Irish dark comedy has mature themes; violence, language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Language
a lot
"F--k," "ass," "a--hole," "hell," "bitch," "bastard," "p---y," "pr--k," "d--khead," "t-ts," "c--k," "psycho," and "whore." "Jesus" and "Christ" used as exclamations. Characters taunt a person with an eye patch by calling her "cyclops."
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The plot centers around planning and attempting murder. Frequent scenes of emotional abuse and manipulation. Occasional domestic abuse: -- main villain shakes/shoves women and punches his wife in the stomach. Characters die on-screen by choking, getting locked in a freezer, etc. It's never gory, but there are close-ups and sound effects on wounds, such as someone piercing a nose with a needle or pulling glass from a cut. Someone is shot in the eye (blood visible), another falls into water while drugged and almost drowns. Discussions of a character who died by suicide. A pet dog is accidentally killed (off-screen); a pet cat is hit by a car (on-screen, its dead body visible from a distance). A mention of a "punctured testicle." A pregnant woman passes out and is taken to the hospital (it's mentioned she had a seizure and will need an emergency cesarean -- she and the baby are OK). Discussions and sad scenes as a main character reveals a rape incident and miscarriage in her past.
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Characters flirt, make out, date, and kiss while implied naked in bed (shirtless man, bare shoulders). Characters masturbate (moaning and movements heard), including with a vibrator. A character has an extramarital affair. Brief glimpses of explicit but cartoonish illustrations (bare breasts, phalluses). Mention of "sticking a finger up someone's ass." An adult pretends to be a 10-year-old boy online and attempts to catfish a priest by talking about his "willy." A nude live model is seen from behind, buttocks visible, as students draw her (nonsexual context). An erection visible beneath a blanket. A woman is pregnant; there are complications but she and the baby are OK. Discussions of a past miscarriage by rape (see Violence & Scariness for details).
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Characters frequently drink and sometimes appear drunk. A main character drinks often, calls herself "a lush"; it's revealed she's previously been to rehab. Methods of attempted murder include drugging with different substances, such as roofies. Cigarette smoking occasionally visible.
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Characters drive Audi and Volvo cars and go to a Lizzo concert.
Diverse Representations
some
Co-written by Sharon Horgan (who also plays a main character), episodes are directed by women, and the original Belgian series was developed by a female writer, Malin-Sarah Gozin. The show centers around sisterhood and encourages women to take control of their own lives. The cast is majority White (many of whom are Irish). An important character is played by Daryl McCormack, who's biracial (Irish and African American), and a supporting character is played by Assaad Bouab, who's French Moroccan. One of the sisters wears an eye patch after losing her eye in an accident; she's also a lesbian and married to another woman. They lovingly raise a child together. Bouab's character is gay and the main villain bullies him, calling him "a homosexual" in a condescending tone and "ladies" when he walks past. Characters attend a pub quiz hosted by a drag queen.
Themes revolve around the potential murder of a man by his sisters-in-law to protect a sibling. Other moral gray areas include infidelity and lying, which are portrayed as acceptable behavior. But the strength of family and sisterhood during difficult times is central to the series.
Positive Role Models
very little
The five sisters love each other fiercely and show up for one another, though they do fight and occasionally say cruel things. They also plot to kill someone, incurring terrible collateral damage in the process (such as murder and maiming). Romantic couples are mostly toxic; partners frequently lie to one other. Thomas Claffin wants to protect his wife and family but isn't always ethical in his approach (forging signatures, invading people's privacy, etc.).
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Bad Sisters is a mature dark comedy set in Ireland that deals with themes like murder, domestic abuse, and infidelity. The plot revolves around planning and attempting murder, and characters (and a cat) occasionally die on-screen, but it isn't gory. A pet dog is accidentally killed (off-screen). Mentions of suicide and rape are heard. Expect frequent scenes of emotional abuse, manipulation, and domestic abuse. Characters have (nonexplicit) sex and masturbate; bare buttocks are seen once while art students sketch a live model. Language includes "f--k," "s--t," and plenty of sex-related terms like "pr--k" and "p---y." Characters often drink, and there's mention of a main character attending rehab in the past. Though sisterhood and family loyalty are strong themes, the series suggests that infidelity and lying to loved ones may not be the best behavior, but it's normal and acceptable. On diversity, the cast is mostly White (and Irish) but women have main roles, and characters of color appear in two important supporting roles. A main character is missing an eye and wears an eye patch; she's also a lesbian in a loving marriage. A supporting character, portrayed sympathetically, is gay and closeted at work.
Good show but definitely not for children under 17.
"Bad Sisters" is entertaining and a great show, but definitely not for children under 17. There are a few sex scenes, domestic violence, inappropriate language, partial nudity, lots of swearing, violence, harming of animals, and a few male characters who show behaviors of extreme misogyny. I was entertained but I wouldn't show this to my kid.
What's the Story?
Co-written and produced by Catastrophe's Sharon Horgan, BAD SISTERS is a dark comedy about an Irish clan of sisters who may or may not have killed one of their brothers-in-law. After the premature death of their parents, the Garvey sisters, including Eva (played by Horgan), Grace (Anne-Marie Duff), Becka (Eve Hewson), Ursula (Eva Birthistle), and Bibi (Sarah Greene), made a commitment to remain close and protect each other. When Grace's contemptible husband John Paul (Claes Bang) becomes more abusive, her sisters begin to fantasize about killing him. So when he dies in what authorities deem an accident, it's unclear if her siblings had anything to do with it. But insurance agent Thomas Claffin (Brian Gleeson) and his brother Matthew Claffin (Daryl McCormack) are doing everything they can to get to the bottom of the matter in hopes of both avoiding a huge payout to the widow and salvaging the family business.
The Irish dark comedy, which is based on the Belgian series Clan, offers a well-written story that's smart, witty, and dramatic. Bad Sisters effectively uses detailed flashbacks to raise suspicions about John Paul's death while highlighting the disasters created by people's efforts to cause it. Woven throughout are the sisters' efforts to cope with the aftermath of his passing, and Thomas Claffin's unscrupulous tactics to avoid financial ruin. Bad Sisters does have its share of disturbing moments, especially when showing the impact domestic abuse has on Grace and her daughter. Yet it strikes a balance between comedy and drama, making it possible to find humor in what's happening while appreciating the tragedies that are being revealed. Overall, it's a well-timed, well-performed series that will quickly draw you in and keep you entertained until the end.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how shows like Bad Sisters have plot lines that justify bad behaviors. Are the reasons that TV and movie characters give for committing an illegal act or hurting another person ever justifiable in real life? Why, or why not?
Dark comedies are known for addressing serious or painful subjects with humor. Are there any topics that are too disturbing or inappropriate to make light of? Does Bad Sisters avoid crossing that line?
The series explores the backstories of several female characters. Do they seem empowered to you, or are they victims of their surroundings? Why is it important to see women and girls in positive roles on-screen?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
