Derry Girls hits the right notes

It’ll be a while before the Derry Girls dust settles. But what’s most impressive following that incredible finale on Wednesday night is that we’re all talking about the message. The poignancy. As in - everyone has temporarily forgotten how this series (which we all assumed would be rubbish back before it started, let’s be honest) was genuinely incredible TV. Proper funny, perfectly cast, sublimely well written comedy. You don’t see that much these days - especially maintained over three seasons.

Yet it’s the sit in sitcom we’re all mulling over after Wednesday - many of us grateful of being reminded just how far we’ve come here - and just how far we have to go. Writer Lisa Mcgee found the sweet spot and has managed to do something no one else has came close to - she illustrated the unfiltered reality of the peace process. The decisions, the torment, the doubt and the potential impact on those who matter (i.e the young people). To the rest of the UK, the rest of the world, even. No one has done that - not really - not in a way that helpfully captured it so plainly, so convincingly. She has so much to answer for.

But yes - there was more. Here’s a few things we’ll miss now this most outstanding show is finally over….

1. THOSE ACCENTS

It’s not that long ago that if someone from Northern Ireland appeared on the TV, there’d sometimes be subtitles for the broader UK audience. As if they were speaking a different language. Then (and to this day) Northern Irish actors generally tone down their accent. Even if their character is Northern Irish. But there was to be none of that on Derry Girls - to Lisa Mcgee’s credit. If anything - the actual Derry girls - Saoirsemonica Jackson and Jamie-lee O’donnell in particular - doubled down. The audience around the world would simply have to get used to the accent and that colourful dialect. Which remarkably - they did.

2. THOSE FACES

As in the face acting - the exaggerated contortions across each character’s face that matched the drama. A lot of viewers argued it was too hammy and that no one actually says things with their face quite as screwed up as Erin (in particular) - but I disagree. I know and remember teenage girls (and boys) who speak/spoke with their entire face - their entire body even. When you’re that age, you’ll do anything to get across just how important what you have to say is.

3. THE SUBTLY

Of course this show wasn’t designed to make any kind of political point - and there was equal teasing of both ‘sides’. There was also, however - nods to the heroes of the peace process - the likes of John Hume (Aunt Sarah notes ‘John’s really dying for peace, isn’t he?’) and Mo Mowlan (‘she’s a ballsy wee thing, isn’t she” - again Aunt Sarah).

4. THE MAMS

In a brave move, Lisa Mcgee wrote an entire flashback episode dedicated ‘to the mams’ -in which we learn Aunt Sarah and Ma Mary’s backstory. The timing was good as - from the start of that third series - I really wanted to see more of those two - and the adults in general. Likely because it was so touching learning how Ma Mary (brilliantly played by the awesome Tara Lynn O’neill) - sick of being the overworked housewife - wanted to return to her studies. And how Gerry - her husband correctly reckoned she should and could do anything she put her mind to.

5. THE MUSIC

Someone has put together a Spotify playlist which compiles the music featured across the show - and it includes an astonishing 194 songs. Given it’s wall to wall 90s bangers - the playlist is an absolute joy, start to finish. I do wonder just how big the music clearance budget must have been, though.

6. THE (JOINT) BEST ENDING TO A SERIES OF A SITCOM, EVER

I’ll never forget seeing the end of series one for the first time. I blubbed like a baby watching the adults witness news of a huge bomb going off Granda Joe subtly embracing his arch nemesis Gerry. But then - a sharp cut to the kids dancing at a school concert, being daft as ever….it was a moment of heart wrenching beauty. Right up there with the end of Blackadder Goes Forth in the poignancy stakes. For me it equals Edmund and co going over the top as the most memorable end to a sitcom series, ever.

7. THE CAMEOS

Liam Neeson got the honour of being relentlessly bored by the always awesome Uncle Colm that was the big surprise at the start of series 3. And Chelsea Clinton was quite the curve ball at the end. But there was cameos throughout - I particularly enjoyed a barely recognisable Foy Vance’s cover of ‘Teenage Kicks’ during the flashback episode, as he fronted a band which also featured Portaferry singer Ryan Mcmullan. It was also mad to learn that Donna Traynor’s appearances were cameos - I’d initially assumed it was footage of her reading the news in the 90s. Just turns out she hasn’t aged at all in 30 years.

8. THE CASTING

Yes Kevin Mcaleer as Uncle Colm was understandably everyone’s favourite recurring character - but a shout out for Leah O’rourke as the brilliantly irritating Jenny Joyce - and her endlessly faithful and easily lead best mate Aisling - (played by Beccy Henderson - check our her band Vokxen - they’re great). Then there’s Paul Mallon as the angry shopkeeper and - of course - Siobhan Mcsweeney as Sister George Michael.

9. THE STARS

Lisa Mcgee has bestowed stardom on the five actors playing the main characters - and it’ll be very exciting to see how things pan out for them going forward. Saoirse-monica Jackson stars in Marvel movie The Flash next year, while Jamie-lee O’donnell got the lead role in recent Channel 4 hit, Screw. Dylan Llewellyn will lead in another Channel 4 show Pistol while Nicola Coughlan is now known globally thanks to her role in Bridgerton. For now Louise Harland is the only main cast member without a major role coming up (that we know of) - but you get the feeling this incredible actor could break through even more than the others. To think they were all relative unknowns back in January 2018…

10. THE PORTRAYAL OF NORTHERN IRELAND

It was all done with such sensitivity yet felt utterly authentic. I remember back in the day how we often greeted news of a bomb alert with the same indifference as Aunt Sarah (who was more concerned about missing a beauty appointment). I also remember the type of daft cross community events the gang end up being sent to in season two. We’re a weird little part of the world, aren’t we? Best to just embrace it - to laugh, to remember, to try and move on. To focus on hope. And that’s the show in a nutshell.