Londonderry, a small town in North Ireland, 1994. Erin and her cousin Orla, Claire and Michelle have been friends since childhood. Undisciplined and quick to bend the rules, they attend “Our Lady of immaculate conception”. The local (Catholic) high school for girls is ruled by Sister Michael, who tries to hide his good-natured disposition behind a reputation for strictness. As the new school year begins, Michelle has to take in and look after her cousin James, who will be the only boy at school. And as if that weren’t embarrassing enough, James has one unforgivable flaw: he’s English!
A joyful, carefree adolescence in an Ireland that is healing its wounds
The series is built on the contrast between two sets of minds. The final episodes of each season highlight this contrast and play on viewers’ emotions. On one hand, the heavy atmosphere and the families’ anxiety—as Northern Ireland is just beginning to emerge from civil war. On the other side, the carefree nature of teenagers whose concerns are far more timeless: flirting, making friends, having fun, finding money for hobbies, and generally breaking the rules to get what you want.
But it’s also the endearing nature of the five little scoundrels that makes the series so engaging. The rascals love their parents and are attached to their small town, but not so much that they’d give up living their youth on their own terms.
It’s funny and cute. A series that really captures the spirit of adolescence, no matter the setting.
3 seasons, 19 episodes (30 mn), 2018-2022, on Netflix
Created by Lisa McGee (How to get to Heaven from Belfast), WITH :
The girls (and boy) : Saoirse-Monica Jackson (how to get to…) as Erin Quinn, Jamie-Lee O’Donnell as Michelle Mallon, Louisa Harland as Orla McCool, Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton) as Clare Devlin, Dylan Llewellyn as James Maguire
Family and others : Tara Lynne O’Neill as Mary Quinn, Tommy Tiernan as Gerry Quinn, Kathy Kiera Clarke as Sarah McCool, Ian McElhinney (Game of Thrones) as Joe McCool, Siobhán McSweeney (The fall) as Sister George Michael, Leah O’Rourke as Jenny Joyce, Amelia Crowley as Deirdre Mallon, Kevin McAleer as Colm McCool, Peter Campion as Father Peter Conway
Guest appearance : Liam Neeson