Lisa McGee, the creative force behind the beloved Derry Girls, has delivered another hit with her latest series. How to Get to Heaven From Belfast landed on Netflix on February 12, 2026, and viewers are already praising this darkly funny mystery . The eight-episode series follows three childhood friends in their late thirties—Saoirse (Roisin Gallagher), Robyn (Sinéad Keenan), and Dara (Caoilfhionn Dunne)—who reunite after the death of their fourth friend, Greta. What begins as a solemn trip to a wake transforms into a dangerous and hilarious investigation across Ireland when they suspect Greta’s death was not an accident .
Critics have responded positively to the series, highlighting its sharp writing, surreal noir visuals, and soundtrack packed with nostalgic 2000s hits from artists like Girls Aloud, Nelly, and Atomic Kitten . Mashable describes it as “a must-watch for Derry Girls enthusiasts,” while The Guardian awarded it four stars, urging audiences: “If you see nothing else this year, watch this” . The Hollywood Reporter also praised the “superb” and “impeccably cast” lead trio .
If you have already finished this chaotic, emotional, and twist-filled ride and find yourself wanting more shows that blend Irish settings, female friendship, dark humor, and gripping mysteries, here are five excellent recommendations to add to your watchlist.
Derry Girls
Before Lisa McGee created How to Get to Heaven From Belfast, she gave the world Derry Girls, and watching the new series without having seen this one means missing essential context . This beloved sitcom, which ran for three series, is set in mid-1990s Derry, Northern Ireland, during The Troubles. However, the political conflict, while present in the background, never takes center stage. Instead, the show focuses on five teenagers—Erin, Orla, Clare, Michelle, and their English cousin James—as they navigate the universal chaos of adolescence: crushes, school exams, family drama, and attempts to sneak into gigs .
The connection between the two shows runs deep. Derry Girls established McGee’s signature style: fast-paced dialogue, absurd situations, and a profound understanding of female friendship—the fierce loyalty, brutal honesty, and utter silliness that define those bonds . If the flashback scenes of the four friends as teenagers in How to Get to Heaven From Belfast resonated with you, Derry Girls feels like watching their younger selves grow up, albeit with even more outrageous humor. The show also features a perfect 1990s soundtrack and introduced audiences to Saoirse-Monica Jackson, who appears in a delightfully unhinged cameo role in the new Netflix series . Derry Girls is available to stream on Netflix .
Bad Sisters
If the combination of sisterhood, murder plots, and black comedy was your favorite aspect of How to Get to Heaven From Belfast, then Bad Sisters deserves a top spot on your list . Created by and starring Sharon Horgan, one of Ireland’s most prolific writers, this Apple TV+ series follows the five Garvey sisters, who share an incredibly close bond. The complication arises from Grace, one of the sisters, who remains trapped in a miserable marriage to John Paul, a controlling and abusive man despised by the entire family.
The show opens with John Paul dead, and an insurance investigator digging into the sisters, convinced they played a role in his demise. Through flashbacks, Bad Sisters reveals the sisters’ numerous and often hilarious failed attempts to get rid of him. Much like the trio in McGee’s series, the Garvey sisters form a mismatched but fiercely loyal group. The show expertly balances laugh-out-loud moments with genuinely dark and devastating themes, proving, like How to Get to Heaven From Belfast, that stories centered on women can carry both comedy and darkness without losing emotional depth . The series spans two seasons and earned Emmy nominations for its writing and Horgan’s performance . Bad Sisters is available to stream on Apple TV+ .
Dead to Me
Dead to Me offers another perfect example of what happens when female friendship takes a very dark turn . This Netflix series, which ran for three seasons, stars Christina Applegate as Jen, a tightly wound real estate agent whose husband died in a hit-and-run, and Linda Cardellini as Judy, a free-spirited optimist she meets at a grief support group. The two women form an immediate, deep bond. The complication arises from Judy hiding a massive secret that directly connects her to Jen’s loss.
As the series progresses, what begins as a story about mutual healing spirals into a high-stakes web of lies, cover-ups, and even murder. The friendship between Jen and Judy proves messy, co-dependent, and tested by unimaginable circumstances, yet it remains the emotional anchor of the show. Much like Saoirse, Robyn, and Dara in the Irish comedy-thriller, these women find themselves in over their heads, forced to rely on each other to survive the chaos. The show balances laugh-out-loud moments with genuine devastation, making it a binge-worthy pick for anyone who enjoys stories where the bond between women serves as both a lifeline and a complication . Dead to Me is available to stream on Netflix.
The Lovers
For viewers who appreciated the contemporary Irish setting and complex, lived-in characters of How to Get to Heaven From Belfast, The Lovers offers a slightly different but equally compelling take . This romantic comedy-drama, available on SkyShowtime, stars Johnny Flynn as Seamus, a somewhat arrogant English television presenter who travels to Belfast to host a political show. There, he meets Janet, played by Roisin Gallagher—whom viewers will immediately recognize as Saoirse from McGee’s new series .
Janet works as a supermarket worker who seems to have no filter and no desire to please anyone. Despite coming from completely different worlds and despite Seamus having a partner back in London, the two begin a volatile and passionate affair. What makes this show stand out is how it weaves in the emotional scars left by Northern Ireland’s history without letting the conflict overshadow the central relationship. The dialogue remains sharp, the chemistry between the proves palpable, and it offers a more grounded, romantic look at life in Belfast compared to the manic mystery of How to Get to Heaven From Belfast. This series serves as an excellent choice if you want to see Gallagher in another leading role that showcases her range .
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Bodkin
If the true-crime podcast angle in How to Get to Heaven From Belfast—Saoirse works as a crime show writer drawn to sinister plots—captured your interest, then Bodkin deserves your attention . This Netflix series follows a motley crew of podcasters who travel to the small, fictional Irish town of Bodkin to investigate a cold case involving three mysterious disappearances from years past.
The team consists of Gilbert (Will Forte), an American podcaster with a sunny disposition; Dove (Siobhán Cullen), a cynical, no-nonsense Dublin journalist who wants nothing to do with his cheerful enthusiasm; and Emmy (Robyn Cara), an eager young researcher. What they expect to be a straightforward story quickly unravels as the tight-lipped locals prove less than helpful and the town’s dark secrets begin to surface. Like McGee’s series, Bodkin mixes unsettling characters, black humor, and genuine mystery . It also pokes fun at the true-crime genre itself, much like how Saoirse’s career as a crime writer becomes a running joke in How to Get to Heaven From Belfast. The show captures the strange atmosphere of small-town Ireland and the way the past refuses to stay buried .
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