Hardy Bucks
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Hardy Bucks is an Irish series of web-based comedy short films written by Chris Tordoff and Martin Maloney. The series won the 2009 Storyland competition held by Irish national broadcaster, RTÉ. The show has been likened to the Trailer Park Boys, a Canadian mockumentary. To date, nine webisodes have been released. Speaking after attending a homecoming party Martin Maloney was quoted as saying "You can have all the YouTube hits in the world but when you see people coming out in the flesh like this it is huge affirmation for what you’re doing.”[1]. The cast did a live show in The Academy, a music venue in Dublin.
Overview
Hardy Bucks was written by Chris Tordoff and Martin Maloney and directed by Tordoff. Now in their mid twenties, Tordoff and Maloney moved to Swinford in the rural west of Ireland from Leeds and Liverpool in the United Kingdom when they were 11 and 12, respectively. The initial pilot footage was shot in Swinford, Co. Mayo before it was accepted into the Storyland competition.[2]
Both Chris and Martin agree that not spending their whole lives in the area probably put them in a unique position to see the foibles of rural life that are often taken for granted. They say that theirs is an affectionate portrayal of rural Ireland.
The films follow the lives of Eddie and Buzz, two “shturdy, reliable fellas”, as they try to come to terms with life in the fictional hamlet of Castletown (which is a depiction of Swinford).
The series won the first Storyland on-line film competition run by the Irish broadcaster RTÉ[3] and was shown at the San Francisco Irish Film Festival in March 2009.[4]
Episodes
| # | Total | Title | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Welcome to Castletown" | October 19, 2008 | |
|
Welcome to Castletown, Co. Mayo. Home of Eddie Durkin and Buzz McDonnell. Eddie's thinking about a new start in Galway but will Buzz follow? A new hardy buck enters the realm of Eddie and Buzz bringing a unique take on weponry and combat techniques. | ||||
| 2 | 2 | "Safe Pass" | October 19, 2008 | |
|
Eddie sits the Safe Pass Course which he needs to get on the sites in Galway. Buzz has other ideas and runs away to meet new friends at Ladybirds workshop. | ||||
| 3 | 3 | "It's Time for a Plan" | October 21, 2008 | |
|
Galway beckons but the lads have no money. With a bit of help from an unwitting buddy, they hatch a scheme that's guaranteed to at least cover the petrol money - a party. The lads manage to escape the disturbing Aloisius Lavin but how will they throw a party if the Viper has their mushrooms? | ||||
| 4 | 4 | "The Mitzi Turbo Cup" | March 16, 2009 | |
|
The lads try to earn a bit of money "in the claw" by entering the Mitzi Turbo Cup - an annual underground boy racer tournament. | ||||
| 5 | 5 | "Foamy Nights" | April 27, 2009 | |
|
The boys again try to earn some money, this time by throwing a foam party with the help of the enigmatic "Shcorpio". Once again, the Viper is waiting in the wings to foil their plans. | ||||
| 6 | 6 | "Untitled" | June 5, 2009 | |
|
The boys enjoy a spot of fishing to relax and cross paths with Michael Salmon. After a visit to the gym, they also try their hand at speed dating, with varying degrees of success. When Buzz finally confronts the viper over his relationship with Ladybird, trouble ensues. A glimpse of a more caring and kind side to The Viper is seen, but will it last? | ||||
| 7 | 7 | "The Drink is a Curse" | July 21, 2009 | |
|
A fine spell of weather sees the lads trying to set aside binge drinking for more wholesome activities. This includes a trip to the woods and some horseriding. Eddie's relationship with Noreen begins to flourish. | ||||
| 8 | 8 | "The Interview" | August 31, 2009 | |
|
The Bucks describe Castletown as "a place where planes fly backwards and no one... No one has a job." However, a position does become available at Gilmartin Construction Ltd and many of the town's inhabitants decide to apply, including many of the Bucks. Eddie comes face to face with an old nemesis, but will he get the job? | ||||
| 9 | 9 | "Untitled" | September 29, 2009 | |
|
The Viper's on the rise again, Shcorpio's got a karaoke going and Eddie's relationship is eating into his rowdy time with the boys. Big Mick (Eddie's uncle) endeavours to get Toastín off the cans and back playing golf, while The Viper looks towards Shcorpio's crew to help him move a package. Noreen has some important issues to discuss with Eddie, but just cannot get the timing right. | ||||
Cast
- Martin Maloney as Eddie
- Owen Colgan as "Buzz"
- Tom Kilgallon as "The Boo"
- Peter Cassidy as "French Toast"
- Chris Tordoff as "The Viper"