I love a good ‘pick-me-up’ TV show. Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation, The Office, and Reno 911! are just a few of my favorites. More recently, Derry Girls has become one of my top feel-good TV shows. It’s one of those shows where you can put on an episode in the middle of a season and not feel like you’ve missed anything. The humor is witty and the storylines are heartwarming, each episode ending with a moral lesson (more or less). When I found out the third season was going to be the final one, initially, I was upset. I love the show so much and wanted to see the characters evolve even more. After finishing the third and final season, I realized that it ended right where it should have with all of the closure that I wanted. So many shows, like The Sopranos, end with these huge cliff-hangers that leave the viewer unsure of the fate of the characters. Is this a ploy for the network to add another season if need be? For the suspense to build to keep people watching and rewatching the show? We truly will never know. After finishing Derry Girls, however, we know that the characters are happy, at least.
For those of you who have not had the pleasure of watching the show (you should), the main characters are Erin, Orla, Clare, Michelle, and James. Because of the ranging personalities of each character, I have found that I can find people from my friend groups within each person. Erin is a try-hard who wants to make something of herself and make her life memorable. Orla is a lovingly quirky friend who wants the best for those around her. Clare is high strung and wants her friends to succeed. Michelle is a hot head who is extremely loyal. James is usually the voice of reason in the group and quickly found himself a part of a family he never thought he would have. These characters, even through their faults, represent the importance of friendship in one’s life and how even in war-torn countries, laughter and joy can still be found.