7 reasons why ‘Bad Sisters’ is a feminist TV show you have to watch
Women’s stories have been having a moment for quite some time, and it wouldn’t be incorrect to say that the upswing is partly due to the political climate we’ve all shared ever since Obama left office. In a sea of TV shows about women’s strength and women’s pain, Bad Sisters stands out as must-see television.
Watch now: Bad Sisters on Apple TV+
If you’re new to the series, Bad Sisters is about the Garvey sisters: Eva (Sharon Horgan), Ursula (Eva Birthistle), Becka (Eve Hewson), Bibi (Sarah Greene) and Grace (Anne-Marie Duff). Grace is married to John Paul (Claes Bang), also known as JP—a man who is not only abusive to his wife but to each of her sisters, as well as his daughter and mother.
In the show’s first season, Eva, Ursula, Becka, and Bibi devise a plan to get rid of JP for good but keep failing at their attempts to kill him. When he finally dies, the sisters aren’t behind the act—and they work together to find out who was.
Here’s why feminists should watch Bad Sisters, which returns to Apple TV+ on Nov. 13.
It’s about women standing up for one another
The Garvey sisters are clear about one thing: they are willing to go to any length to protect and stand up for one another, something that can be reassuring to see as a viewer.
The women aren’t portrayed as being perfect
None of the women on the show are portrayed as the “perfect victim” of JP’s many aggressions—in fact, their flaws are often highlighted throughout the series, which makes them relatable.
It brings together women of different generations
The show can bring together viewers whose lives span different generations and different eras of feminism. While the specific goals and ideals might shift, feminists of all ages understand what it’s like to encounter a man who is, simply put, horrible, and to have to come up with a way to cope with that reality.
It reminds you that you can land on your feet
One of the themes of the (admittedly, pretty dark) series is that if you find yourself backed up against a wall, remember that you can land on your feet—even if how you’ll land on your feet isn’t clear in the moment. While the show’s themes are dark, that lesson is powerful for women, especially when you can’t see a way out of a troubling or toxic situation.
The show never makes you root for its villain
One of the best things about Bad Sisters is that it never makes you root for JP or feel sympathy for him—it is clear that he is not a good person and harmful to the women in his life.
The sisters’ relationships are realistic
The Garvey sisters portray sisterhood in all of its muck and glory. They love each other and will go to the ends of the earth to protect each other, but they also bicker, moan, and complain, and that love doesn’t always mean they like each other.
It reflects aspects of our current political climate
In this era of “your body, my choice,” the character of JP accurately reflects a segment of the population that many women encounter weekly, if not daily. Murder notwithstanding, there’s something cathartic about seeing the women on the show react to JP’s generally deplorable behavior the same way many women would react to it in real life.
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