Blue Lights fans took to Twitter on Monday night to discuss episode three, which saw Grace have a shocked reaction to a teenage drug dealer who is injured in a 'punishment shooting', with many viewers discussing the realities of the horrific attacks.
One person wrote: "One of the plot lines of tonight's 'Blue Lights' is 100% based on the 'kneecapping by appointment ' of my cousin, the gunshot severed his femoral artery & and he died, I've heard the audio recording of the 999 call, it's heartbreaking, dissidents are [expletive] cowards."
Another person wrote: "Tonight’s episode of #BlueLights humanises victims of paramilitary-style attacks, showcasing the stark, brutal, heart-wrenching reality. It is all too familiar because I have spoken to the victims, and their families. Don’t look away. This is the reality on our streets now."
A third person wrote: "The Kneecapping by appointment scene, in #BlueLights is so terrifyingly close to real life. Chilling."
Viewers have been loving the BBC drama, which follows three rookie police constables in Belfast as they attempt to pass their probation period. Speaking about the show, Katherine Devlin, who plays Annie, told BBC: "It embodies truth. People from Northern Ireland tend to shroud serious situations with humour and we really get a feel for that in the script.
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"There’s also a real honesty in the script to the realities of Northern Ireland in the present day, as we’re still battling issues that have come from The Troubles."
She added: "The amount of kit they need to wear is overwhelming. I felt like I was putting in a shift at the gym every time I threw it on! How they’re able to run after people, I have no Idea! In terms of personal security, I was taken aback by how severe it has to be at times."
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