The highly anticipated new Irish soap Red Rock premiered last night on TV3, and even though as a nation we were collectively prepared to cringe our pants off at yet another attempt at homegrown drama, safe to say, the majority of us were pleasantly surprised.

It didn't waste any time getting straight into the thick of things either as the first few moments presented us with a beaten up body found on the pier. We then got to meet the pair that are fast becoming our favourite police partnership since Murtaugh and Riggs - let's call them Banter Cop and Intern Cop for now. Some brilliant one-liners between this pair last night, highlights being that request for 'a cup of tea and a wagon wheel!', as well as when Intern Cop jibes; 'I'd say the criminals can't sleep at night with you on the beat'.

In summary - Red Rock nailing just when exactly to put in brief moments of levity to break up the drama.

The main plot last night of course focused on the reigniting of a long term feud between two rival families - The Hennessy's and The Kiely's. YOU MUST CHOOSE A SIDE! The lad beaten up at the start was Darren Kiely (Darren's just don't stand a chance on Irish telly) with the chief suspect and obvious perpetrator being Michael Hennessy.

He is questioned by the Gards with some help from his solicitor sister who soon realises the depths of the trouble he is in. And that's just with the law, wait until those Kielys get a hold of him. Especially, mammy Kiley, who we have yet to meet but will be played by actress Denise McCormack, who people will know as Linda from Love/Hate.

There's also a bit of a Romeo and Juliet situation going on between the two families as teenagers Katie Kiely and David Hennessy are secretly going out with each other. Let's hope they're not as doomed as those two though.

N'aww. Love's young dream, the pair of them.

Intern cop also made quite the discovery last night when she saw some CCTV footage of one of her superiors having it off with a school girl. Quite the predicament for Intern Cop, let's hope it's not a Job Bridge she's on.

The bombshell of the episode came when handsome cop (you know the one) arrived into Hennessy's to inform them that Darren Kiely had died. Massive news, 'ey? This will mean ALL OUT WAR between both families - we were gripped. And then... what's that sound? Why is somebody playing a harmonica??

Oh no, wait. That would be the awful theme music that sounds like it came straight from a 1950s Western. An EastEnders 'doof doof' it ain't.

Other than that though, have to say we were overall impressed with Red Rock's first outing. It's very much a modern take on the soap opera in that it has shunned any sort of staginess, so no missing fourth walls and the like. Although there were a few bemusing camera angles used at the beginning.

The acting was, dare we say, good. Especially considering this is the first major role for a lot of these actors. Not one wooden performance amongst the lot, and they didn't seem like they were acting in their sixth class play like those lot on Fair City can at times.

For those that want to make comparisons to Love/Hate, please don't, it's not going to match up simply because it's a completely different format. This is a soap we are dealing with, and while it might have been nice to see Nidge and the gang twice a week for half hour slots all year, it wouldn't have been the show that it was if we did.

Overall, confident start by Red Rock, TV3 should be happy. We're already hooked and judging by the almost half a million people who tuned in last night, we doubt we are the only ones.

Red Rock continues tonight (Thursday) on TV3 at 8.30pm.