Bad Sisters Recap: Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Busybodies

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As a longtime fan of Shondaland productions and a connoisseur of intricate, twisty plots, I must say that Bad Sisters has quickly become one of my favorite shows. Each episode is a rollercoaster ride of emotions, keeping me on the edge of my seat with its masterful storytelling and sharp wit.

In simpler terms, “Bad Sisters” is likely to present a villain that we can’t help but dislike. Unlike JP, played by Claes Bang, who seemed intent on making everyone around him miserable at any cost, Fiona Shaw’s character, Angelica, is less obviously despicable. However, her unwillingness to acknowledge wrongdoing makes my skin crawl. She justifies her actions under the belief that anything done in love cannot be bad. But what Angelica defines as “love” is questionable. Her behavior includes manipulating someone’s future for personal gain and responding to news of a rape with a smile. Despite her claims of loneliness or excessive kindness, Angelica is a calculating, self-centered individual who uses others’ guilt to fill the void in her own life. As Bibi puts it, she’s a “hateful, homophobic wagon.

Tl;dr: I really, really do not like this woman! Garvey solidarity forever, baby.

This week, the sisters have reached a critical point with Angelica due to their suspicion that she might have been blackmailing Grace. Although it’s tempting to assume this because of Angelica’s irritating behavior, it’s important to remember that we don’t know many details about the night Grace passed away. On the beach, where they had planned a chilly sisterly swim, the sisters found Angelica picking up trash instead. As a supposedly good citizen, this didn’t sit well with them, especially given their current mood. They also dismissed her claims of being close to Grace and the notion that Grace told her everything. Eva expressed skepticism, saying, “Bollocks.” She added, “Grace was the most cautious of us all, and you weren’t very close.

It’s evident that the sisters choose to confront their adversaries collectively, which is undoubtedly intimidating, but one might question its efficiency. However, instead of being deterred, Angelica intensifies her words into a damaging rebuke and launches a scathing critique. “Shame was what drove Grace to her grave, not me,” she retorts bitterly. “I won’t shoulder your remorse. You neglected her during her lifetime; you allowed her to harbor that awful secret, and thus, you bear the blame.” With this, Angelica manages to create four lifelong enemies, each of whom stands precariously on the edge of a mental breakdown. Truth be told, it’s far from an ideal situation for anyone involved.

This week’s episode emphasizes a specific emotional breakdown of character Garvey. A nod to those astute viewers who saw through Becka’s act at Grace’s wedding – you were correct: In line with the usual TV plot twist, she wasn’t just intoxicated, but rather pregnant.

On less-than-optimal days, Becka’s disorganization escalates significantly with unexpected news. Soon enough, she’s insisting, if not outright commanding, that they break into Angelica’s residence in search of blackmail evidence. Bold Bibi is the only one who agrees to participate in the break-in. Inside, they stumble upon a peculiar bunny hidden in a wardrobe and a meticulously prepared guest room for Blanaid, which raises eyebrows. They also uncover an obituary that initially identifies Angelica’s husband as deceased, but it turns out he’s actually her ex-husband, with the listed wife not being Angelica at all. Becka’s clumsy actions lead to Angelica spotting her dashing out of the bathroom in an oversized hoodie that fails to conceal her recognizable visage. A gentle push as she exits results in Angelica spending the remainder of the episode in a bulky neck brace, as she tends to turn even minor incidents into opportunities for martyrdom.

Concerning Blaanid, it seems she’s facing some tough times. Although camogie provides an outlet for her sorrow and aggression, she encounters thoughtless bullies who cruelly ask, “Who in your family is going to die next?” When confronted, this disrespectful individual attacks Blanaid’s cousin, Ursula’s daughter, with a punch to the teeth. Eva and Ian, both supporting from the sidelines, almost get into a fight themselves due to the parents’ harsh words about the Garveys being “all the same.” It appears that sympathy for Grace’s passing is in short supply around here. Blanaid finds no solace in Eva’s anger or anything else about her these days, and she angrily departs the field with her brand-new helmet – a generous gift from Angelica, who seems to be everyone’s favorite meddler (apart from Blaanid perhaps…).

If accusing Grace’s sisters of her death were Angelica’s most heinous act in this episode, that would be enough to condemn her actions. However, she persists in her cruel behavior by exploiting her hapless brother for additional details about JP’s troubled relationship with Grace’s sisters. This information ultimately leads her to discover JP’s assault on Eva. Angelica stores this damning evidence for future use and still manages to find a new way to cross the line. As Becka remains at the police station, evading Fergal and Houlihan’s escalating hostility, Eva and Ursula negotiate with Angelica to withdraw her complaint. They anticipate that she will demand more money, but instead, she makes an extraordinarily inappropriate proposal: “I’d like to scatter her ashes,” she says with a smirk, implying it’s not the most unsuitable request she could have made.

Becka won’t face legal consequences since they agreed to certain terms, but it appears more likely that Bibi will destroy Angelica’s bunny or something else as a substitute for the ashes. The fact that Becka used her well-being to seize control of such a personal moment during Angelica’s grief was observed and resented by everyone who witnessed it, myself included.

It’s worth noting that Becka wasn’t doing particularly well before her arrest, but that doesn’t change the fact that throughout this episode, she oscillates between her sisters and Matt in a state of sheer panic, with Houlihan commenting on the Garveys’ stories being riddled with holes. As the biggest liar among them, Becka stands out as a potential weak link. Considering her circumstances, it’s understandable that she’s grieving, terrified, and carrying a baby she doesn’t seem keen on. Her disregard for her (former?) boyfriend stems from the fact that she still appears to be in love with him. The combination of all these factors would drive anyone to the brink, especially someone harboring several other dark secrets.

It’s unfortunate that Officer Houlihan is relentless in her pursuit of Becka. She was far too eager to utter the words “We’re arresting you,” practically drooling at the prospect of making Becka break. By the end of the season, she might succeed. However, there’s a chance Becka will put Houlihan off her game when she points out that the guards are preoccupied with a two-year-old murder investigation instead of focusing on what happened to Grace just weeks ago. It appears that Houlihan is determined to bring down the Garveys at any cost, and I can’t stand such behavior. Long live the Garvey solidarity!

During this interval, another strange issue arises – and here’s an interesting twist. With the camogie chaos still fresh in his mind, and having comforted Eva (two eye emojis), Ian decides to firmly warn Angelica to stay away from the Garvey sisters. “I’m telling you this only once,” he growls, shocking her. As he departs, even the excitement of his threat causes him to chuckle. We can’t quite pinpoint what emotion that might be – could it be satisfaction, a twisted delight, or a hint of sadism? This series suggests Ian might harbor hidden secrets – but he could also simply be an ordinary man pushed beyond his limits, discovering aspects of himself he never knew existed. Ask any of the Garveys, Roger, or even the volatile Blanaid about this. It seems that sometimes, a single push is all it takes to transform someone into a harder version of themselves, and every character on Bad Sisters has certainly been pushed beyond their limits.

Loose Ends

For the betterment of Roger’s health, the Garveys’, and myself, it’s crucial that Roger leaves this town. His state has deteriorated to an alarming degree, and his recent actions, such as asking Ursula out due to a lack of faith in finding the perfect partner, are disheartening. Friend, consider starting fresh in another place! And please watch your manners.

I must confess, I did feel a moment of satisfaction when Ursula pointed out Ian’s absence following the “initial stage of his marriage.” Impolite, perhaps. But accurate, certainly.

I’m really enjoying this series, but we’re now halfway through the second season, and I’m still eagerly anticipating a significant Bibi storyline or standout episode. The brief mentions of lesbian poker nights and shakshouka mornings have piqued my interest, but I hope they lead to more substantial exploration in future episodes. In essence, if you’re going to hint at intriguing elements, I’d appreciate seeing them fully unfold.

Detective Fergal is having an unusual week, alternating between questioning Garveys and searching online for solutions to contentious custody matters. However, I couldn’t help but chuckle at his response to Bibi asserting that Becka did “no wrong” with a skeptical, “Are you serious?” expression.

In the church choir, Angelica stands tall, towering over those around and behind her in the first row, making for an amusingly well-orchestrated staging.

• I’m Team Becka/Matt because I’m ultimately Team Hot Mess, but I will grant oblivious Joe some credit for responding to Becka trying to literally run away with a disbelieving, “What are you, 10?”

• “I want to cry, but my eyeball is too dry.”

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2024-11-27 13:55