The “Bad Sisters” finale did me in. Yes, you will find out who did John Paul (J.P.) in, and yes, it’s a brilliant surprise, one that’s totally in keeping with what you would want it to be, but really, we all did him in. Every woman I know who has been smart enough to take this in every Friday for the last ten weeks has a hand in his death. There isn’t anyone, not one person among us, who wanted him to be anything other than dead all four times they tried to kill him. So who did it? No one really cares.
“Bad Sisters” is the best series of 2022, at least so far. God, we have to tip our Instagram likes to Apple TV+, which is slaying it when it comes to series and films led by women writers, directors, and actors. This leads me to Sharon Horgan, whose work on “Catastrophe” was fabulous, though not quite on par with the journey she takes us on with the fabulous Garvey girls. It makes one want to be an orphan with four sisters and a man to kill.
J.P., played by Danish actor Claes Bang, should not have taken on the role. He will never again be likeable to anyone who has seen him brilliantly play the worst man who’s ever lived. His character possesses every hateful quality you have ever seen in any man you have had the displeasure of disliking for their treatment of other humans … and cats. He will never recover. Since you might never see him again, watch him in "The Square", which came out in 2017 and is very funny... and very dark.
Remember when sweet and savory first came to the culinary tables of the luxury market, and you weren’t sure about the trend but you went along with it anyway, and now you can’t imagine not having both sweet and savory in your life? Well, this story would not be palatable or the least bit believable (which, amusingly enough, it sort of is) without its humor, some of which is close to slapstick, which I’ve never liked on-screen until I watched this series. The story is so horrendous, so filled with the worst that women have had to suffer for centuries, that only the humor is able to get us through it. Because the cast is incredibly talented and has such perfect timing on comments that will fester for hours to come, we are so grateful to watch what we know will be J.P. finally getting what he deserves. Many of us who once held firmly that “an eye for an eye” is a shameful approach cannot help but defend J.P.’s demise as the only just outcome in this case.
The subplot of the insurance agent brothers, Thomas and Matthew, who are fighting their own undeserved family fuckups, tells a tale familiar to many. These characters are human and funny and kind. I love them both, and thank God they are on this series, or we would likely have to do away with the male gender altogether.
Sharon Horgan, Apple TV+ was smart to bring you on board. What’s next? Whatever you do, wherever you go, I will follow. And, as an aside, your acting is sublime. Very few are talented in all the hallways of the film industry. It’s so nice to follow you as you do your thing.
- Christine Merser
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