Proof: Prescription for Murder (2005)

Following the phenomenal success of the first series Prescription for Murder delves into the world of pharmaceutical testing where scrupulous scientific ethics may be sorely tested when huge profits await the success of a new drug. Journalist Terry Corcoran (Finbar Lynch) and Maureen Boland (Orla Brady) now editor of a glossy Sunday supplement uncover corruption linking politicians to big business.Run Time: 203 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: UNRATED UPC: 741952642091 Manufacturer No: KOCDV6420 Product Description

An engrossing series dealing with global issues of our day

After watching the first season of Proof (that dealt with politcal corruption, human trafficking, money laundering schemes, and the world of journalistic ethics), we were very pleased to find this DVD set here on Amazon, season two in this series: 'Proof: Prescription for Murder' that deals with the international drug companies' unscrupulous business tactics.

Set in Dublin, this captivating series focuses on the issues of today's Ireland, but they are global in scope and dealt with quite realistically. (Issues like multi-national companies' machinations in cahoots with corrupt politicians, human trafficking across national borders with immigration officials turning a blind eye, police corruption, the role of the media and how it is manipulated to conceal 'the real story' from the public, and so on.) A highly realistic sub-theme of season two, for example, is the tension between immigrants and working class Irish, as well as racism and discrimination.

But what makes this series really work are the two main characters, Terry Corcoran (Finbar Lynch) and Maureen Boland (Orla Brady) who really begin to grow on you. They are not merely heroic but each also has his or her blind spots and flaws. While facing conflicts in their personal lives, we watch as them take huge risks in order to expose scandals and conspiracies that reach into the homes of every Irish citizen. And we applaud them, often for the small-scale victories (and for Finbar Lynch's character's humanity), as dealing with the larger-scale problems they are exposing require much more than two individuals can achieve.

The pace is fast (somewhat like the TV series '24') and intense, the language can at times be rough, violence is often shown off-camera but we experience it somehow all the more for what isn't shown. Yet, as in the first season, in this offering all the loose threads become woven together as the mini-series moves toward its conclusion, and one is left with something to ponder. The writers of this series don't give us Hollywood endings, and this respect for the viewer is one of the elements that makes this series truly stand out.

Highly recommended. But do start with season one and then move on to this one. Let's hope the series continues, as, for now, it seems that only 2 seasons are available to U.S. and Canadian viewers. July 27, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...