I loved the first series of this, I hope the second is as good
Derry Girls - Series 2
It is!
I've just watched Episode 1 of Series 2 and it's brilliant!
When I was of primary school age, one of my friends and neighbours was a Catholic girl who one day informed me quite casually but as a matter of fact that Catholics go to heaven and Protestants go to hell.
The following week, she took me into her house and anointed me with some holy water from a little receptacle on the wall of the living room. I naturally assumed that this process had saved me from an afterlife of eternal torment but that assumption was dashed a few days later when she informed me that the water in question had subsequently turned out not to be holy but instead had come from the cold tap in the kitchen, courtesy of her older brother who had earlier spilt the holy water onto the floor.
All of which reminiscence serves to remind me that, in those days at least, Catholics and Protestants did indeed see each other as creatures from different planets.
"Derry Girls" recaptures the historically unbridgeable chasm between the two religious denominations and it does a lot more besides. Most importantly, however, it's relentlessly funny with its fascinating characters and rapid-fire dialogue that succeeds in being hilarious while, at the same time, sounding entirely natural.
Sitcom doesn't come much better than this.
Series two is just as brilliant as series one - hurrah!!!!
Great writing, great cast (EVERY ONE), well directed and photographed. What's not to like? Awesome.
Wasn't there an explosive cliff-hanger at the end of series 1?
Quote: Paul Wimsett @ 10th March 2019, 7:43 PMWasn't there an explosive cliff-hanger at the end of series 1?
Are you sure? The last thing to happen in the first series was the talent show
Quote: Paul Wimsett @ 10th March 2019, 7:43 PMWasn't there an explosive cliff-hanger at the end of Series 1?
Yes - although I'm not sure it was such a cliff-hanger as much as punctuating the comedy with a reminder of the brutal reality of the period. Remember they were watching it on TV, not caught up directly themselves.
Derry Girls followed by Home constitutes the best hour of sitcom on terrestrial television in decades.
Quote: Aaron @ 11th March 2019, 11:25 AMRemember they were watching it on TV, not caught up directly themselves.
I don't literally, no. Had a feeling someone in the main cast was killed? Obviously wrong.
The best ensemble of young actors on telly (well I say young, I still can't believe Nicola Coughlan is 32!). Sister Michael steals every episode for me though, the perfect sardonic foil to the energy of the girls. Also lovely to see Kevin McAleer back this week too.
"Derry Girls" is an excellent sitcom but I wish the writer, Lisa McGee, would give her audience a bit more credit for intelligence.
In the most recent episode, there was an escaped polar bear on the loose and everybody in town was in a bit of a panic.
The family are at home when suddenly there's a knock on the door.
WOMAN (ALARMED): Don't answer! That might be him: that might be the polar bear!
MAN (CALMLY): Yes, because they're known for their impeccable manners.
A very good joke and, more than that, a clever joke that almost every viewer will get.
Lisa McGee, however, decides to pick up a nearby sledgehammer and drive the joke home by having the man add "They may come into your house and rip your throat out but they'll knock on the door first."
Thank you for that, Lisa. I'm sure every totally and utterly thick bastard in the English-speaking world who is lucky enough to have access to a TV set is grateful for that extra line.
Outstanding episode tonight. Having O'Hanlon, McAleer and Tiernan in the same episode is a treat, with McAleer's scene with Sister Michael stealing it.
Interesting perspective. I thought it uncharacteristically weak. Too much of the adults and not enough of the girls getting up to mischief alone.
Still bloody funny, mind.