Soft Border Patrol

Soft Border Patrol is a Northern Irish mockumentary sitcom in the style of a reality television programme based around the subject of the Republic of Ireland–United Kingdom border in a post-Brexit world. It shadows the Soft Border Patrol, a fictional border agency backed by governments in London, Dublin and Belfast, and the European Commission in Brussels. The title is a play on the desire at the time of writing for the outcome of the Brexit negotiations for there to be a soft border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Much of the series was unscripted, with broad ideas given to the cast by the writers.[1]

Soft Border Patrol
Genre
Written by
  • The Ulster Fry
  • Joe Hullait
  • Stephen G Large
  • Ciaran Bartlett
  • PJ Hart
  • Susannah McKenna
  • Marc McElroy
  • Eoin Cleland
  • Matthew McDevitt
  • Bryce Hart
  • Ryan Early
Directed byIain Davidson
Starring
  • Alan Irwin
  • Diona Doherty
  • Patrick Buchanan
  • Neil Delamere
  • Eline Van der Velden
Country of originUnited Kingdom
No. of series3
No. of episodes11
Production
Executive producers
  • Justin Binding
  • Rab Christie
  • Gavin Smith
ProducerMarie McDonald
EditorSimon Hamilton
Running timeapprox. 28 minutes
Production companyThe Comedy Unit
Release
Original networkBBC Northern Ireland
Original release2 March 2018 (2018-03-02) –
present

It was written by the Glasgow-based The Comedy Unit[2] and the first episode was broadcast on BBC One Northern Ireland on 2 March 2018 at 22:35, with episodes two and three following on the 9 and 16 March.

Cast

Writers
  • The Ulster Fry
  • Joe Hullait
  • Stephen G Large
  • Ciaran Bartlett
  • PJ Hart
  • Susannah McKenna
  • Marc McElroy
  • Matthew McDevitt
  • Bryce Hart
  • Leesa Harker
  • Eoin Cleland
  • Ryan Early

Additional material by the cast

Episodes
SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
132 March 2018 (2018-03-02)16 March 2018 (2018-03-16)
SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
258 February 2019 (2019-02-08)8 March 2019 (2019-03-08)
SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
3221 February 2020 (2020-02-21)28 February 2020 (2020-02-28)

Series 1 (2018)
# Title Directed by Written by Original air date
1"Hearts and Minds"[3]Iain DavidsonUnknown2 March 2018 (2018-03-02)
Does a plank across a stream constitute an illegal border crossing? Is chorizo still legal in Northern Ireland? Thankfully the SBP are here to provide information and clarification.
2"The Eyes of the World"[4]Iain DavidsonUnknown9 March 2018 (2018-03-09)
The SBP are alert and ready to deal with any border situation. These include deciding if an abandoned fish is a Free State fish or property of the Queen, the Continuity Nine County Sovereignty Committee striving to unify the nine counties of Ulster and identifying animals by their accents. They also deal with a hen party whose Greek member does not have her passport and a report of a tourist from the Continent urinating in a bush.
3"Not all Heroes Wear Capes"[5]Iain DavidsonUnknown16 March 2018 (2018-03-16)
Complex territorial issues addressed by the independent organisation monitoring the thin dotted line between the EU and the UK. The Patrollers carry out a suspiciously lengthy strip-search on a smuggler, dispose of some controlled explosives with a controlled explosion, and suffer some contentious fallout from a visit to a Mexican restaurant. Meanwhile, the 'virtual border' gets a real grilling from a BBC reporter.

Series 2 (2019)
# Title Directed by Written by Original air date
1"Embrace All Possibilities"[6]Keri CollinsUnknown8 February 2019 (2019-02-08)
Post-Brexit the team deal with smugglers, protests and queries from concerned citizens.
2"We've Got Your Backs"[7]Keri CollinsUnknown15 February 2019 (2019-02-15)
On all terrains they are out in all weathers, and there's big excitement for border resident Penny when megastar meteorologist Barra Best visits her village.
3"Appearance Is Everything"[8]Keri CollinsUnknown22 February 2019 (2019-02-22)
Head of the digital border Niall Sweeney showcases some new technology he is developing for the Soft Border Patrol. Ben and Kris encounter an unusual group, chief executive Lisa McCoy deals with an important London visitor, and the Continuity Nine County Sovereignty Committee put a new plan into action and finally embrace the ballot box.
4"The Most Important Nothing in Europe"[9]Keri CollinsUnknown1 March 2019 (2019-03-01)
Common sense issues like potholes are top of the list for Ben and Kris. Conor and Tracy investigate a local loophole, and Lisa visits everyone's favourite Uncle - Hugo Duncan.
5"The Light That Guides You Through"[10]Keri CollinsUnknown8 March 2019 (2019-03-08)
An Edinburgh politician suggests closer links between Scotland and Northern Ireland - but is it a bridge too far for the SBP? Tracy channels her femme fatale as she and Connor appear on French TV. A mouthy US online talk show host grills Niall. And Ben is stopped in his tracks when his favourite singer is subject to a random check.

Series 3 (2020)
# Title Directed by Written by Original air date
1"Collaboration"[11]Keri CollinsUnknown22 February 2020 (2020-02-22)
With equal marriage legal in Northern Ireland, Ben and Kris encounter equal rights on the border when they meet Hector, the divorce lawyer. The Continuity Nine gang is back with new plans to unite Ulster by harnessing water power, and TV legend Gerry Kelly has a bone to pick with Laurence Lyle.
2"The Finer Details"[12]Keri CollinsUnknown29 February 2020 (2020-02-29)
With Brexit over the line, Lisa meets with her political neighbours, as an Irish politician arrives from Dublin. Niall’s new in car technology throws up a few surprises, and football legend Jackie Fullerton has some advice for the patrollers.
3"Uncertainty"[13]Keri CollinsUnknown7 March 2020 (2020-03-07)
The coastal patrol try to get Michael to come clean when they catch him smuggling illicit washing powder. Niall Sweeney’s feasibility study into the possible bridge between Northern Ireland and Scotland includes some explosive revelations for visiting Scottish politician Erskine Forbes, and Ben and Kris learn not all acronyms are scary.

See also

References
  1. Scott, Sarah (2 March 2018). "BBC show Soft Border Patrol set to be Northern Ireland's newest comedy hit". Belfast Live. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  2. O'Grady, Sean (10 March 2018). "TV Preview, Soft Border Patrol (BBC2 Northern Ireland, BBC iPlayer, Friday 10.35pm): Brexit break-up comedy". The Independent. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  3. "BBC One - Soft Border Patrol, Series 1, Hearts and Minds". BBC.
  4. "BBC One - Soft Border Patrol, Series 1, The Eyes of the World". BBC.
  5. "BBC One - Soft Border Patrol, Series 1, Not All Heroes Wear Capes". BBC.
  6. "BBC One - Soft Border Patrol, Series 2, Episode 1". BBC.
  7. "BBC One - Soft Border Patrol, Series 2, Episode 2". BBC.
  8. "BBC One - Soft Border Patrol, Series 2, Episode 3". BBC.
  9. "BBC One - Soft Border Patrol, Series 2, Episode 4". BBC.
  10. "BBC One - Soft Border Patrol, Series 2, The Light That Guides You Through". BBC.
  11. "BBC One - Soft Border Patrol, Series 3, Episode 1". BBC.
  12. "BBC One - Soft Border Patrol, Series 3, Episode 2". BBC.
  13. "BBC One - Soft Border Patrol, Series 3, Episode 3". BBC.
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