Irish television series How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is out now on Netflix.
Starring Roísín Gallagher as Saoirse, Sinéad Keenan as
Robyn, and Caoilfhionn Dunne as Dara, the comedy thriller follows the three
long-time friends, who are in their late 30s. Together, they investigate the
mysterious death of a former school mate and estranged fourth member of their
childhood gang.
The show’s creator, Lisa McGee, who also produced teen
sitcom Derry Girls (2018 to 2022), describes her new project as an Irish
odyssey full of twists and turns.
“This is the show I’ve always wanted to make – a mash‑up
of my two favourite genres – mystery
and comedy,” Lisa said in an interview.
“We want to keep you guessing and keep you laughing. I can’t
wait for you to meet Saoirse, Robyn and Dara, and go on this wild, weird
adventure with them,” she added.
The Irish playwright and screenwriter shared that the
eight-part series takes inspiration from a creepy experience she had, and that
the character Saoirse is based on her, while Robyn and Dara are based on her
real-life friends.
“My old school moved buildings and the old one which had
been a convent was left empty. I’d heard this was now a place where ghost
hunters go and asked my husband to drive me. It looked like a zombie
apocalypse. I was walking down a path all overgrown and I just had this feeling
I was going to bump into myself as a teenager. I remember thinking, ‘Well,
that’s quite a cool, creepy idea’.”
This is not the first time Lisa has incorporated parts of
her life into her work; Derry Girls was also based on her teenage years. It ran
for three seasons, earned critical acclaim, and a number of awards including an
Emmy in 2023 for best comedy series.
