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halfamoonTitle: Why YOU should be watching Bad Sisters!!!
Prompt: Murder and Mayhem
Fandom: Bad Sisters
Characters: The Garvey sisters (Eva, Grace, Ursula, Bibi, Becka)
Rating: T
Length: approx. 1500 words, with some pilfered gifs sprinkled along
Summary: A little primer on the show because everyone should watch Bad Sisters :)
If you like female characters (and who doesn’t like female characters?!) then Bad Sisters is an easy sell: its protagonists are five charming, chaotic Irish sisters whose bond is really what makes the whole show into a cohesive unit: Becka, Eva, Grace, Ursula and Bibi Garvey.
Not enough for you? Alright, let’s talk about why they’re the stars of the series. See, Grace is married to a horrible, horrible man called John Paul — or The Prick for those of us in the know — and his domineering personality and plain nastiness have slowly been mowing Grace down. Her sisters cannot stand seeing her like this any longer, vanishing a bit more with each passing day under his heel, so they decide… To kill him.
Still not convinced? You need more than the knowledge of how the Garvey sisters are dead-set on murdering a man for one of their own and the promise of the hilarious mayhem that ensues?
Okay. I’ll tell you more.
Bad Sisters clearly deals with some heavy topics judging by JP’s despicable nature, toxic enough for the Garveys to try to kill the bloke, so it’s no secret that it tackles the topic of domestic abuse and the violence of men. Beyond the drama, though, there is also brilliant humour lurking in every corner. It is a dark comedy that at once pokes fun at things while unveiling how serious some everyday issues are without mocking the victims or unduly trying to humanise what is an actual bona fide villain you have no reason not to hate. Being “allowed” by the show to despise JP and want him dead just as much as the Garveys, without the story trying to force you into having some sympathy for the guy, is frankly refreshing at this moment in time — the women are complex, for once, while the villain gets to be simply that, the villain, though by no means flat.
Apart from the tone, there is also the way everything is built on the bond between the sisters — more than the murder plots or the shenanigans they get themselves involved with, one of the series’ greatest strengths is its depiction of love and loyalty between this group of women, with all the taunting and discussions that can cause. It's still never enough to sever their connection, regardless of how bad those differences can get.
Ah, you’re still here rather than starting up episode one? You want even more before giving it a shot??
Fine. Let’s talk about each of the Garveys. There’s one for every viewer but I’ll be damned if you don’t end up loving the lot of them!
Eva, played by Sharon Horgan (who is also responsible for adapting the original Belgian show Clan into the Irish Bad Sisters) is the eldest. Given how the Garvey girls lost their parents in a car accident, determined and devoted Eva ended up setting her life aside to act responsible and bring up her siblings when no one else would. She lives alone in the house where they all grew up, perhaps as a mother would once all the children have left the nest, yet it is that very house that often serves as a meeting point for the sisters throughout the show — so they have left pero no mucho.
She arguably has the best job, as the owner of a spankin’ Audi convertible, yet Eva also has a few problems of her own, of course. It seems she never much caught up with what she “lost” in setting her own goals aside to rear her sisters and it doesn’t help that she cannot have children of her own — much less that The Prick is her work colleague…
Then there’s Grace: kind-hearted, dedicated, loving Grace, the widow brought to life by Anne-Marie Duff.
It’s no spoiler to say so even though so much of the show is concerned with trying to kill her husband — the opening scene itself introduces us to Grace preparing her house for the visit of grieving relatives while JP’s body is in its casket (and causing her trouble even then!) We’re here to find out how The Prick dies and we do it alongside the insurance men who accost the Garveys, suspecting foul play in JP’s death solely so they don’t have to pay up the claim.
But, see, Grace is more or less what unites them all. Her more innocent, caring personality is what allows JP to exploit it, as it is the reason why her sisters wish to do something to protect their gentler and more vulnerable sibling. The years spent beside The Prick have eaten at her and we see what a toxic relationship can do to the injured party, how the simple glow of life can begin to fade — and how the cycle of violence can trap someone inside it without their fighting back even when it is painfully obvious to all just how insidious it is.
Grace is a full-time mother and wife and she’s actually pretty good at it. It’s her husband sucking all the breath from her and trying to tear her from her sisters that moves them to action before it is too late and Gracie becomes only a hollow shell, just a mother and wife, nothing else of her own.
Ursula, portrayed by Eva Birthistle, is the middle child. Like Grace, she also has a family of her own, having married and given birth to three kids, but unlike her older sister she is also a nurse. On top of all that, girlie finds the energy to have an affair or, rather, gets into an affair in order to regain some of the energy which her busy life saps from her. Talk about resilience!
Of all the Garveys, then, Ursula is perhaps the one with more to lose in case the killing of JP goes wrong, so her reticence at diving into the murder plot is understandable — it is perhaps because of her anxiety in taking part in it all that she has some of the funniest reactions to events throughout the show.
To the outsider, she seems to have everything under control what with her established family and all, but Ursula is still a major source of chaos doomed to fuck things up and consequently to have us roaring with laughter, which only makes her all the more compelling.
Of all the sisters, Bibi is the one whose appearance is most striking, for obvious reasons.
Cool and sarcastic, the one-eyed lesbian bomb played by Sarah Greene is a woman with a goal and she will not stop until she achieves it. If we’re talking about fighting back the violence of men, it makes perfect sense for Bibi’s voice to be the first in suggesting that they should just kill John Paul themselves — even with her sole remaining eye, the archery champ and sharpshooter has a keen, focused vision. She knows what she wants and she’ll bloody well get it.
That is perhaps both her strength and her weakness, for fierce resolution can always become boundless obsession if left unchecked and that always means there is a high price to pay, for herself as well as others, when the check comes in…
Last but not least, baby Becka is the youngest of the bunch though by no means less important. Eve Hewson's character is young but not that young, trying to find her place in the world and maybe stay there awhile. Her frequent, short-lived relationships with men may paint her as a more carefree spirit but her attempts at opening her own business or her fidelity to her sisters are in no way less sincere for it.
Becka’s personality and habits are also what tie the Garveys’ point of view to that of the Claffins, the insurance men, one of which becomes involved with her. This way, we have a more complete view of the story and an excellent reason for conflict between the two camps as the brothers’ investigation brings them closer to the sisters’ secret.
… What, still not enough? Okay, let me also point you to the hypnotic opening sequences of both s1 and s2 (I'm only sharing the first one below but you have to pay close attention to them both!) and the soundtrack by PJ Harvey.
I dare you not to be belting out “Who By Fire” by the time you reach the middle of s1. Music is also notable in this show for how it is used within each episode and the editing was prodigious in matching up songs, lyrics and the scenes they were added to.
I don’t know that there’s anything else I can say without ruining the show for you at this point, so I just hope you’ll give it a try if you’ve read this whole text — if you don’t, well… Don’t say I didn’t do my part in telling you just how good it is!
Bad Sisters is an addictive, fun, touching story you don’t want to miss (and no, you shouldn’t turn your nose at the controversial s2 either which, while not perfectly concocted like what preceded it, is still a delightful source of entertainment because, really, there is no getting enough of the Garveys :) )
Prompt: Murder and Mayhem
Fandom: Bad Sisters
Characters: The Garvey sisters (Eva, Grace, Ursula, Bibi, Becka)
Rating: T
Length: approx. 1500 words, with some pilfered gifs sprinkled along
Summary: A little primer on the show because everyone should watch Bad Sisters :)
If you like female characters (and who doesn’t like female characters?!) then Bad Sisters is an easy sell: its protagonists are five charming, chaotic Irish sisters whose bond is really what makes the whole show into a cohesive unit: Becka, Eva, Grace, Ursula and Bibi Garvey.
Not enough for you? Alright, let’s talk about why they’re the stars of the series. See, Grace is married to a horrible, horrible man called John Paul — or The Prick for those of us in the know — and his domineering personality and plain nastiness have slowly been mowing Grace down. Her sisters cannot stand seeing her like this any longer, vanishing a bit more with each passing day under his heel, so they decide… To kill him.
Still not convinced? You need more than the knowledge of how the Garvey sisters are dead-set on murdering a man for one of their own and the promise of the hilarious mayhem that ensues?
Okay. I’ll tell you more.
Bad Sisters clearly deals with some heavy topics judging by JP’s despicable nature, toxic enough for the Garveys to try to kill the bloke, so it’s no secret that it tackles the topic of domestic abuse and the violence of men. Beyond the drama, though, there is also brilliant humour lurking in every corner. It is a dark comedy that at once pokes fun at things while unveiling how serious some everyday issues are without mocking the victims or unduly trying to humanise what is an actual bona fide villain you have no reason not to hate. Being “allowed” by the show to despise JP and want him dead just as much as the Garveys, without the story trying to force you into having some sympathy for the guy, is frankly refreshing at this moment in time — the women are complex, for once, while the villain gets to be simply that, the villain, though by no means flat.
Apart from the tone, there is also the way everything is built on the bond between the sisters — more than the murder plots or the shenanigans they get themselves involved with, one of the series’ greatest strengths is its depiction of love and loyalty between this group of women, with all the taunting and discussions that can cause. It's still never enough to sever their connection, regardless of how bad those differences can get.
Ah, you’re still here rather than starting up episode one? You want even more before giving it a shot??
Fine. Let’s talk about each of the Garveys. There’s one for every viewer but I’ll be damned if you don’t end up loving the lot of them!
Eva, played by Sharon Horgan (who is also responsible for adapting the original Belgian show Clan into the Irish Bad Sisters) is the eldest. Given how the Garvey girls lost their parents in a car accident, determined and devoted Eva ended up setting her life aside to act responsible and bring up her siblings when no one else would. She lives alone in the house where they all grew up, perhaps as a mother would once all the children have left the nest, yet it is that very house that often serves as a meeting point for the sisters throughout the show — so they have left pero no mucho.
She arguably has the best job, as the owner of a spankin’ Audi convertible, yet Eva also has a few problems of her own, of course. It seems she never much caught up with what she “lost” in setting her own goals aside to rear her sisters and it doesn’t help that she cannot have children of her own — much less that The Prick is her work colleague…
Then there’s Grace: kind-hearted, dedicated, loving Grace, the widow brought to life by Anne-Marie Duff.
It’s no spoiler to say so even though so much of the show is concerned with trying to kill her husband — the opening scene itself introduces us to Grace preparing her house for the visit of grieving relatives while JP’s body is in its casket (and causing her trouble even then!) We’re here to find out how The Prick dies and we do it alongside the insurance men who accost the Garveys, suspecting foul play in JP’s death solely so they don’t have to pay up the claim.
But, see, Grace is more or less what unites them all. Her more innocent, caring personality is what allows JP to exploit it, as it is the reason why her sisters wish to do something to protect their gentler and more vulnerable sibling. The years spent beside The Prick have eaten at her and we see what a toxic relationship can do to the injured party, how the simple glow of life can begin to fade — and how the cycle of violence can trap someone inside it without their fighting back even when it is painfully obvious to all just how insidious it is.
Grace is a full-time mother and wife and she’s actually pretty good at it. It’s her husband sucking all the breath from her and trying to tear her from her sisters that moves them to action before it is too late and Gracie becomes only a hollow shell, just a mother and wife, nothing else of her own.
Ursula, portrayed by Eva Birthistle, is the middle child. Like Grace, she also has a family of her own, having married and given birth to three kids, but unlike her older sister she is also a nurse. On top of all that, girlie finds the energy to have an affair or, rather, gets into an affair in order to regain some of the energy which her busy life saps from her. Talk about resilience!
Of all the Garveys, then, Ursula is perhaps the one with more to lose in case the killing of JP goes wrong, so her reticence at diving into the murder plot is understandable — it is perhaps because of her anxiety in taking part in it all that she has some of the funniest reactions to events throughout the show.
To the outsider, she seems to have everything under control what with her established family and all, but Ursula is still a major source of chaos doomed to fuck things up and consequently to have us roaring with laughter, which only makes her all the more compelling.
Of all the sisters, Bibi is the one whose appearance is most striking, for obvious reasons.
Cool and sarcastic, the one-eyed lesbian bomb played by Sarah Greene is a woman with a goal and she will not stop until she achieves it. If we’re talking about fighting back the violence of men, it makes perfect sense for Bibi’s voice to be the first in suggesting that they should just kill John Paul themselves — even with her sole remaining eye, the archery champ and sharpshooter has a keen, focused vision. She knows what she wants and she’ll bloody well get it.
That is perhaps both her strength and her weakness, for fierce resolution can always become boundless obsession if left unchecked and that always means there is a high price to pay, for herself as well as others, when the check comes in…
Last but not least, baby Becka is the youngest of the bunch though by no means less important. Eve Hewson's character is young but not that young, trying to find her place in the world and maybe stay there awhile. Her frequent, short-lived relationships with men may paint her as a more carefree spirit but her attempts at opening her own business or her fidelity to her sisters are in no way less sincere for it.
Becka’s personality and habits are also what tie the Garveys’ point of view to that of the Claffins, the insurance men, one of which becomes involved with her. This way, we have a more complete view of the story and an excellent reason for conflict between the two camps as the brothers’ investigation brings them closer to the sisters’ secret.
… What, still not enough? Okay, let me also point you to the hypnotic opening sequences of both s1 and s2 (I'm only sharing the first one below but you have to pay close attention to them both!) and the soundtrack by PJ Harvey.
I dare you not to be belting out “Who By Fire” by the time you reach the middle of s1. Music is also notable in this show for how it is used within each episode and the editing was prodigious in matching up songs, lyrics and the scenes they were added to.
I don’t know that there’s anything else I can say without ruining the show for you at this point, so I just hope you’ll give it a try if you’ve read this whole text — if you don’t, well… Don’t say I didn’t do my part in telling you just how good it is!
Bad Sisters is an addictive, fun, touching story you don’t want to miss (and no, you shouldn’t turn your nose at the controversial s2 either which, while not perfectly concocted like what preceded it, is still a delightful source of entertainment because, really, there is no getting enough of the Garveys :) )
no subject
Date: 2025-02-04 11:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-02-05 12:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-02-05 01:12 am (UTC)Thank you for writing this primer and sharing your love for "Bad Sisters" with us!
no subject
Date: 2025-02-05 01:42 am (UTC)It was hard not to be enthusiastic about it! <3