Mrs Brown’s Boys meets the Troubles: Lots of energy, not enough laughs

As in Mrs Brown’s Boys, there are wee moments in Derry Girls that transcend slapstick to make points, but these are repeatedly overwhelmed by overstatement, credulity-straining scenarios and some frankly coarse acting

Derry Girls (Channel 4): noisy and in your face, but ultimately not that amusing

Reviewed This Week

Derry Girls: Channel 4

Fleabag: BBC One

Traveller’s Guide: RTÉ One

Maybe my brain is just wired all wrong. You see, I just don’t understand the phenomenal success of Derry Girls (Channel 4). The hype. The hoopla. The rave reviews. By now, if I had any sense, I’d be hiding in a bunker or demanding anti-depressants from a GP. Maybe both.

I put some of its enthusiastic reception across the ...