# Derry Girls (2018)

> Five teenage schoolmates in 1990s Derry navigate friendship, family and first crushes while the Troubles rumble on around them.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/65970

## Facts

- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 19
- Episode runtime: 23 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: comedy, drama
- Created by: Lisa McGee
- Network: Channel 4
- Cast: Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Louisa Harland, Nicola Coughlan, Jamie Lee O'Donnell, Dylan Llewellyn, Tara Lynne O'Neill, Tommy Tiernan, Kathy Kiera Clarke
- TMDB rating: 8.5/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7120662/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: irreverent, warm, sharp, bittersweet, comedic

## What critics say

Viewers broadly acclaim Derry Girls as a sharp, warm teen comedy whose humour and well-drawn friendships carry its Troubles-era backdrop.

## Synopsis

Derry Girls (2018-2022) is a British sitcom created by Lisa McGee for Channel 4. Set in 1990s Derry, Northern Ireland, the three-season series follows Erin Quinn (Saoirse-Monica Jackson) and her cousin Orla McCool (Louisa Harland) as they navigate a Catholic girls' school alongside friends Clare Devlin (Nicola Coughlan) and Michelle Mallon (Jamie Lee O'Donnell) and an English pupil, James Maguire (Dylan Llewellyn). Their everyday engine is ordinary teenage life, with crushes, exam worries, family dinners and schemes that spiral out of control. Each episode runs on brisk, quick-witted dialogue, while the political conflict of the Troubles hums in the background through checkpoints, bombings-in-the-news and the tense, watchful presence of adults. The show balances broad slapstick with real warmth and a sharp sense of place. Its mix of irreverent humour and quiet melancholy has drawn comparisons to The Inbetweeners and Fleabag. Fans of sharp, character-driven comedy with a bittersweet edge will find much to enjoy here.

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