As a writer and mother who has spent countless hours crafting this gripping series, I must say that the journey of creating “Normal People” has been nothing short of exhausting yet immensely rewarding. The characters and their stories have become an integral part of my life, much like my own family.
In our previous conversation with Sharon Horgan, she was reluctant to contemplate a second season of Bad Sisters back in 2022. However, two years later, we find ourselves discussing the series again during another Zoom call with Horgan. This time, there were more than enough compelling reasons for her to bring it back for season two. The storyline gains momentum towards the end of episode two, as Grace (Anne-Marie Duff) – the most vulnerable Garvey sister who killed her abusive husband in season one – meets an untimely death in a car accident. Could it be that new characters introduced into the sisters’ circle, such as Grace’s attractive new spouse, Ian (Owen McDonnell), or her bothersome new friend, Angelica (Fiona Shaw), had a role in this tragic event?
Following a series of misfortunes, heartaches, and unexpected twists, the final episode unveils long-hidden truths. On her deathbed, Grace admitted to Ian that she had murdered her first spouse. In retaliation, the deceptive gambling addict husband uses this information against her, causing immense distress that eventually leads Grace to drive her car off the road in a fit of anger. The sisters (Eva, Ursula, Bibi, and Becka) band together to confront him, but Angelica, always at the wrong time and place, nearly kills him with a golf club. A chain of comical mishaps unfolds: the sisters attempting to hide Ian’s body, Ian miraculously surviving a fall off a cliff, Detective Houlihan discovering the Garveys’ role in Ian’s injuries, and then teaming up with former detective Loftus to threaten Ian, a former officer, in a way that guarantees he will never trouble the Garveys again. The season concludes on another poignant note, with all the sisters and their partners reunited as a family, scattering Grace’s ashes while hinting at their gradual healing process, even as they cherish her memory deeply. Now, let’s hear what Horgan has to share this time around.
At what stage did you begin seriously considering the details of a potential second season when we were still working on the first? Was it during our discussions after the finale, or did it spark earlier while filming, even though at first I didn’t think we would proceed with another one? Apple showed interest and encouraged us, so I suggested setting up a writers’ room. I had an initial concept for part of the second season while shooting the first, but I wasn’t sure if it would fit or be worth pursuing. However, I wanted to explore whether we could maintain the original’s tone and say something meaningful with it.
The concept I envisioned during the filming of season one was: What if a woman who has been isolated, ridden with guilt, and harboring a secret for years experiences another strike of lightning? Would she find the courage to seek help? And would her sisters trust her enough to believe her story?
While exploring the stories of women who survived harrowing circumstances in season one, including abusive relationships, I wondered about their subsequent romantic lives. Often, these women bear scars from their past experiences, making them susceptible to exploitation. This led me to contemplate what might happen if such a situation recurred – how would she react, who would be involved, and how her family would respond.
Through these characters, I found a chance to discuss and delve into issues that still infuriate me, such as the biased police system and their treatment of individuals like Grace. This exclusive club is filled with many unscrupulous individuals. The series serves as an effective platform for themes that seem painfully relevant and timeless. When I first saw it, I thought, “Oh my goodness, it’s arrived at a moment when we can experience some sort of collective healing.” The second season intensified this narrative, focusing on the consequences of bad men’s actions affecting our lives. Here we have a group of strong-willed women who refuse to tolerate such behavior.
At what stage during the brainstorming sessions did it become clear to you that this concept would be successful, or were there multiple instances of enthusiasm followed by doubt?
We were scared about the Grace story line. It was something we went back and forth on a bit: Can you continue to have the tone of the show when one of the main characters dies?
Was Grace’s death something we decided early on in the writers’ room, or did we discover it while working there? It was actually an idea that came up early. At first, I wasn’t sure, but as we discussed ways to keep the story going for a season, making such a dark turn felt necessary for the show’s unique style. However, it wasn’t until we decided on Ian and Eva getting together that I became confident in the plot – though it was still scary to imagine a character like Eva ending up in that predicament. After all, she is strong, smart, and always aware. How could such a capable woman find herself in such a dire situation?
Instead of saying “I’ll tell you what,” consider using “Let me explain.” Regarding the narcissists who manipulate numerous women, they may not be foolish women. The character Eva, in her sorrow, was as susceptible as Grace at the time he approached her. What intrigued me about this scenario is that Eva had always yearned for love. In her grief over losing Grace, she found herself longing to fill the void in her heart. This man appeared, promising protection and affection, and also offering to bear the burden.
Oh, and the second one was Angelica — making her, you know, almost a heroine in the end.
In the process of creating Angelica’s character, did you imagine Fiona Shaw in that role?
Angelica grew further when Fiona joined the team, as this is often the case with exceptional actors. They’re not just impressive on-screen; they do a significant amount of behind-the-scenes work for you. They delve deeply into their characters and even have insights about why those characters are the way they are.
I completely agree with you! Just to clarify, the sport she almost killed someone with isn’t camogi stick but rather a hurley, which is used in the Irish sport called hurling, and its female version is known as camogie. Hurling can indeed be quite dangerous – it was responsible for me losing a tooth when I was younger! The fact that this weapon of choice ends up being involved in a potential murder adds an intriguing twist to the character’s development.
Angelica, undeniably, serves as the red herring in this tale. She’s deeply wounded and seething with anger, misusing the Grace data excessively and losing herself in it. In their sorrow, the Garvey sisters are searching for someone to blame. This resentment spirals out of control, leaving them on edge and fearful.
After hitting Ian, Angelica appears oblivious to the seriousness of her actions. She defends herself by stating, “I was upset about what he said about Grace.” It seems Grace holds a special significance for Angelica, as they shared a deep bond over their shared passion for cooking and confiding in each other. At an age when women often feel unheard, Grace was someone who truly listened to her. However, this intense connection became overwhelming, almost smothering, which is around the time Ian entered the picture and captured Angelica’s heart. Despite her initial desire to help and protect Grace, Angelica’s attempts to be a supportive friend escalate, ultimately going too far.
It’s quite amusing when Fiona Shaw portrays Angelica begging for mercy from the police, saying something along the lines of, “Arrest me, as God will pardon me. The Garveys won’t find forgiveness.” There seems to be a self-destructive streak in her actions that carries an underlying judgment. While filming this scene, it was hard not to laugh because she kept us all entertained. On the set, I remember thinking, “We need to make her mess up even more for them.” So, I suggested asking the police if it would still be considered attempted murder.
Isn’t that an improvisation instead of what was written initially?
In a different phrasing: She exhibits a deep, dedicated acting style, not like the Method you typically associate with Pacino or De Niro. In episode two, she rides her bike to the house and seems to be scrutinizing it through the window. This is after she discovered that Grace had killed her husband. It’s as if she’s observing everything anew, and all her previous assumptions about Grace have been completely overturned. Our series director, Dearbhla Walsh, inquires, “Do you think Angelica has visited this place before?” To which Fiona replies, “I don’t believe she’s ever set foot in this house before. I don’t think she’s even had a cup of tea here.” She immerses herself thoroughly in the character’s story during the scene and discusses it with you as if she were Angelica. It’s quite intriguing.
In the scene where Ian gets hurt, followed by a knock at the door that reveals the police, I found myself on high alert throughout the day due to all the action and details we had to work out. The stunts, makeup for black eyes, and figuring out how to create realistic blood were all carefully planned, practiced, and perfected beforehand. This is the type of scene I enjoy writing, as it provides a sense of escalating panic that I find more engaging than typical thriller moments. It was also fun to write the awkward dialogue like when Eva speculates about a possible delivery being bath towels at an inappropriate moment. Although much of the humor and creativity didn’t make it into the final cut due to tight editing requirements, elements such as using a welcome mat to cover up the blood were meticulously planned and scripted.
It’s intriguing that when Ian’s wound bleeds, it only seeps into the grout between the kitchen floor tiles, which is notoriously difficult to clean. And naturally, it will be a woman who has to deal with it eventually. I don’t recall it being in the script though. It seemed more like a serendipitous event. During our second take, it just happened that way. We were disheartened by how the blood spread in the first attempt. However, in the second one, I struggled to maintain my character as I watched the stream unfold, thinking Oh my goodness, it almost looks like a cross. We couldn’t help but be grateful to the special effects gods for that fortunate occurrence.
Were there any scenes you felt especially sad to part with during the editing process? Those involving the sisters bonding were particularly charming, but for the sake of progression, we needed to include the introduction of Angelica, retrieve JP’s dad’s remains from the suitcase, and keep the plot moving. However, it was quite a challenge to trim down that lengthy wedding sequence.
There was this scene with Joe and Becka, you know when they wake up in the bunk bed? He’s saying, “They like me though, don’t they, your sisters?” They have that little bounce and he pulls her back into bed and we cut there. There’s this beautiful bit of dialogue between them after that. Becka says to him — you know, he’s so into her — “Have you never had good sex before?” He has this mini-monologue where he’s like. “I’m the only lad from my village without an underbite. So I got plenty of action, let me tell you that.” Then he goes into this whole spiel about what it means to be with someone you’re mad about. It was so beautiful. It was such a moment to introduce this non-Matt man. But you know, fuck it. He made his presence felt — you get little glimpses of him. He’s so great and funny. But I felt really sad about that cause they were so beautiful together.
Did you have to inform Anne-Marie Duff about Grace’s early demise, and how did she react?
I was really nervous about the portrayal of grief. One, because I didn’t want to turn it into a tear fest where everyone’s just depressed all the time, because that’s not going to work. Two, because I wanted it to be authentic and I didn’t want to brush over it. The fact that they’re trying to find out what happened for her memory is the thing that sort of drives them. But they couldn’t be breaking down and crying all the time. There’s so many moments where that happened organically, like in that sauna. Having experienced grief really recently myself — my dad died mid-filming of the season — that is how grief works. You hate yourself for getting on with life, but life just moves you along and then all of a sudden you’re slapped across the face with it. It felt like an easier thing to write and perform and work through because I felt like, “no, this is how you do it.” You still laugh with your brothers and sisters. I mean, at the worst possible times, me and my brothers and sisters were laughing, and then destroyed, and then back laughing again, because there’s no other way through it.
Indeed, it appears to be a useful instrument, but let me explain why I believe we can overlook some of Angelica’s actions. You see, when people are grieving, their minds aren’t always clear. That’s why I think we let certain things slide with Angelica because that’s essentially what’s happening – they’re not thinking straight due to their grief. The same goes for Ian and Eva. Their grief has clouded their judgment, making it difficult for them to make rational decisions. This is something they wouldn’t have done under normal circumstances.
It became clear in the final episode that it’s the females who stand by each other and support one another. The female police officer, Una, was the one who actively worked to safeguard the Garvey sisters from Ian, while Angelica was prepared to seek forgiveness from God for their sake. Throughout the storyline, Blánaid appears significant as her daughters are furious with her for what she did to her. Although we didn’t explicitly show Blánaid witnessing anything terrible in season one, hints were given that she might have heard more than we actually showed. The fact that Blánaid knew her father was a harmful man and that her mother’s legacy will result in a great young woman among them all at the end, suggests they are like a family. Despite any challenges, they remain a resilient and protective family, and nothing will alter that.
Were your daughters angry with you? More specifically, was it because you left Blánaid without any adult supervision? That seemed to be the cause of their upset.
What strategy did you use to soothe them? Well, truthfully, I didn’t do much. They seemed to ignore me for some time. I merely suggested, “Just keep observing. I believe everything will work out fine.” Of course, it rarely turns out fine, but they’ll eventually move past it. Have a go at penning a series and see how you cope with it.
Could we possibly see a third season since Ian isn’t deceased? This thought crossed my mind, wondering about his relationship and any potential developments. However, I must admit that I was content with the ending, feeling satisfied with their current state. It seems to me that the story has reached its conclusion.
What if Apple’s like, “Please, Sharon, make a season three?” What would you say?
[Long pause.]
To be honest, I’m finding it tough this time around. I had thought it would be simpler, having decided to do fewer episodes – eight instead of ten. But the reality is different. Despite reducing the number, it still feels like a mammoth task. Coming from the U.K.’s six-part half-hour series, where production spans seven weeks, this seems quite a challenge. When you factor in writing, directing, acting, and editing, it amounts to about two and a half years of my life. It’s amazing how eight episodes can still feel like the same struggle.
Previously, we had a conversation about how relevant such a story remains. And right now, it’s particularly captivating to witness the culmination of this season and see a character experience repercussions for his actions – something that seems rare in today’s American society. I was wondering if you ever considered this angle since its creation; does watching it unfold now offer some sense of relief or resolution, given the current context?
By involving the police in our storyline, we’re ensuring accountability for the system as a whole, not just one individual. I wasn’t sure if everyone would grasp it or agree with it, but there were certain instances during the creative process that made me think, “I believe we’ve stumbled upon something significant here.” One such moment was the dynamic between Eva and Ian, and a few others. After discussing it in the writers’ room, I recall going home and speaking to executive producer Faye Dorn, saying, “It’s about the police force. It’s that institution.” There are larger issues we should all be passionate about. Let’s explore them through these characters.
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2024-12-24 17:54