The AppleTV+ seriesBad Sistersis wrapping up its second season and there hasn’t been any word about a renewal for Season 3. Fans looking foranother black comedy starringSharon Horganas a protective older sistershould check outThis Way UponHulu. Just like onBad Sisters, Horgan plays a complex, flawed character who sees her younger sister through a very difficult time. WhileBad Sisters' Eva Garvey tries to save her sister from an abusive marriage, Horgan’s character onThis Way Up, Shona, is helping her sister Áine (series creatorAisling Bea) after a mental breakdown. UnlikeBad Sisters, Horgan didn’t develop or write onThis Way Up.But, Bea’s comedy style as both a showrunner and a co-lead is perfectly suited to Horgan’s sensibilities.This Way Uphas the same laugh-until-you-cry dark humor asBad Sisters.
‘This Way Up’ Tackles Bleak Situations With Humor
LikeBad Sisters,This Way Upportrays dark situations with humor. Both shows establish their tone perfectly with their opening scenes. Inthe opening ofBad Sisters,Grace Riley (Anne-Marie Duff)looks down at her husband’s body in a casket and is embarrassed to realize the body has an erection.This Way Upopens on a similarly dark scene, with Shona checking Áine out of a mental health facility. Áine acknowledges how dark a time it’s been and how helpless she felt. But, instead of the moment being played seriously, the sisters start making petty complaints about how the facility’s website made it seem like there’d be a jacuzzi. In addition to exploring mental health issues, the show also looks unflinchingly at xenophobia in England. Áine’s works as a teacher who specializes in ESL (English as a Second Language). Her work allows the show to give social commentary; ittakes a blunt approach to social issues that’s less about teachable moments and more about simply observing the world as it is.
This Way Upis also about a sister who’ll do anything to protect her younger sister. While Shona doesn’t have to resort to murder to protect Áine, a lot of the friction on the show comes from her anxious tendencies. She tries to interfere in Áine’s dating life and frequently insists that she keeps “Find My Phone” on at all times. Their fights over the issue of Áine sharing her location are evenhanded —you understand both Shona’s fears and Áine’s feeling of being smothered. Shona’s protectiveness comes out the most in her scenes with Freddie (Chris Geere), Áine’s ex, who Shona clearly blames for her sister’s mental breakdown. Shona and Freddie remain colleagues, so she’s forced to politely interact with him. Their scenes together have the same cringe-inducing tension as the scenes between Eva and John Paul (Claes Bang) onBad Sisters.
“They’ve Just Made Me a Better Person”: Eve Hewson Loves Her Fellow ‘Bad Sisters’ and Is Up for Season 3
“I look up to them like they’re my older sisters. They’ve just given me so much good advice,” says Hewson, of her ‘Bad Sisters’ co-stars.
‘This Way Up’ Has a Strong Romance Element
The biggest difference betweenThis Way UpandBad Sistersis thatthere’s no crime thriller element. If your favorite part ofBad Sistersis the slowly revealed murder plot, this show won’t scratch the itch. But, if you loveBad Sistersfor the twisted dark comedy and well-observed portrayal of dynamics between sisters,This Way Upis a perfect substitute. Instead of a crime element, the big overall plotlines forThis Way Upare the romances.
Both ofthe main romances onThis Way Upare hilarious, messy, and steamy. Shona finds herself attracted to another woman, her colleague Charlotte (Indira Varma). She wonders if she should take a risk with Charlotte despite already being in a safe, stable relationship with her partner Vish (Aasif Mandvi). This love triangle feels unique and refreshing, with surprising plot turns that make it stand out from other coming out stories or bisexual love triangles. Each of the three people involved is fully fleshed out and the ways they hurt each other come from understandable mistakes. No one is the bad guy in the situation. Meanwhile, Áine has a will-they-won’t-they with Richard (Tobias Menzies), the single father of a boy she’s tutoring. Richard’s awkward shyness and Aine’s unfiltered boldness bump up against each other, creating a compelling sitcom dynamic. Their personality clash is similar to Jess and Nick onNew Girl, but Bea and Menzies both bring their own completely unique comedy style.
WithBad SistersSeason 2 ending soon,it’s the perfect time for fans to fill the void withThis Way Up. The dark humor is just as outrageous as the show explores themes from substance addiction to xenophobia to suicide with brazen wit. The close sibling dynamic between Shona and Áine is different from the relationship between the Garveys onBad Sisters, but it’s just as complex and endearing.
This Way Upis available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.
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This Way Up
