After nearly two years off air, The Young Offenders is set to return in a six-part fifth season, with new episodes available on the rte player on April 3. The announcement confirms that Conor MacSweeney and Jock O’Keeffe — played by Alex Murphy and Chris Walley — are reunited in Cork after separate stretches in prison abroad. The revival promises the original ensemble, filmed across recognisable Leeside locations, and a blend of comedy and unexpectedly emotional beats that defined the series.
Background & context
The forthcoming series follows directly from the arc of series four, which left the two leads separated in different prisons around the world. Production is carried out in association with established broadcasters and producers, and the new season has been confirmed as a six-episode run. Returning cast members include the show’s established supporting players, and filming locations this past year included the South Mall, the English Market, Bell’s Field, The Imperial Hotel and Voodoo Rooms in Cork.
Scheduling details place the first episode on April 3, with the premiere noted at 9: 30 pm ET on Friday, April 3 for one broadcaster and a weekly television run beginning Saturday, April 4 at 10: 30 pm ET on another outlet. The first episode is also made available on the rte player on April 3, giving domestic audiences the option to stream from day one.
Rte Player availability and schedule
The decision to put the new episodes on the rte player on April 3 aligns the series’ streaming availability with its linear broadcast window. The simultaneous release strategy means viewers can choose an on-demand viewing on the rte player or watch the weekly televised airings beginning April 4. The six-part structure of season five creates a compact rhythm for storytelling and offers multiple entry points for audiences to re-engage with the central relationship between Conor and Jock.
For those catching up, the first four seasons of the show are currently available to stream on the rte player, ensuring viewers can refresh their familiarity with plotlines and character histories before the new episodes begin.
Deep analysis and expert perspectives
At its core, the series has consistently married low-brow humour with sincere emotional stakes, and season five appears crafted to return attention to the Conor–Jock dynamic that underpins the show’s popularity. The reunited duo setting in Cork restores the narrative chemistry that critics and audiences have identified as central to the series’ appeal. The concentrated six-episode format is likely to tighten plot momentum, emphasise character beats and sustain the balance between comedic set pieces and quieter, character-driven moments.
Creator Peter Foott, the writer-director of the original Young Offenders film, said: “All the original characters who audiences know and love since the show started are back in season five. We have the funniest, most heart-warming stories in the new season that will show Conor and Jock getting into scrapes like never before. ” His framing signals an intentional return to ensemble comedy anchored by familiar relationships.
Actor Alex Murphy, who plays Conor MacSweeney, described the new season as both heartfelt and chaotic: “The new season was a lot fun to make. My character is struggling with deciding what type of life he wants to live, while his best friend is constantly convincing him to dip his toe back into the life of crime. Needless to say Conor doesn’t need much convincing. This new season has a great mix of heartfelt moments and ridiculous scenarios, while always being rooted in reality. There’s a wedding, there’s a death, there’s a heist. It’s a modern day Sopranos really. ”
Justin Healy, Executive Producer for RTÉ, added that season five reunites the leads and brings “well-meaning schemes and dreams, that bring nothing but chaos to all around them, ” describing the series as “comedy drama with big heart and brilliantly bad behaviour. ” Those statements frame the season as an intentional mix of emotional stakes and broad comedic set pieces designed to appeal to a loyal audience.
Production choices — returning to local Cork locations and reinstating the full cast — reinforce a continuity strategy that supports existing fans while simplifying entry for newcomers who can stream prior seasons on the rte player. The inclusion of recognisable city landmarks continues the series’ practice of rooting storylines in place, which has contributed to its identity and audience connection.
As the premiere approaches, the combination of a simultaneous streaming release on the rte player and closely scheduled television slots sets up a concentrated viewing window for fans and first-time viewers alike. Will this synchronized rollout reclaim and expand the show’s audience in its tenth anniversary year, and how will the series balance its comic instincts with the darker turns teased for season five?
