The much-anticipated Hardy Bucks TV show is almost upon us with the three-part mini series starting on RTÉ Two on Tuesday, October 12.
When Hardy Bucks won StoryLand, RTÉ's drama competition, last year, the web series became an online phenomenon boasting 3 million hits and an instant word-of-mouth favourite. Next Tuesday, the Bucks will be in the living rooms of the nation at the rather late slot of 10.55pm.
Speaking to The Mayo News last Friday Chris Tordoff, aka 'The Viper', insisted "Here, I've no credit will you ring me back?," a sign that the fame hasn't gone to the heads of the lads.
After agreeing to ring Tordoff back to save The Viper's credit, he said that he was hoping that on the back of the TV show the Hardy Bucks could take off and keep the momentum going. If the three episodes are successful, RTÉ may contract more from the Swinford-based ensemble.
"RTÉ has told us to be coming up with ideas for new episodes. We hope it will all take off now, but a lot has to do with how it is received. We have been doing gigs all over the country recently and the response has been fantastic.
"Apparently everyone will be sick from the amount of adverts that are going to be aired, and I think there will be some on the radio too. We are going to be on at about 11pm on Tuesday (October 12) which is a good slot. Ya couldn't have us on any earlier to be honest – too much swearing," Tordoff added.
Hardy Bucks explores life in small town Ireland for a group of 20-something lazy but likeable slackers and their attempts to find a bit of excitement, wherever that may be. Filmed in Swinford, it is set in the fictional Castletown. Despite the economic downturn, life in Castletown, hasn't changed much for one of the Bucks, Eddie Durkan. When things start to go belly up, his friends Buzz, French Toast and Boo are there to give him advice and help him out – despite local drug dealer The Viper always trying to get one over on him.
Written by and starring Martin Moloney as Eddie Durkan and Chris Tordoff as 'The Viper', and co-written by and produced by Mike Cockayne, Hardy Bucks features Peter Cassidy, Owen Colgan and Tom Kilgallon, as well as an eccentric cast of extras from Swinford and beyond.
The lads behind Bucks' first collaboration manifested itself in recording prank calls to local 'celebrities', including the now famous block fighter from Kilasser, Swinford, with the Bucks claiming that they would meet the bare-knuckle fighter in Swinford ball alley, with 20 Balla lads backing them up, after Sunday Mass.
While they have been characterised as the Irish Trailer Park Boys or compared to Limerick's Rubber Bandits, the Bucks have brought their own original perspective of rural, small-town Ireland to television – on the way, beating off shows produced by professionals with full-time actors in RTÉ's Storyland competition.
All the cast are amateur actors and have never written scripts before, a fact which has given them much credit among their audience. They might be making it up as they go along, adding in Mayo-isms ('you'll follow the crow for it yet') on the way, but the young cast now find themselves employed doing something they love.
The Bucks have been doing live shows all over the country in universities and bars, selling out venues where ever they go with their live rapping and improvised gags. According to Tordoff, the show hopes to ease new viewers into the world of the Hardy Bucks while not alienating the massive following that has been with them from the beginning.
The Viper's trademark T-shirt, black with a large snake, has now become a must for fans, with many wearing the top to the live shows.
Will the Bucks finally get to Galway or will they be stuck in Castletown picking mushrooms at the golf course and selling blue reinforced pallets for a ball of coins? Tune in next Tuesday to find out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXUuijH49lc
