Lisa McGee’s Derry Girls is one of the best shows on Netflix. It is popular in more ways than one, yet it is still somehow an underrated gem that people are surprised to discover. With the success of Bridgerton and viewers wanting to see more of Nicola Coughlan’s incomparable range, Derry Girls might be one of the shows people would turn to, and they’d be right for it.
Coming-of-age shows don’t always hit us as adults when we aren’t the target audience, but Derry Girls does something incredibly special and it touches deep. It’s an honest portrayal of a time and place many of us are on the outside of, yet it’s somehow one of the most realistic depictions of adolescence and beautiful, utterly heartwarming growth. If you haven’t started the show yet, here are five (spoiler-free) reasons why it should be next on your list.
1. It’s a Clever Coming of Age Story
As mentioned above, Derry Girls is unique in its portrayal of adolescence. It follows a group of four girls (and one British boy) in an all-girls Catholic school in Northern Ireland while they grow up in the 90s. The story is personal to creator Lisa McGee, and for this reason, it feels more authentic when we’re watching it. It dives into scenarios that perhaps viewers in Northern Ireland might relate to better, but it enlightens those of us who are far from it, too. It takes us through the perils of finding one’s individuality in a community that is ultimately all about sameness, and it does so in a way that’s utterly compelling as the three seasons pan out.
Centering the series around Erin, Orla, Michelle, Clare, and James allows viewers to see different sides of characters coming together at the most pivotal points in their lives of self-discovery. It challenges the characters while also allowing each of them moments of genuine growth that remain believable.
2. It’s Hilariously Charming
Derry Girls is one of the few that manages to make viewers laugh out loud while making us weepy in the next scene. The series’ charm depends on various journeys, but after three seasons and multiple rewatches, I’d say it boils down to the sheer heart in McGee’s creation.
It’s clear as day that this is a show that’s bold but honest at the same time. It’s sincere even when things get messy, and it’s flawed even when everything seems to be going perfectly well. The intention of telling honest stories thus makes the series feel timeless with its charm, bringing to the center a tenderness that can be felt from the very first episode to the absolute last.
3. Friendships Take Center Stage
Very few shows center so carefully around friendships, especially on Netflix; it’s rare among teenagers and younger audiences. While Derry Girls also features romantic arcs, the friendship between the core group of girls remains its crux. Another series that nailed this was The Baby-Sitters Club, but while that was unfortunately cut short, Derry Girls ends right where it’s meant to—it ends on the writer’s terms, with a beautiful arc that’s still immaculate to this day.
Often, when we shut off our TVs and say goodbye to a series, we can’t always guarantee that the characters would remain friends years into the future. There are a few series where this is easy to tell, but others don’t leave enough of a mark for us to care. With that, there’s something so poignant about how sincerely Derry Girls emphasizes the significance of this core group of friends having a monumental impact on one another that’ll live on no matter where they go in life. And to me, that’s always more comforting than anything else on TV because we rarely see friendships emphasized with as much care and attention.
4. Fantastic Characterizations
Derry Girls features some of the most riveting and believable characterizations without ever feeling like they are out of place in where they fit in with the overarching story. The characters each feel believable. They feel real like we could see someone we know in each of them. There are layers in all of them that allow their journeys from the first season to the last to feel more authentic.
When it comes to creating memorable characters, complexities matter in allowing them to remain with viewers long after the show ends. The characters on Derry Girls aren’t always likable, and they shouldn’t have to be, but the genuine care in building each of them makes them deeply memorable and easy to care for. They each make mistakes and do things that are questionable, but at the end of the day, rooting for their happiness is effortless, and that, to me, is something that few shows succeed with.
5. The Performances Are Incredible
Nicola Coughlan is mentioned up top, but Coughlan isn’t the only impeccable performer on the series. There’s not a single cast member who doesn’t bring their A game, allowing their characters to be multifaceted and layered beings whose journeys become even more enjoyable because of. The cast is perfect, and with it, their chemistry is exquisite—no matter if they like, or hate each other. The casting department nailed it with every single performer, and we’d be here for hours if we highlighted how each of them grows better and better with every episode.
Derry Girls is a profoundly special series. It’s heartfelt, it’s raw, it’s vulnerable, and it’s hilariously moving as it tells stories that matter. It highlights political discourses, religious trauma and differences, budding relationships, coming out journeys, and the overall difficulties of teenage years. And every arc is carefully crafted in such a way that it allows the series to leave a profound mark.
All three seasons of Derry Girls are now streaming on Netflix.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Netflix