Lisa McGee's new eight-part mystery thriller, How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, follows three friends, Saoirse, Robyn, and Dara, who reunite for a friend's funeral after their teenage years at school. The show is a mix of thriller and comedy, with a touch of surrealism, as the trio tries to solve the mystery behind their friend Greta's death.
The story jumps back and forth in time, showing the friends' past adventures and misadventures. Saoirse, a TV writer in London, feels trapped in her life, while Robyn, a glamorous mum of four, is married to a man she doesn't really like. Dara, on the other hand, lives at home with her overbearing mother.
As they investigate Greta's death, they encounter a cast of quirky characters, including a Knives Out-style detective and a Kenny Rogers impersonator who met his demise in a bucking bronco. The show is full of dark humor and satire, poking fun at Northern Irish culture and society.
McGee drew inspiration from her own life and experiences growing up in Belfast. She wanted to create a story about female friendships that span decades and the pressure to edit those shared memories to suit our ideas of ourselves.
The show's tone is quintessentially Northern Irish, with a touch of Lynchian bleakness and surrealism. McGee hopes that audiences will enjoy the show's dark humor and satire, as well as its portrayal of strong, active female protagonists.
"How to Get to Heaven from Belfast" is available on Netflix in February 2023.
The story jumps back and forth in time, showing the friends' past adventures and misadventures. Saoirse, a TV writer in London, feels trapped in her life, while Robyn, a glamorous mum of four, is married to a man she doesn't really like. Dara, on the other hand, lives at home with her overbearing mother.
As they investigate Greta's death, they encounter a cast of quirky characters, including a Knives Out-style detective and a Kenny Rogers impersonator who met his demise in a bucking bronco. The show is full of dark humor and satire, poking fun at Northern Irish culture and society.
McGee drew inspiration from her own life and experiences growing up in Belfast. She wanted to create a story about female friendships that span decades and the pressure to edit those shared memories to suit our ideas of ourselves.
The show's tone is quintessentially Northern Irish, with a touch of Lynchian bleakness and surrealism. McGee hopes that audiences will enjoy the show's dark humor and satire, as well as its portrayal of strong, active female protagonists.
"How to Get to Heaven from Belfast" is available on Netflix in February 2023.
... but at the same time, I'm not sure if I want to watch a mystery thriller with all that dark humor and satire 
. I mean, can't we just have a light-hearted drama for once? But then again, the whole concept of jumping back and forth in time and exploring female friendships across decades is kinda fascinating 
... but what if it's just gonna be too sappy or cheesy for me? And don't even get me started on the surrealism – I love it sometimes, but not when it's done wrong 
. I guess I'm all over the place with this one...
! The concept sounds so intriguing - three friends reunite after all these years to solve a mystery, but it's not just about the crime, it's about their complicated pasts and how they've all ended up in weird places 
. I love that it's got a mix of thriller and comedy, with a touch of surrealism... like, who wouldn't want to watch a Kenny Rogers impersonator meet his demise on a bucking bronco 
? The fact that it's based on Lisa McGee's own experiences growing up in Belfast adds another layer of depth to the story. I'm especially interested in seeing how they portray strong female friendships and the pressure to edit memories to suit our ideas of ourselves 
. Can't wait to binge-watch this one! 
! I mean, Lisa McGee's writing style is so unique, it's like she took a bit of her childhood in Belfast and mashed it with some Edgar Allan Poe vibes... you know what I mean? It's like that old saying "you can't go home again" but in this show, they're literally trying to figure out what happened to their friend Greta and it's like McGee is poking fun at the whole idea of nostalgia, ya know? 
. The show's got this dark humor thing going on but it's not like it's mean-spirited or anything... more like McGee is just pointing out the absurdity of life, you feel?
. I mean, Netflix says Feb 2023, but I've been searching for this show for months now and all I see are ads 
. Can't they just give us a release date already? 
, but only if you're into that sort of thing. I'm not really sure what to expect from this show, and honestly, I'm a bit skeptical about the whole "surrealism" vibe 
. I mean, can't it just be a normal mystery thriller for once? 
It sounds so relatable, you know? 
, and I love how it pokes fun at Northern Irish culture – it's all so witty and sharp! 
. It's like, women supporting each other through thick and thin, and not afraid to get a little weird 
. I'm all about that vibe 
. And McGee's got skills – she's created this whole world that feels so authentic 
.
in Feb 2023 – can't wait to binge and laugh (and maybe even cry a little 
) with these quirky characters 
!
I mean, a Kenny Rogers impersonator who died on a bucking bronco? that's some crazy stuff! 
. I'm hooked on this show now!
... I mean, it's supposed to be this dark humor and satire thing, but I'm not sure how consistent that'll be throughout the whole series. And what's up with the surrealism? I can see why McGee would draw inspiration from her own life in Belfast, but I hope she didn't lose herself in the process 
. I'm also here for the dark humor and satire - Northern Irish culture isn't often represented in TV shows so that's a win in my book 
.
. Maybe it'll be a guilty pleasure that I can binge-watch on a lazy Sunday 
.
... sounds like a messy mix of comedy and thriller vibes 
... the creator drew from her own life in Belfast, which is cool, but also kinda sad 
... I mean, who hasn't felt like Greta, living a life that isn't really yours? 
. The female leads are so well-written, they feel like real people you can relate to... or maybe even get frustrated with 
. One thing that really resonated with me was how she tackled the theme of editing memories to suit our own narratives... it's something we can all relate to, right?
. Can't wait to see what the rest of the episodes bring!
. But hey, at least this show will be available on Netflix when I get around to watching it...