Dominion Creek

This handsome hardscrabble drama appeared as a four-part miniseries on Irish TV in 2015, winning accolades for its gritty portrayal of three brothers seeking their fortune during the Klondike gold rush of the 1890s. Featuring grizzled characters whose low-down lifestyle is artfully captured in the handsome production design—as well as authentic-sounding dialogue—the story follows the siblings as they make their way from the Montana silver mines to the even more extreme wilderness of the Canadian Yukon, armed with a treasure map, a dubious claim, and a drive to discover their destiny in the far north. Eventually, they wind up in the pioneer town of Dominion Creek, which is filled with the scourge of humanity and carries a dangerous vibe brought on by gold fever. The Connolly boys (Dara Devaney, Seán T. Ó'Meallaigh, Owen McDonnell) face on onslaught of old coots, con men, corrupt lawmen, and the occasional strong-willed woman in this entertaining Western drama. The Irish landscapes of Connemara ably stand in for the Klondike territories with convincing recreations of mine operations, boomtowns, and the wild north. Deadwood may have done it first (and a little better), but there's plenty here to delight fans of the profane and sullied reality of the Wild West, and the focus on the Irish immigrant experience and strong pride in their spirit lend Dominion Creek an extra measure of genuineness. Extras include deleted scenes, and cast and crew interviews. Recommended. (T. Fry)