belfast West constituency. Although Adams has officially denied his involvement in the case of “The Disappeared," a group of 17 individuals who were lost and presumably executed by the IRA, the series makes strong implications about his role in the deception and radicalization of the movement. The haunting title cards at the end of each episode, which list Adams’ denials, are another reminder of how justice has been evaded, and how the nuances of history are lost.

Say Nothing is an immersive work of storytelling because it is as emotionally impactful as it is informative, and makes formal choices that help crystallize the most important moments of this era. The story is too narratively complex to be told in a traditional documentary style, but far too dense to have been confined to a single film; Say Nothing's nine episodes tell a complete narrative arc that leaves room for the viewer to develop their own takeaways. There will never be just one work of media that can encapsulate a historical moment as vast and complicated as The Troubles, but Say Nothing is worthy of examination, with an interpretation that is as valid as it is riveting.