How to Get to Heaven from Belfast
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How to Get to Heaven from Belfast (2026) is an eight-episode Netflix original series categorized as a dark comedy and crime thriller, blending mystery with elements of a ghost story and surrealism. Created by Lisa McGee, known for 'Derry Girls', the show follows three lifelong friends in their late thirties – Saoirse, Robyn, and Dara – who reunite after the mysterious death of their estranged fourth friend, Greta. Their investigation into her suspicious demise unearths dark secrets from their shared past and leads them on a chaotic and dangerous odyssey across Ireland. The series aims to keep viewers guessing and laughing, exploring themes of female friendship, memory, and the unexpected turns of life, all within a suspenseful murder mystery narrative. It is rated TV-MA, indicating mature themes, dark humor, and thriller elements.
Things to Consider
Violence
The series contains significant violence, including multiple deaths, accidental killings, a stabbing, a church fire with fatalities, and threatening confrontations. The central plot revolves around a murder mystery and a 'dangerous conspiracy' that places characters in peril.
The central mystery involves the accidental death of Greta's childhood friend Jodie, who falls down stairs during an argument, leading Greta and her friends to bury the body of Charles Sampson, whom Jodie stabbed in self-defense. Later, a character named Conrad is found 'dead with a screwdriver in his neck'. A flashback reveals Greta and Jodie as children setting fire to a local church in 'Heaven's Veil', which results in the accidental deaths of people inside. Robyn also accidentally runs over Greta with her car, believing her to be dead, though Greta survives.
Scary & Intense Content
As a crime thriller with elements of dark comedy, the series features intense and potentially frightening situations, including a murder mystery, life-threatening scenarios, psychological stress, and disturbing imagery related to past trauma and violence.
Disrespect & Rebellion
The series portrays significant acts of disrespect and rebellion, including characters defying authority, using disrespectful language, and engaging in criminal acts to protect secrets. A particularly severe instance involves childhood abuse leading to the burning of a church.
Anti-Christian Themes
The series contains explicit anti-Christian themes, particularly through a traumatic backstory where abused children set fire to a church out of a sense of abandonment by God. It also features a humorous, yet potentially irreverent, portrayal of a priest and examines societal issues within a predominantly Catholic context.
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Additional Context
Best For Ages
TV-MA. The series is officially rated TV-MA by Netflix, signifying content that may be unsuitable for viewers under 17. This is due to its classification as a dark comedy and crime thriller, which involves mature themes, a murder mystery plot, strong language, discussions of sexual identity, and depictions of violence, substance use, and anti-religious acts. Therefore, an age recommendation of 17+ is appropriate.
Good to Know
The series is from Lisa McGee, creator of 'Derry Girls', and while it shares some comedic DNA and cast members, it is significantly darker and more adult in its themes and tone. Viewers should expect a complex, sometimes surreal narrative that juggles dark humor with a serious murder mystery. The mystery can become 'convoluted' and 'labyrinthine' at times, which some reviewers found to be a drawback. The show's focus is strongly on female friendship and navigating past traumas into adulthood.
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