This article contains spoiler content.
Alexa play ‘Dreams’ by The Cranberries and get me a Guinness, for it’s official: Ireland is having a moment.
2024 was the year of Ireland: Hozier had his first UK Number 1 with ‘Too Sweet’; Nicola Coughlan stunned in the third series of Bridgerton; Paul Mescal starred in Gladiator 2; Fontaines D.C. released their album Romance; Sally Rooney published her fourth novel Intermezzo; and Irish-language film Kneecap was honoured at the British Independent Film Awards… and breathe.
I’m totally biased but I think it’s fair to say that culture-wise, Ireland is smashing it. Even more so because comedy genius Sharon Horgan treated us to another series of her darkly hilarious smash-hit: Bad Sisters.
In the sequel, we are reunited with the Garvey sisters, who, in the aftermath of Grace’s (Anne-Marie Duff) murder of her abusive husband John Paul (Claes Bang), are just trying to live a normal life. Bang’s excellent performance as John Paul in the first series won him my completely made-up title of ‘Most Hateable Character on Television’.
At first, things seem to be going well for the Garvey girls. Grace has remarried to a man named Ian Riley, and their secret appears to have stayed that way. That is until Grace’s conscientious neighbour Roger (Michael Smiley), who helped her deal with her dead husband’s body, attempts to relieve himself of his guilt by informing the police of what they did. Roger is compelled to do this by his mega-Christian sister (Fiona Shaw), who “knows guilt when she sees it”.
Shaw is incredible as Angelica, and is a runner-up to the ‘Most Hateable Character on Television’ award – until she very much redeems herself (you’ll see).
Unfortunately, the Garveys’ dream of a normal life drifts further and further away as they realise that certain people aren’t who they say they are, putting their family at risk. As Becka’s (Eve Hewson) new boyfriend Joe (Peter Claffey) says: the Garvey sisters sure know how to pick a prick.
Relationships are tested and bonds are broken as they sacrifice everything to do the one thing they do best: protect their sisters.
Horgan delicately walks the tightrope between dark humour and drama, and all of the actors prove themselves to be heavyweights when it comes to the emotional scenes. Horgan is sensational as Eva, the head of the Garvey clan and burdened older sister who is trying to keep it all together. If anyone knows where to find the green ‘Irish Princess’ t-shirt she sports during much of this series, then please let me know.
A special mention should also go to Eva Birthistle, who plays middle sister Ursula, for providing excellent comic relief and for generally being hilarious.
As always, the true MVP of the show is the Irish scenery. From the Dublin coastline to the Wicklow mountains, Bad Sisters shines a light on Ireland’s stunning natural beauty – there has never been a better advert to visit Ireland!
I sincerely hope it’s not the last we see of these bad sisters, but if it is the end, then they have gone out with a BANG.
Series two of Bad Sisters is available to watch on Apple TV+
