After 'The Perfect Couple,' Watch Eve Hewson in Apple TV+'s Underrated Dark Comedy (2024)

Before she starred alongside Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber in Netflix's recent series, The Perfect Couple, Eve Hewson made a name for herself in several other impressive roles. The real-life daughter of U2 icon Bono played Marian in the 2018 film Robin Hood, and Adele in 2021's twisty drama show, Behind Her Eyes. But Hewson's role in the Apple TV+ dark comedy Bad Sisters really cemented her as an up-and-coming actor to watch. The series, which debuted its first season in 2022, revolves around the five Garvey sisters, who are determined to support each other through even the most difficult circumstances life throws at them. Bad Sisters is both funny and macabre, and Hewson nails the balance between these two opposites in a thrilling show that definitely deserves more hype than it's been getting so far.

What Is 'Bad Sisters' About?

The series opens up with a flashback to a family Christmas with the Garveys. Their parents died many years before, and the sisters have all been affected differently by becoming orphans. Now, in their adulthood, they cling to each other (in good times and bad). Grace (Anne-Marie Duff) is married to John Paul (Claes Bang), who the other sisters have nicknamed "the Prick." Behind Grace's back, the sisters joke about different ways they'd love to kill John Paul, who is a toxic influence on Grace (and the entire family). In a flash-forward, it's revealed that John Paul is dead. As the series unfolds, through alternating timelines, it becomes more and more apparent that John Paul basically deserved to die. And that the sisters had been plotting to kill him for a while. But the question remains: which of the sisters actually carried out the act of putting their brother-in-law in the grave?

The series masterfully blends dark themes (John Paul truly is abusive and has done some abhorrent things) with the sardonic humor that makes watching the sisters a pretty captivating undertaking. Each sister brings a different element to the table. Eva (Sharon Horgan, who was nominated for an Emmy for this role) is the eldest and is always trying desperately to protect her sisters. But her heartbreaking battle with infertility has influenced her relationships in a myriad of ways. Grace is struggling to survive her marriage to John Paul (until he finally kicks the bucket, that is). Ursula (Eva Birthistle) has a beautiful family, but seems determined to wreck it by having an extramarital affair. Bibi (Sarah Greene) is a bitter woman who wears an eye patch (the reason she lost sight in that eye is revealed during the season). And then there's the baby sister, Becka, played by Hewson, a free spirit who doesn't fit into the mold of a more traditional life that her sisters have. The Garveys have so much love for each other, but they also hide a lot of secrets from their sisters. Like any family, they hate to see one of their own being mistreated, and their determination to get rid of John Paul (and then to cover up their possible involvement in his death) is the throughline that keeps the show humming along.

Eve Hewson Is a Standout in 'Bad Sisters' Cast

Each actor brings a special grit and humorous flair to this underrated dramedy, but Hewson's Becka is one of the more intriguing characters. She's quirky and lighthearted and has taken on the career of being a massage therapist. But she's not completely without ambition; it is her goal to open up her very own studio. When John Paul shows interest in her dreams and offers financing for her studio, only to pull the plug at the last minute, Becka has a definite motive to take him out. Becka always displays a fierce love for her sisters, but she also tends to make poor decisions that end up making her life much more complicated. On the day of John Paul's funeral, Becka meets Matt (Daryl McCormack), and falls hard for him. What she doesn't know is that he's actually an insurance agent who is investigating John Paul's death in order to avoid paying out his life insurance claim. Even later, when Becka discovers what Matt's job is, she still can't stay away. She has a heart of gold, but she does somehow always manage to make things unintentionally worse for the Garvey sisters.

Hewson is able to perfectly encapsulate Becka's charm. She is sweet and loving, but she's also faced a lot of trauma in her life already. Losing her parents at a young age and having Eva basically raise her has stunted her in many ways. Becka is always trying to prove to herself, as well as to her sisters, that she's capable of growing up. But Hewson plays her as someone who is stuck in a box in her family. Her role as the youngest child who always screws up gets reinforced (especially as the sisters try to come up with a plan to get rid of John Paul). Hewson illustrates her character's determination for her sisters to take her seriously by displaying honest and authentic emotions every time she's on-screen. Becka can feel a bit whiny at times, but Hewson never allows her to stray into annoying territory. Rather, the character serves as another window into the many sides of the Garvey sisters. Although she is damaged by grief, Becka is still fighting to make her life better.

Bad Sisters features scenes that are both heartbreakingly real (particularly a conversation between Eva and her sisters in the Season 1 finale) and deliciously funny. It can be delightfully cringey when each plan the sisters try to carry out to off John Paul goes awry, but it's also a thrilling ride, since the audience already knows what the end result will be, and a whodunit mystery told with a wicked sense of humor. The gorgeous setting of Ireland also helps set the tone for the action of the plot. It feels like not enough people know about this dramedy, but it was nominated for three Emmys (including Outstanding Writing for a Drama by Horgan and Outstanding Directing). Bad Sisters is set to premiere its second season on November 13, so there's plenty of time to binge-watch Hewson's stellar performance before the Garvey sisters return to our screens.

Season 1 of Bad Sisters is available to stream on Apple TV+ in the U.S. Season 2 will drop on November 13.

Bad Sisters

TV-MA

Comedy

Drama

Thriller

Release Date

August 19, 2022

Creator

Brett Baer, Dave Finkel, Sharon Horgan

Cast

Sharon Horgan , Anne-Marie Duff , Eva Birthistle , Sarah Greene , Eve Hewson , Claes Bang , Brian Gleeson , Daryl McCormack

Main Genre

Comedy

Seasons

2

Watch on Apple TV+