A ‘gripping’ Irish comedy series that was nominated for 4 Emmys and a Bafta has been ‘axed’ after two seasons.
Created by and starring Sharon Horgan, Bad Sisters was based on the Belgian series Clan and followed the five Garvey sisters – Eva (Sharon), Grace (Anne-Marie Duff), Ursula (Eva Birthistle), Bibi (Sarah Greene) and Becka (Eve Hewson).
The first season of the Apple TV Plus series – which was released in 2022 – followed the sisters in the aftermath of the death of Grace’s abusive husband John Paul (Claes Bang), with the siblings then becoming the focus of a life insurance investigation.
It then returned last year for a subsequent season, which was set two years after JP’s death as the sisters were doing their best to move on, but were ‘thrust back into the spotlight when a past truth resurfaced’.
Both seasons were critically acclaimed, with reviews saying it was a ‘hilariously funny black comedy’.
‘Bad Sisters is compelling and truthful in a way that will leave viewers laughing to keep from feeling the pain, all while cheering the Garvey sisters on,’ CBR wrote in its review.
‘Razor-sharp dialogue and laugh-out-loud moments create space for heavier themes, as the show investigates complex family structures, sisterly relationships and emotional abuse, all whipped up in a delicious Horgan melee,’ the London Evening Standard wrote.
‘The writing and performances make the Garvey girls feel so real, you miss them when it’s over,’ Time added.
Meanwhile viewers said it was ‘gripping’, a ‘must watch’, had ‘lots of twists’ and was ‘one of the best series I have watched in ages’.
However, it’s now been reported the show has been cancelled, partly due to Sharon ‘signing a big-money deal with HBO’.
‘Many viewers who watched the first couple of series felt like the story reached a natural conclusion anyway, but of course, they hoped there’d be more,’ a source told The Sun.
‘With every passing month it seemed less and less likely and now the show has been shelved by Apple completely, it’s not a huge shock, but it’s still a big disappointment for fans.
‘It’s a particularly sad state of affairs because it was one of the few comedies in recent years that seem to have cut through with audiences, and many will be sad to see how short lived it is.’
Earlier this year it was announced that Sharon, who had previously created other shows including Pulling, Catastrophe, Motherland and Shining Vale, had signed a two-year contract with HBO, which had given her and her production company Merman a straight-to-series order for a new comedy series that she will write, executive produce and star in.
In an interview published by Deadline last week Sharon was asked about the possibility of another season.
‘Well, I spent some time thinking about ideas, because it’s hard not to. When I talked to Apple about it, I mean, obviously I’m doing my HBO show, and so that’s what I’m concentrating on now. But when I spoke to Apple about it, it was kind of like, if I did it again, I’d want time to have passed,’ she explained.
‘And I want it to feel so real that whatever story lands on them, again, I’d want it to feel very believable and very truthful that these women could find themselves in another situation that deserves a narrative. So, whatever happens, I’d want to wait for a while and then pick up the story again.
‘But it is about finding the right story. There’s literally no point in doing it for me or for the cast or for the fans of the show if it isn’t a great story. That goes without saying. So, it’s always like there’s something percolating in my head, and then I’ll have to see if it becomes a thing.’
Meanwhile executive producer Dearbhla Walsh told Radio Times last year that season 2 ‘has an ending’ and ‘does feel satisfying… so this one is complete’.
Metro has contacted Apple TV Plus and representatives for Sharon Horgan for comment.
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