The hugely anticipated premiere was here, as we all huddled around our screens with friends and family for the first time since Netflix made it’s debut to set our sights for the infamous Derry Girls, Oh and the wee English fellah.
I will admit, I was nervous when the show began, waiting for something to strike me as not that funny, or a bit over the top, and not like season one – but the first scene had me slipping back into comfort when I realised; yep, they’re back.
****Spoilers****
The first scene started out much like the first scene of season one, with an emotional narrative against a war-zone home-town. Erin, setting the tone for the backdrop of Derry Girls spoke of the tragedy that the town has endured, and wishing for peace that one day they may find. Her dramatic speech is then cut short when the screen switches to show Erin in her bath covered in suds, while Orla bursts in to burst Erin’s bubbles. (Literally).
It’s not long until all the Derry Girls are all back in the one room, with Erin’s family making comments on the ‘lesbians’ to Clare, with Grandpa Joe giving his stamp of approval on K.D Lang and Clare’s way of life with “You’re very talented people.” Good aul Grandpa Joe.
During this the Girls (and boy) are all getting ready to spend a day away with some Protestant boys building metaphorical bridges and hoping to make some Protestant ‘relations’. Michelle and Erin are all over the relations side of it all, when it seems James (the wee English Fellah) is more excited to actually make some male friends, and may come across a bit too eager later in the episode.
Once the boys and girls all arrive and Sister Michael meets her Protestant match, we realise that a beloved character from season one will be making a return after being on sabbatical for a year after leaving the church to run off with a hairdresser, who then left him – yep, it’s Father Peter with the good hair.
The funniest part of the show was easy to point out. As they piled into the bleak hall, exchanged gifts and found themselves a ‘buddy’ for the weekend, Fr. Peter began to ask the group to point out similarities between Catholics and Protestants, reaching from within. But that’s not what you’re going to get, Father. The group slowly begin to raise their hands and point out things that draw a line between them both – one being, Protestants hate ABBA.
Some other fairly poignant ones were:
Catholics love statues, which sister Michael says “Oh I do enjoy a good statue now.”
Protestants are richer, Catholics go to Bundoran and Protestants go to Newcastle, Protestants keep toasters in cupboards, and “Fish on Friday!”
Protestants love soup and Catholics ❤️ Mary oh my god #DerryGirls pic.twitter.com/vkGUwpPzcr
— karyn (@redlemonader) 5 Márta 2019
In true Irish fashion, the show reflects how the Irish use humour while discussing struggles in our past.
These points really hit the nail on the head with differences between Catholics and Protestants, and pointed out a lot of things in my childhood that I never really thought of as Catholic, but there ya go!
The Show ended in good Derry Girls, feel good fashion, with all the student’s parents being called down to sort out a fight that had broken out between the two groups. As the camera spanned across the room of parents giving out to their kids, Erin walks up towards the ‘Similarities’ board along to the Cranberries spine-tingling rendition of ‘Dreams’ and wrote on the board ‘Parents’.
Once again, Derry Girls leaves you with a huge smile on your face, as well as a tear in your eye, dying to see the next episode, which unfortunately we can binge all in one day – oh how the times have changed.
There’s just one thing that still haunts my mind from last night’s episode…Why didn’t Michelle’s Mam want her big bowl back?!
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