THE third and final season of beloved Irish-British comedy Derry Girls is upon us and many fans are searching for the next show to fill the hilarious gap left behind.
Originally compared to the British comedy series The Inbetweeners, Derry Girls may have similarities on the surface – a chaotic group of friends and their apathetic teacher – but there is much more nuance and heart to the Irish based show.
Watching even five minutes of this beloved comedy and you will see why its loss is so keenly felt, especially as there are only six episodes per season.
Derry Girls follows the lives of four friends and their wee English fella, as they get into endless scrapes.
Each character has a clear role within the group that allows each cast member to blossom from Erin Quinn (Saoirse-Monica Jackson), their ineffectual leader to Clare Devlin (Nicola Coughlan), the nervous voice of reason to the group’s antics.
The show struck the perfect line between cringe humour and emotive plotlines, shining a light on the turmoil that was coming of age in the 90s.
Read More on Nicola Coughlan
From the backdrop of the Troubles in Derry – or Londonderry depending on your persuasion – to Clare’s coming out, there is no topic out of bounds for this award-winning show.
It is rare that a comedy show will be so fearless in its approach to deeply sensitive political issues and handle them with the deft charm of Derry Girls.
This is all while being one of the far too few female-led comedy shows gaining global recognition.
If you’re already looking to fill that hole left behind by Derry Girls, here are five shows with strong female leads to warm your heart.
Sex Education
There is a reason why this comedy show has a nearly perfect score on critics’ website Rotten Tomatoes.
Sex Education tells the story of Otis Milburn (charming Asa Butterfield) as he navigates becoming his school’s resident sex expert, along with struggling through his own love life.
To top it off Otis’ mother Jean (the gorgeous Gillian Anderson) is a qualified sex therapist, who is navigating love and relationships alongside mothering a teenage son.
This stellar cast has been nominated for nine Baftas, with Aimee Lou Wood, who plays Amy, winning best female comedy performance in 2021.
Brave, irreverent, funny and heartwarming, Sex Education will soothe your yearning for Derry Girls in no time.
All three seasons of Sex Education are on Netflix now with season four on its way too.
Crashing
Written by and starring Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Crashing is a mini-series that ran for six episodes in 2016.
Crashing tells the story of six twenty-somethings living as property guardians in a disused hospital in London, which means cheap rent at the cost of many strict rules. As Kate (Louise Ford) repeatedly reminds guests in the first episode – they are not squatters.
Waller-Bridge’s Lulu arrives at the hospital to meet her childhood friend Anthony (Damien Molony), who is engaged to Kate and the personal lives of the residents become increasingly entangled.
This is also a great show for people who loved Bridgerton as it stars the handsome Jonathan Bailey as sex-obsessed estate agent Sam.
My Mad Fat Diary
An often forgotten show from E4, My Mad Fat Diary follows Rae Earl as she is released from a psychiatric hospital in 90s Stamford, Lincolnshire and tries to return to normal life.
While it may not seem like a good comedy premise, Sharon Rooney’s portrayal of 16-year-old Rae is complex and hilarious.
The show is both uplifting and unafraid to tackle the reality of eating disorders and recovery from them. Much like Derry Girls, My Mad Fat Diary does not shy away from tough topics or finding humour in hard times.
My Mad Fat Diary shines a light on mental health without ignoring the complexity of recovery and using comedy to help heal, a special show that should not be overlooked.
This was also the show that pushed Jodie Comer, better known as Villanelle, into the spotlight before Killing Eve.
Chewing Gum
Chewing Gum is the story of 24-year-old shop assistant Tracey Gordon (Michaela Coel, who also wrote the show) as she rejects her religious upbringing and explores her sexuality.
Innocent Tracey tries to lose her virginity to her strictly religious boyfriend Ronald (John MacMillan) but becomes distracted by aspiring poet Connor (Robert Lonsdale).
Tracey begins dating Connor but must keep the relationship a secret from her disapproving family.
The innocent but intelligent Tracey ends up getting into endless mishaps including a misguided attempt at a threesome and trying to break up her sister and ex-boyfriend Ronald’s wedding.
Absolutely Fabulous
You cannot celebrate modern female-led shows without acknowledging the path set by Absolutely Fabulous.
It can be easy to gravitate to new shows but this is a classic for a reason, showcasing female friendship beyond the coming of age setting.
Edina Monsoon (the iconic Jennifer Saunders) is a high powered PR executive who struggles desperately to keep up with diet fads and new trends with the help of her friend Patsy Stone (an unforgettable Joanna Lumley).
The pair are often placed in juxtaposition to Edina’s deadpan daughter Saffy (Julia Sawalha is hilarious here).
Initially running for three seasons in the 90s, Absolutely Fabulous was renewed for two more seasons in 2001 before culminating in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie, which hit cinemas in 2016.
