Having already given us the TV hits Catastrophe and Motherland, writer, director and actor Sharon Horgan scored a hat trick in 2022 with Bad Sisters - and now we have Bad Sisters season 2 to enjoy.
Tackling the sensitive topic of domestic abuse with sincerity and a generous dose of Irish humor, Bad Sisters was lapped up by viewers and critics alike, winning a clutch of awards including BAFTAs for Best Drama and Best Supporting Actress for Anne-Marie Duff portrayal of abused widow Grace. So Horgan felt the pressure with season two, landing on Apple TV Plus this week.
"It's amazing to know Bad Sisters was so well-received but putting out season two is nerve-wracking because people related to the show and these sisters so well and you want them to connect with it in the same way," says Sharon, who plays eldest sister Eva Garvey in the eight-parter, alongside Duff, Eva Birthistle as Ursula, Sarah Greene as Bibi and Eve Hewson as Becka, with stage and screen legend Fiona Shaw joining the cast as suspicious family friend Angelica.
The drama picks up two years on from the 'accidental death' of Grace's abusive husband, John Paul - whom, it was revealed in the finale, she’d actually strangled to death with his pajama top - and she’s getting wed to new man Ian (Killing Eve’s Owen McDonnell). What could possibly go wrong? Well… everything!
As the body of JP’s father resurfaces, Grace is convinced her past is coming back to haunt her. And when the sisters are rocked by a sudden devastating tragedy, their bond is tested like never before.
In an exclusive interview with What To Watch, Sharon tells us more…
What were the challenges of writing season two of Bad Sisters?
"Outside of the ‘killing JP’ storyline and having this central, villainous character that everyone loved to hate, I know viewers really enjoyed being around this infectious group of women so full of passion and anger. So it was about keeping the sisters at the heart of the drama.
"I’d found with Catastrophe and Motherland that if you have a great first season, doing it all again just feels weird. But once we’d decided on the storyline, all the sisters’ voices came back naturally, I stopped worrying so much and that difficult ‘second album’ started flowing."
Where do we find the Garvey sisters as season two begins?
"It’s two years on, all the sisters have all moved on in their lives and Grace is marrying a seemingly great man, Ian. But she’s fragile; she’s still living with the guilt of what she did and the impact it has on her conscience. Meanwhile, Grace’s neighbour Roger (Michael Smiley) is wavering in his conviction about having helped Grace move JP’s body. At the wedding, Roger’s sister Angelica - who we learn has been supporting grieving widow Grace - sees the pair talking, and senses something’s up. Things then start to fall apart quite quickly."
Is Angelica the common enemy uniting the sisters in season two?
"Having JP as a villain in season one was a big set of shoes to fill, so we knew we had to fill them in different ways. The police play an important role this time; when a discovery is made, seasoned detective DI Fergal Loftus (Barry Ward) and his rookie partner, Una Houlihan (Thaddea Graham) are brilliant as foils for the sisters, alongside Angelica. And there’s a bigger enemy that emerges over time."
What does Fiona Shaw bring to the role of Angelica?
"Fiona was in our heads from the start; I wrote the part for her and she’s perfect as Angelica. We needed someone who could watch these sisters and have a constant, internal battle with herself as to why they seem so free and able to live a life she’s never been able to. Angelica is very moral but also hypocritical; she likes messing with the sisters and sticking the knife in."
What do you enjoy about filming Bad Sisters in your native Ireland?
"Filming Grace’s wedding in Ireland, the weather went from boiling hot to full-blown monsoon, and we were disappointed when we turned up in all our wedding finery and there's mud everywhere and it's pouring with rain. Our director, Dearbhla Walsh, gave this beautiful speech about how we were all together in this beautiful setting - an extraordinary seascape with a 360 view of this glorious part of Ireland - making a show we all love. So she buoyed us all… while we’re being whipped around by wind and rain!"
The first two episodes of Bad Sisters Series 2 are available on Apple TV Plus now, and episodes will then air weekly.
