Sharon Horgan has a specific talent for making murder look like a minor scheduling inconvenience. Two years after the Garvey sisters successfully—if messily—dispatched the "The Prick" (John Paul), they're back. Honestly, if you thought the tension would dissipate once the body was cold, you haven't been paying attention to how these women operate. The bad sisters episodes season 2 rollout on Apple TV+ has shifted the stakes from "how do we kill him?" to "how do we live with it?" It’s a darker, sweatier, and more paranoid brand of comedy.
People keep asking if the magic is still there without Claes Bang to kick around. It is. But it's different.
The first season was a puzzle box of "whodunnit" and "howdunnit." This time around, the narrative engine is fueled by the crushing weight of a shared secret. You can see it in Eva’s (Horgan) twitchy eyes and Grace’s (Anne-Marie Duff) increasingly fragile attempts at a "fresh start." They aren't just running from the law; they're running from the version of themselves that committed a crime. It’s brilliant, it's stressful, and it’s deeply Irish.
The Messy Reality of the Bad Sisters Episodes Season 2 Timeline
The story picks up two years after the events at the 40 Foot. If you’re looking for a recap, basically, JP is dead, the insurance guys have been (mostly) handled, and the sisters are trying to be normal. Except, you can’t really be normal when your sisterhood is forged in blood and bathtub mishaps.
The season kicks off with a wedding. Or a funeral? In the Garvey world, they’re often the same thing emotionally. The script doesn’t waste time. Within the first few bad sisters episodes season 2 offers us, we’re introduced to a new existential threat: a body in a trunk. It’s a classic trope, but Horgan and her writing team—including Dave Finkel and Brett Baer—twist it by making the discovery feel like an inevitability rather than a shock.
Becky (Eve Hewson) is still the wildcard. She’s perhaps the only one who seems to enjoy the adrenaline of the cover-up, which creates this delicious friction with the more grounded sisters like Ursula (Eva Birthistle). Ursula is dealing with the fallout of her own infidelity and the lingering guilt of her medical expertise being used for... well, not saving lives.
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Why Grace is the Secret Weapon This Year
Anne-Marie Duff deserves every award. Seriously. Her portrayal of Grace in the aftermath of JP’s death is haunting. While the other sisters are busy panicking about logistics, Grace is navigating the complex grief of losing an abuser. It’s a nuanced take on domestic violence survival that most "dark comedies" wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole.
In the early episodes, we see her trying to move on with a new man, Ian Wright (played by the always-excellent Fiona Shaw, though she's actually playing a different pivotal role—stay with me). Wait, scratch that—Fiona Shaw enters the fray as a neighbor/detective figure who smells blood in the water. She’s the foil the Garveys didn’t know they needed. A sharp, observant woman who doesn't buy the "accidental death" narrative for a second.
The New Threats and a Very Different Vibe
The structure has changed. We’ve moved away from the dual-timeline format of Season 1. We aren't flashing back to the "attempts" on JP’s life anymore because the deed is done. Now, the tension is linear. It’s a ticking clock.
- The Police: They aren't just bumbling anymore. The investigation into the "accident" has been reopened because of "new evidence" (which is the universal TV signal for: someone talked).
- The Neighborhood: Living in a small Irish town means everyone is in your business. The Garveys are local celebrities, and not in a good way.
- The Internal Rot: The sisters are starting to snap at each other. That "one for all" mentality is easy when you’re planning a murder; it’s much harder when you’re facing twenty years in prison.
Bibibi (Sarah Greene) remains the anchor, though even her stoicism is wearing thin. There’s a scene in the third episode where she just stares at the sea, and you realize she’s the one who truly understands the cost of what they did. She lost an eye in the first season's chaos; she’s not looking to lose her soul in the second.
Is It Still Funny?
Yes. Somehow.
The humor in bad sisters episodes season 2 is gallows humor at its peak. It’s the kind of laughs you get when you’re at a wake and someone tells a joke that’s slightly too inappropriate. It’s the absurdity of trying to dispose of evidence while worrying about what to bring to a potluck dinner. The dialogue is snappy, cynical, and feels like a real conversation between siblings who have known each other’s secrets since they were in diapers.
What Most People Miss About the "Prick's" Legacy
Even though John Paul is dead, his ghost—metaphorically speaking—haunts every frame. The show explores how trauma doesn't just vanish because the source of it is gone. The sisters are still reacting to him. They are still making decisions based on the fear he instilled in them.
This is where the writing shines. It avoids the "Second Season Slump" by refusing to just repeat the hits. They aren't trying to kill another husband (yet). They are trying to kill the memory of the first one. It’s a psychological thriller wrapped in a floral-patterned cardigan.
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The introduction of Angelica (Fiona Shaw) is the catalyst for the season's main conflict. She represents the outside world looking in. She isn't blinded by sisterly love. She sees the inconsistencies, the weird coincidences, and the way the Garveys all seem to hold their breath at the same time when a police car drives by.
Breaking Down the Episode Pacing
Apple TV+ opted for a weekly release, which was a smart move. Binging this show is like drinking a bottle of whiskey—it’s great at first, but you’ll end up with a massive headache from the stress.
- Episode 1: Sets the "two years later" stage. The wedding. The trunk. The panic.
- Episode 2: Focuses on the "New Evidence." The sisters have to get their stories straight, which is harder than it sounds when they all remember the night differently.
- Episode 3: The introduction of the new investigators. The heat turns up.
- Episode 4: A deep dive into Grace’s psyche. This is the emotional core of the season.
The middle stretch of the season focuses heavily on the fraying threads of their alibis. Someone is lying. Not just to the police, but to the other sisters. That’s the real danger. If the Garvey bond breaks, they all go down.
The Production Value: Ireland as a Character
The cinematography remains stunning. The rugged Irish coastline serves as a perfect backdrop for the rugged, jagged lives of these women. The cold, grey water of the 40 Foot is a recurring motif—a place of cleansing, but also a place that hides secrets.
The music, too, is pitch-perfect. It uses that jaunty, slightly off-kilter folk vibe to underline the absurdity of the situations. It tells you it’s okay to laugh, even while your heart is pounding.
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Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Viewers
If you’re diving into the bad sisters episodes season 2 journey, here is how to get the most out of the experience:
- Watch the Season 1 Finale Again: You need the specifics of the JP "accident" fresh in your mind. The devil is in the details, and this season calls back to very specific lies told in the finale.
- Pay Attention to the Background: The showrunners love to hide visual clues. Watch the props in the background of Eva’s house—they often hint at what’s coming next.
- Don't Root for a "Clean" Ending: This isn't that kind of show. The joy of Bad Sisters is the mess. Embrace the fact that these women are deeply flawed and often make terrible choices.
- Keep an Eye on the New Characters: Don't dismiss the neighbors or the random police officers. In this universe, everyone has a motive and everyone is watching.
The brilliance of this season lies in its refusal to be a simple sequel. It’s a deconstruction of what happens after the "happily ever after" of a successful crime. It’s about the long, slow burn of consequences.
The Garvey sisters are back, and they are just as terrifyingly relatable as ever. Just don't let them near your car trunk or your evening tea. You've been warned.