Review: Derry Girls, season 2

the schoolgirls in line

Derry Girls continues with over the top foolishness from the Catholic schoolgirls and their parents in season 2. This half hour comedy set in Ireland goes by too quickly with only 6 episodes.

The gang of girls (and one guy) who are the leads in Derry Girls fly toward the camera in V formation like a flock of geese. They converse in this formation without looking each other in the face. Mostly they converse about the perils of whatever hair-brained scheme they are about to undertake. There’s a new one in every episode.

Nicola Coughlan, Dylan Llewellyn, Louisa Harland, Jamie-Lee O'Donnell, and Saoirse-Monica Jackson in Derry Girls

The leads are Erin (Saoirse-Monica Jackson), Orla (Louisa Harland), Clare (Nicola Coughlan), Michelle (Jamie-Lee O’Donnell), and James (Dylan Llewellyn). These young actors have mastered the art of the one liner and have their comedic timing down to perfection.

We see into Erin’s family life the most. Erin also seems the brightest of the lot of teens. The teens are caught up in the angst of wanting something close to a sexual experience, or a date, or someone to notice how fabulous they are.

Kathy Kiera Clarke, Ian McElhinney, Tara Lynne O'Neill, and Tommy Tiernan in Derry Girls

The adults in charge of this flock of young people are as hair-brained and hilarious as their children. Above you see Erin’s Ma (Tara Lynne O’Neill), Aunt Sarah (Kathy Kiera Clarke), Da (Tommy Tiernan), and Granda (Ian McElhinney).

Sister Michael (Siobhan McSweeney) is in charge of the school. She makes many a funny aside herself, as she tries to maintain order among a bunch of teenage girls (and one guy).

Judith Roddy in Derry Girls
Making an entrance!

My favorite episode was the one in which the new English teacher, Ms De BrĂșn (Judith Roddy), arrived. She made a grand entrance, blew everyone’s mind in English class, invited the girls over for wine in the evening, and left town the next day. She was an explosion of intelligence in the minds of the impressionable schoolgirls.

The series is set against the backdrop of The Troubles. There are armed soldiers and bomb scares and other real life things happening in the story as the characters attempt to navigate normal life.

The last episode of the season is tied to the historic cease-fire ending The Troubles in Ireland. President Bill Clinton came to Derry to speak about peace. Although the whole town was over excited about Clinton’s visit, the big step for the cast was to finally fully accept the English boy James as a Derry girl.

Derry Girls was created and written by Lisa McGee. It’s so fast paced the scenes rush by. The jokes are endless and the situations veer toward ridiculous.

This Irish comedy series has already been renewed for a 3rd season. Here’s my review of season 1.

Here’s the poster. Pin it!

Derry Girls poster

Watch the season 2 trailer

Are you a fan of this comedy? What did you think of season 2?

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