With the end of Love/Hate Season 4 looming on the horizon the country is once again set to descend into lockdown in an attempt to avoid spoilers for Sunday's big finale. The same can be said for Peter Coonan and Laurence Kinlan, who seem as in the dark as the rest of us when it comes to Nidge and co's fate.

"We would have seen a lot of episodes in previous years" Kinlan explains,"but this year we're watching it with everyone else." And that's not the only change the pair have noted when looking back at Season 4 either. "I've noticed my character being a lot darker and kind of reverting back to what he was like in the second series" Coonan says. "For an actor that's great, some of the scenes are darkly humorous as well so yeah, I definitely noticed that."

"I think the show has been allowed to breathe this year as well" Kinlan adds, "because it's just been so fast paced for the last 3-4 years. It just needed to slow down a little bit to give people time. Previously you were kind of going who's next who's next and people were being shot all the time and that's brilliant, but you've just got to look at it differently sometimes and I think Stuart's done an amazing job this year."

Of course not everyone shares his opinion. Some fans have hit out at the change of pace in Season 4, suggesting that Love/Hate just isn't the same now that the Gardaí have been added to the equation, but how did the boys feel about Carolan's decision to make a few brave changes to his smash hit series?

"The bravery comes in introducing the police and giving that angle" says Coonan. "I think he did it so well that when you're watching it you don't think of anything else. It's real life y'know? Brian and the guys are so understated, it's so believable" he adds. "I know there's been some criticism of it not being as good from certain people because it's not as fast paced", Kinlan admits, "but I genuinely have loved it this year, it's probably one of my favourite series. And last week's was one of my favourite episodes."

With the series gaining serious momentum across the globe, all eyes are turning to the US of A. Love/Hate mastermind Carolan confirmed that a remake is on the cards yesterday and said he expects an announcement in the coming weeks, but what do the lads make of the big news? And who would they like to see bringing their beloved show to life on US TV screens?

"We don't know much abou itt" Coonan reveals, "but I'd like to think that they would take some up and coming stars from America and give them the opportunites that we've been given, that I've been given anyway as an actor so hopefully they do that."

Kinlan's got far higher hopes though: "I hope that our show blows up enough that they go 'there's no point in making an American one' he laughs. "If they do an American version I'm sure they'll do a good job if Stuart's involved in any capacity, but we don't know anything about that" he adds.

And speaking of things blowing up, what did the pair make of the hysteria about fizzy orange, Fran's tooth, and that darn Love/Hate cat? "I think we were surprised at the reaction to the cat. I mean obviously people love animals and my dad is a Kilkenny man so I'd have a serious affinity to cats" Coonan explains. "The big intention there was to show that Wayne just doesn't care for life and he unfortunately took it out on the cat. It was to show that they've no respect for life y'know."

"It's all good though, that" says Kinlan of the Twitter accounts, Facebook pages and Halloween homages to the show's smallest details. "I don't think we've ever, any of us, we've all done our own other work that we're proud of but there's just something about this show for the last four years that, we're just so proud of it, I really am."

"It's an Irish thing" Coonan adds, "you constantly have to find something just to have the craic with."

With Sunday's finale inching ever closer the lads are keeping schtum on their characters' fate, eager to avoid spoiling the all-important ending for the fans. "It's probably spoilers for us because we still don't know what's happening" says Kinlan of the leaks which have been appearing online and in the newspapers of late. "People genuinely don't want to know so I'm surprised that they think it's going to sell papers", he continues, while Coonan says he feels that spoiling the show for the viewers is "kind of in bad taste".

In just over 48 hours we'll know what's in store for Nidge and the lads but, with Fran and Elmo's futures still uncertain, what do Kinlan and Coonan have to say about the story so far? "To be written these parts, it's like Tom said last year, we're some of the luckiest actors to be playing these parts y'know", Coonan explains. "Stuart just, every year, comes up with the goods and God knows how he does it."

"The other shows it's been compared to like Sopranos and The Wire have one creator and then they have these writers, like 12 writers writing different episodes whereas Stuart has sat down and written 24. It's remarkable."

Catch the final episode of Love/Hate Season 4 this Sunday on RTE One at 9.30pm