On paper, the show ‘Derry Girls’ created by writer Lisa McGee, doesn’t have the characteristics of the big hit shows of the 2020s. It was not initially released on a big streaming platform; it’s a period drama, but of the typical kind, and it features the kind of accurate regional accent Hollywood seems to be terrified of (see the recent ‘Wuthering Heights’ adaptation). Yet this show, which aired on Channel 4 from 2018 to 2022 for 3 seasons, has achieved cult status and built a loyal international fanbase.
For those who haven’t run into the Sister Michael memes on social media, ‘Derry Girls’ follows a group of Northern Irish teen girls and a wee English fella who attend a Catholic secondary school during the final phases of the Troubles, a period of conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted from the late 1960s to 1998. The titular Derry girls’ screwball humor and endless antics are not the sole elements that make this show so special. The close connections between them, their colorful families, and their community are what tie it all together and what will make you tear up during the show’s many emotional scenes.
This February, Netflix released another show by McGee, ’How to Get to Heaven from Belfast’. It’s the story of a group of thirty-eight-year-old girlfriends from Belfast who travel together to the Republic of Ireland for the funeral of a fellow high school friend, uncovering old secrets and facing their traumas. Albeit much darker and showier than ‘Derry Girls’, this Netflix series shares many commonalities with its predecessor: the quick-witted humor, a Northern Irish setting, and a ragtag group of long-term female friends. They are both hilarious, fast-paced “girl adventure shows”.
These relationships are ones that people, especially women and femme-presenting people, are finding increasingly important during these troubling times, when capitalism and individualism make building and maintaining meaningful connections much harder, especially as working adults. According to San Diego State University (SDSU)’s Centre for the Study of Women in Television and Film, the percentage of major female characters declined by 3% from 39% in 2024 to 36% in 2025, and the percentage of female writers working on streaming platforms was 34% in 2024-2025. While women are still underrepresented in the industry, honest, compelling stories written by women about women and their friendships are what many viewers seek. When these tales make it to the screen, they become unsurprisingly popular.
As funny as they are, the friendships, familial relationships, and community ties portrayed in ‘Derry Girls’ and ‘How to Get to Heaven from Belfast’ are oddly realistic, just like the characters that form them. These people know each other deeply, flaws and all. They often fight and misunderstand each other, yet they are there for one another in big and small moments. This way, McGee’s shows capture a reality that people seeking and those lucky enough to have tighter bonds know well: real friendship and community building take time and proximity, but, more than anything, they require forgiveness, empathy, and consistent showing up.
In a way, these comedy shows are weirdly aspirational, but also a blueprint for how friendships and other platonic relationships can not only survive dark times but also help people get through them.
