TV Show review
Review basis: 2 seasons, 18 episodes · through December 24, 2024
August 19, 2022 · TV-MA · Ended
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
Bad Sisters is an Irish black comedy drama about five sisters who band together when one is trapped in an abusive marriage to a controlling man. The sisters plot against him and face the consequences after his sudden death, with the story unfolding across two seasons in dual timelines. The show adds a lesbian sister married to a woman who has an adopted Black son as part of the core family, and the lead creator has described the story as catharsis for hating a monstrous religious man who hurts women.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Bad Sisters.
Woke representation / casting
One of the five main sisters is lesbian and married to a woman; they raise an adopted Black son with an IVF storyline in season 2. A mixed-race love interest for another sister and a gay supporting character are visible. These elements were added to the adaptation.
Woke political dialogue
Characters repeatedly call out the husband's misogyny, control, and religious hypocrisy. The tone stays personal and comedic rather than delivering activist lectures.
Identity-driven story themes
The narrative centers on women protecting each other from a toxic man and standing together as sisters. The prominent queer family for one sister and emphasis on female solidarity add weight.
Western institutional / cultural critique
The villain is framed as a religious patriarch who uses faith and traditional roles to abuse his wife. The creator has publicly linked the story to institutional sexism and bigotry.
Production
Woke character or canon changes
The adaptation from the original Belgian Clan added a lesbian sister with a wife and Black adopted child plus a mixed-race boyfriend; these identity elements were not in the source.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
There is almost no documented backlash accusing the show of pushing woke, DEI, or identity politics. Viewer and critic comments focused on story quality and the abuse themes.
Creator track record context
Sharon Horgan has described her work in terms of resistance to abusive men and institutional sexism and has backed progressive causes like abortion rights. The other main creators have mainstream comedy or storytelling backgrounds with limited activist records.
