--- title: "Bad Sisters: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/bad-sisters/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/bad-sisters" critics_score: 77 critics_reviews: 12 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Bad Sisters (2022): what the critics said Critics' score 77 from 12 reviews: 10 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics like Bad Sisters a good deal, and several call it among Sharon Horgan’s best work. The praise gathers around the writing, which most find sharp and well paced, and around the five sisters, whose chemistry and believable family dynamics are the thing nearly every review singles out. Critics enjoy the way it runs a murder mystery and a farce side by side, and most find the mixture of pain and comedy handled with heart rather than cruelty. The reservations are about the thriller half. A few reviews find the crime plot thinner than the family material, leaning on coincidence or on familiar genre habits. The Telegraph goes furthest, arguing that the generic crime drama dilutes Horgan’s comedy, and The Hollywood Reporter finds it easy to watch but too empty to satisfy. The Times thinks the villain overly cartoonish. The spread is wide, from mixed to warm, with no one dismissing it outright. ## Empire — Olly Richards Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 19 August 2022. The review calls it one of Horgan’s best, noting how it balances a clever murder-mystery with hilarious farcical comedy through tight writing, exceptional acting, and sympathetic chaotic characters. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/bad-sisters/) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 19 August 2022. The series is a wonderfully cathartic, perfectly paced and hugely witty revenge fantasy about five sisters plotting against a monstrous husband. Its brilliant cast and sharp direction make it a fine addition to women-led stories on TV. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2022/aug/19/bad-sisters-review-sharon-horgan-pitch-black-comedy-is-murderously-good) ## The i Paper — Emily Baker Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 19 August 2022. The critic praises the series as one of Sharon Horgan’s best, highlighting its engaging thriller plot with laughs and an unpredictable storyline centered on the close-knit Garvey sisters plotting against an abusive brother-in-law. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/bad-sisters-apple-tv-review-sharon-horgan-1803441) ## The AV Club — Lauren Chval Rating B+. 11 August 2022. The series delivers good dark fun with sharp writing and strong performances that bring the five sisters to life. It mixes murder-mystery tension with fierce familial love and wit, though some coincidences and pacing quibbles arise. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/bad-sisters-show-review-apple-tv-plus-sharon-horgan-1849393244) ## Radio Times Rating 4/5. 19 August 2022. The critic finds it the most fun dark comedy of the year, commending Horgan’s skill at blending awkward and painful elements with humor and heart in this adaptation about five sisters dealing with an odious brother-in-law. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/bad-sisters-review/) ## IndieWire — Steve Greene Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 19 August 2022. The critic finds the Apple TV+ dramedy a sharp family story about sisters covering up lies but notes that it spreads a little thin in places. The strong cast and Irish setting help carry the murder-mystery premise centered on abusive brother-in-law JP. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/bad-sisters-review-apple-tv-show-sharon-horgan-claes-bang-1234753748/) ## The Times — Liam Fay Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 27 August 2022. Sharon Horgan’s gleefully gothic thriller is an amusingly black-hearted revenge fantasy with well-realised sister dynamics, though the villain is overly cartoonish. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/bad-sisters-review-here-be-comic-book-monsters-8t37slf2b) ## Variety — Caroline Framke Rating Critic's Pick. 19 August 2022. The review highlights how the series smartly combines Big Little Lies-style drama with Irish wit, praising the finely honed humor, ensemble chemistry, and empathetic take on family relationships amid the abuse and mystery. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2022/tv/reviews/bad-sisters-review-apple-1235344640/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Angie Han Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 16 August 2022. The critic describes it as entertaining enough to binge but too empty to truly satisfy, noting the shallow thriller elements despite the fun setup around the sisters and the suspicious death. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/bad-sisters-sharon-horgan-apple-1235196409/) ## The Telegraph — Marianka Swain Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 19 August 2022. The series has strong family dynamics and a compelling villain but relies too much on generic crime drama tropes, diluting the Sharon Horgan-style comedy. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/bad-sisters-apple-tv-review-great-villain-gone-sharon-horgan/) ## Paste — Allison Keene Rating 9.1/10. 19 August 2022. The critic praises the series as a murderous delight that manages the murder-comedy genre with aplomb. They single out the excellent writing and portrayal of the women with humor and heart, along with the cast's chemistry. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/tv/bad-sisters/bad-sisters-review) ## NME — Gary Ryan Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 19 August 2022. The critic calls the series must-see comedy and gold standard telly from Sharon Horgan. They single out the well-observed family dynamics and naturalistic relationships among the sisters. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/tv-reviews/bad-sisters-review-sharon-horgan-apple-tv-3287159) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/bad-sisters.md