The release of the new Disney Plus limited series set during the Troubles has been met with widespread critical acclaim.

Say Nothing, which follows several individuals suspected to have been involved in the ‘disappearing’ and murder of Belfast mother-of-ten Jean McConville, was released to Disney’s streaming service last week.

And while there have been objections to the nine-part drama from some, including the late Jean McConville’s children, both audiences and critics have generally responded well to the show.

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Acting performances

With a score of 93% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, critics are almost unanimous in their positive reviews of the series.

Critics have praised the acting performances displayed by cast members, in particular the “pair of indelible performances” (Time) from Maxine Peak and Lola Petticrew as older and younger Dolours Price respectively

Peak’s performance has been described as “magisterial” (Vulture) and The New Yorker called it “a wonderful showcase” of her “perennially underrated” abilities.

Main cast members Hazel Doupe, Anthony Boyle and Josh Finan were also praised for their performances.

Depiction of the Troubles

While most critics tend to agree that there is a larger focus on the human drama aspect of the show over the violence of the period, the moral questions surrounding the Troubles have been highlighted as stand-out.

Time magazine noted how “the moral, ideological, and emotional complexity of such struggles, past and present” are on display.

Similarly, Variety highlighted how the show gives “a convincing account of what can push people to such acts of extremism, and the toll those actions take on perpetrators and victims alike” all the while not excusing the IRA’s activities.

The LA Times also praised how “the violence, more often than not, is psychological and often self-inflicted”.

Some reviews have also commented on the links between the Troubles and the ongoing conflict in Gaza – with the Variety describing the adaptation as “queasily well-timed”.

Pacing and faithfulness

Generally, critics have noted how the series’ decision to jump back and forth in time between younger and older versions of the characters allows the audience to understand the toll of the conflict on the individual.

However, this has also been criticised as the time-jumps leave a lot of character development off-screen.

The lack of wider historical context, namely “a full picture of what British occupation materially meant in the day-to-day of West Belfast” (Vulture), was also noted as lacking by some.