# The Young Offenders (2018)

> Two mischievous teenage friends in Cork use schemes and misadventures to escape their rough home lives and school troubles.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/66615

## Facts

- Seasons: 5
- Episodes: 30
- Episode runtime: 30 min
- Status: Returning Series
- Genres: comedy, crime
- Created by: Peter Foott
- Network: RTÉ2, BBC One, BBC Three (Online)
- Cast: Chris Walley, Alex Murphy, Hilary Rose, Dominic MacHale, Shane Casey, P.J. Gallagher, Demi Isaac Oviawe, Jennifer Barry
- TMDB rating: 8.0/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7988304/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: mild
- Tone: cheeky, warm, irreverent, heartfelt, rough around the edges

## What critics say

Audiences rate The Young Offenders positively, with the series gaining strength in its later seasons after a more modest start.

## Synopsis

The Young Offenders (2018-present) is an Irish coming-of-age comedy-drama created by Peter Foott and broadcast on RTÉ2 and BBC One. Chris Walley plays Jock O'Keeffe and Alex Murphy plays Conor McSweeney, two lovable rogues whose awkward teenage years in Cork are a constant cycle of hatched plans and scrapes. Their engine is simple: they want to escape the pressures of tough home lives and the constant trouble they get into at school, and each episode turns on a new scheme that spirals out of control. Hilary Rose plays Conor's mother Mairead MacSweeney, while Dominic MacHale appears as Sergeant Healy and P.J. Gallagher as Principal Barry Walsh, the authority figures who keep the boys in check. The series runs across five seasons of six-episode blocks, with the storylines remaining rooted in its working class Cork setting. The tone is warm, rough, and funny, with the rough edges of adolescence balanced by a loyal bond between the two boys. Fans of Derry Girls and Skins will find resonance in its blend of teen mischief, Irish banter, and heartfelt friendship.

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