by Kathleen Costa

ACORN-TV provides hundreds of the best programming options including news & reviews, mysteries, dramas, comedies, documentaries, foreign language, feature films and some programs only available or original to ACORN-TV. The regular monthly or annual subscription fees are very reasonable, and with hours of commercial-free streaming enjoyment for the true fans of UK productions, you won’t be wondering, “What’s on the telly tonight?”

Striking Out is an acclaimed Irish legal drama which ironically debuted on St Patrick’s Day. It is a fascinating story of a Dublin-based solicitor Tara Rafferty, brilliantly played by Amy Huberman, who struggles with her own shocking turn of events, yet still works diligently to provide her clients with a fair and an adept representation giving us a peek into the Irish legal system.

Threaded through the legal drama is a subplot involving her parents, her fiancé and her future in-laws who seem to be working, in some ways covertly and with no regard to collateral damage, to get her life back on track and reignite the wedding plans. Her new independent law firm seems to have been sabotaged, and in the final episode we get a shocking, “See?” cliffhanger that will leave viewers eagerly waiting for the next season.

The series began with Tara enjoying her ‘hen’ party (translation ? a bachelorette party), but she decides to leave early and surprise her fiancé. Unfortunately, she is the one surprised when she finds her fiancé in bed with a colleague. Life has just taken a left turn… she’s up all night wandering Dublin, and in the morning sneaks into her office to pick up her current legal files.

This leads to her first case in the form of a young man, Ray Lamont (Emmet Byrne), who, accused of fraud, needs to have a solicitor in court in 20 minutes. Informing the court that Ray has entered into employment, she gets a stay for a fortnight. However, there isn’t any, but Ray’s enterprising nature makes him indispensable to Tara as she tries to deal with the shock of her finance’s infidelity and keeping her career afloat.

Cast of STRIKING OUT

With Ray’s help Tara meets Pete, the local cafe owner and possible romantic distraction, who just happens to have an empty area behind the cafe perfect for a former corporate lawyer to ‘strike out’ on her own and build an independent law firm. She begins to build a small core by adding a savvy tech investigator, Meg Riley, and maintaining her relationship with Barrister Vincent Pike.

From trying to stop a sex video from being released and ruining a man’s career, to siblings fighting over inheritances, from two wives and one comatose husband to child custody issues, Tara pulls the right statute to help her clients find positive resolutions.

The combined Irish and English cast greatly enhanced the experience. Amy Huberman is excellent showing Tara’s vulnerability, yet cleverness in determining the right legal argument to get her clients the best legal outcome. Eric Dunbar, the finance played by Rory Keenan, admits his indiscretion is deplorable, and his attempts to take the blame and desire to be forgiven almost makes you feel sorry for him…almost. Neil Morrissey, who plays close friend and colleague Vincent Pike, is also excellent, bringing her clients and jobs to help support her law firm. But, I am really impressed with Emmet Byrne, who plays Tara’s gopher guy Ray Lamont, who at times offers a comic relief, demonstrating a loyalty of which Tara sometimes doesn’t quite understand the depths.

Together they have created an excellent and engaging drama with positive resolutions, personal entanglements, bad guys, good guys, and endearing relationships. I highly recommend this series, and am very happy with my own ACORN-TV subscription that provides me with this and other wonderful programs.

Striking Out earns 5/5 Pints of Guinness and Stacks of Legal Briefs!

Kathleen Costa is a long-time resident of the Central Valley, and although born in Idaho, she considers herself a “California Girl.” Graduating from CSU-Sacramento, she is a 35+ year veteran teacher having taught in grades 1-8 in schools from Sacramento to Los Angeles to Stockton to Lodi. Currently Kathleen is enjoying her retirement revitalizing hobbies along with exploring writing, reading for pleasure, and spending 24/7 with her husband.