Supported by her sister and best friend, Shona, who also lives in London, Áine slowly begins to put her life back together. She resumes her job teaching English as a second language, tries - with decidedly mixed success - to get over her jerk of an ex-boyfriend, and covers up the many anxieties she still feels with flippant humour and good cheer. It remains to be seen whether time, Shona's unwavering support, and the prospect of a new romance might finally bring Áine the happiness she so resolutely presents to the world.
This Way Up is a smartly written, well performed comedy drama starring Irish comedian Aisling Bea (roughly pronounced 'Ashlyn Bee'). It does get off to a slightly slow start: the first episode is a little sombre. But this is necessary groundwork to contextualise the show's stories and characters, and it's worth trying at least a couple more episodes after that to get a feel for the 'real' show. They're only about 25 minutes each, so that shouldn't present much difficulty.
One aspect of the show that I appreciated is that it shows that bubbly, extroverted, chatty people can still be depressed, or suffering mental health problems. The face we show the world and how we feel inside ourselves can be very different things. The fact that Áine presents in such a quirky, humorous way also allows for plenty of snappy wordplay and other jokes. Her off-beat lesson plans for her English class are particularly fun.
I think however that the real strength of This Way Up, though, is in its depictions of relationships. Not just romantic ones - though those are certainly a factor - but also platonic friendships and platonic bonds. The slow thawing between Áine and her client Richard (whose French-speaking son she tutors in English) is done very well, for instance. And the depiction of Áine and Shona's sisterly bond is excellent.
This Way Up is a smartly written, well performed comedy drama starring Irish comedian Aisling Bea (roughly pronounced 'Ashlyn Bee'). It does get off to a slightly slow start: the first episode is a little sombre. But this is necessary groundwork to contextualise the show's stories and characters, and it's worth trying at least a couple more episodes after that to get a feel for the 'real' show. They're only about 25 minutes each, so that shouldn't present much difficulty.
One aspect of the show that I appreciated is that it shows that bubbly, extroverted, chatty people can still be depressed, or suffering mental health problems. The face we show the world and how we feel inside ourselves can be very different things. The fact that Áine presents in such a quirky, humorous way also allows for plenty of snappy wordplay and other jokes. Her off-beat lesson plans for her English class are particularly fun.
I think however that the real strength of This Way Up, though, is in its depictions of relationships. Not just romantic ones - though those are certainly a factor - but also platonic friendships and platonic bonds. The slow thawing between Áine and her client Richard (whose French-speaking son she tutors in English) is done very well, for instance. And the depiction of Áine and Shona's sisterly bond is excellent.
Good stuff!
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