How to Get to Heaven from Belfast: A Twisted Road Trip Through Grief, Guilt, and Giggles

If you thought the chaos of adolescence in Derry Girls was stressful, wait until you see what happens when those girls grow up—or at least, when their spiritual successors do. Lisa McGee, the brilliant mind behind the global phenomenon Derry Girls, returns in 2026 with her highly anticipated follow-up: How to Get to Heaven from Belfast. Originally commissioned by Channel 4 before being snapped up by Netflix, this series marks a tonal shift for McGee, moving from pure sitcom to a genre-bending “comedy thriller.”

Premiering on February 12, 2026, the show trades Catholic school uniforms for the complex, messy realities of womanhood in one’s late thirties. Starring a powerhouse trio of Irish talent—Roisin Gallagher, Sinéad Keenan, and Caoilfhionn Dunne—the series promises to be the next obsession for fans of Bad Sisters and Killing Eve. For the audience on fmovies.tr who love British and Irish dramas that can make you laugh one minute and gasp in horror the next, this is the first essential binge-watch of the year.

The Plot: Three Friends, One Wake, and a Van Full of Secrets

The premise is deceptively simple, rooted in the familiar trope of the “school reunion,” but twisted into something far darker. We are introduced to three women who were once inseparable childhood friends but have since drifted into very different, dissatisfied lives.

Saoirse (Roisin Gallagher) is the chaotic writer, a woman who lives fast, drinks hard, and refuses to grow up, masking deep-seated pain with sarcasm. Robyn (Sinéad Keenan) is the “successful” one, a stressed-out mother whose perfect suburban life is fraying at the edges. Dara (Caoilfhionn Dunne) is the stoic caregiver, a woman who has sacrificed her own ambitions to look after others and is simmering with repressed rage.

The Letter That Changed Everything

Their estranged trio is forced back together by the sudden, mysterious death of Greta, an old classmate they were once close with. When they attend the wake, they discover that Greta has left them a final puzzle—or perhaps a trap. What starts as a respectful attendance at a funeral spirals into a chaotic, cross-country odyssey across rural Ireland.

The friends find themselves in possession of information (and perhaps items) they shouldn’t have, putting them in the crosshairs of dangerous people. As they travel in a battered van, trying to piece together the truth about Greta’s death, they must also confront the “ghosts” of their own pasts. The show masterfully balances the external mystery—Who killed Greta? Who is following them?—with the internal drama of a friendship that has been broken by time and unspoken resentments.

Creator’s Vision: Lisa McGee Goes “Gonzo”

Lisa McGee has described this series as her “dream project,” a chance to explore a slightly more unhinged side of storytelling. While Derry Girls was grounded in the reality of the Troubles (albeit through a comedic lens), How to Get to Heaven from Belfast operates in a heightened reality.

Genre-Bending Tone: McGee reunites with director Michael Lennox, and their shorthand is evident. They create a tone that critics are calling “Gonzo Noir.” The show swings wildly between slapstick comedy and genuine, nail-biting suspense. One moment, the characters are bickering about snacks in the van; the next, they are fleeing from a terrifying enforcer. This juxtaposition captures the absurdity of life—how tragedy and comedy often sit side-by-side.

Visual Style: The move to Netflix brings a cinematic sheen to the production. The landscapes of Northern Ireland are shot beautifully, contrasting the grey, urban grit of Belfast with the haunting, mist-covered beauty of the countryside. The visuals emphasize isolation, making the women feel small against the vast, ancient landscape they are traversing.

The Cast: A Masterclass in Irish Wit

The success of a show like this hinges entirely on the chemistry of its leads, and the casting director deserves an award for this assembly.

• Roisin Gallagher as Saoirse: Gallagher (known for The Lovers) is electric. She plays the “messy woman” trope with a fresh vulnerability. Saoirse is frustrating and selfish, but Gallagher makes her impossibly charming. She is the engine of chaos that drives the plot forward.
• Sinéad Keenan as Robyn: Keenan (Unforgotten, Being Human) is the master of nervous energy. Her portrayal of Robyn captures the specific anxiety of a woman trying to hold it all together while screaming on the inside. Her comedic timing, particularly in high-stress situations, is impeccable.
• Caoilfhionn Dunne as Dara: Dunne (Industry) plays the hardest role—the quiet one. However, her silence speaks volumes. Dara is the grounding force, the one with the darkest secrets, and Dunne’s subtle performance hints at a violence beneath the surface that is thrilling to watch.
• Supporting Stars: The show features a “who’s who” of Irish talent. Michelle Fairley (Catelyn Stark from Game of Thrones) appears as Margo, bringing a terrifying gravitas to the mystery. Emmett J. Scanlan and Ardal O’Hanlon (Father Ted) also make memorable appearances, bridging the gap between drama and comedy.

Critical Review: Bad Sisters Meets The Hangover

How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is arriving at the perfect time. Audiences are hungry for female-led thrillers that don’t take themselves too seriously but still deliver a compelling mystery.

The Evolution of Female Friendship

Much like Derry Girls, the heart of this show is friendship. However, this is not the naive friendship of teenagers. This is the complex, sometimes toxic, endurance-test friendship of adults. The script explores the idea that your oldest friends are the ones who know exactly how to hurt you, but also the only ones who will help you bury a body (metaphorically, or perhaps literally). The dialogue is razor-sharp, filled with the specific, rapid-fire Northern Irish banter that McGee writes better than anyone.

The Mystery Element

While the comedy is the hook, the thriller aspect is surprisingly robust. The mystery of Greta’s death is not just a MacGuffin; it is a well-plotted puzzle with legitimate twists. The show plays with the reliability of the narrator—Saoirse, in particular, is an unreliable guide, often misremembering or lying about the past. This keeps the audience on their toes.

Pacing and Structure

At 8 episodes, the series has time to breathe. Some critics might argue the middle episodes slow down slightly as the road trip extends, but this allows for deep character work. We get to understand *why* these women are so unhappy, making the stakes of their survival feel emotional rather than just physical.

How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is a triumph. It proves that Lisa McGee is not a one-hit wonder. It is a darker, more mature, and more dangerous beast than her previous work, but it retains the massive heart and the belly laughs.

It is a show about how we deal with the death of our youth, the disappointment of adulthood, and the terrifying realization that we might be the villains in someone else’s story. With stellar performances and a gripping plot, it is a must-watch. Buckle up; the road to heaven is paved with bad decisions.