how to get to heaven from belfast: A blistering, funny mystery that demands to be seen
Lisa McGee’s latest series lands as an eight-episode, woman-led caper that blends riotous comedy with genuine menace. Reuniting three middle-aged friends to probe the suspicious death of a fourth, the show has drawn praise for its pace, plotting and standout performances — particularly from a scene-stealing lead — while stretching across an impressively varied set of Irish and UK locations.
Murder-mystery with a comic engine
The premise is straightforward and irresistible: three former schoolmates — a TV crime writer, a frazzled mum and a carer — are pulled back together when the fourth member of their teenage gang turns up dead, or so it seems. Flashbacks reveal a traumatic night in the woods that bound the friends together, and the discovery at the wake that the woman in the coffin is missing a distinctive occult mark sets the investigation in motion.
From there the tone hurtles between screwball and sinister. The plotting moves fast: what begins as a curious misfit detective story becomes a road-movie-style chase through secrets, rivalries and local mysteries. The balance of humour and threat is kept taut; the series never allows the jokes to blunt the stakes, and the darker beats sharpen the comedy rather than undercut it.
Performances, tone and creative DNA
The cast is the show’s beating heart. Three leads deliver a chemistry that feels lived-in and combustible: their banter carries emotional weight, and each woman’s faults and loyalties are vividly drawn. A particular performer grabs repeated notice for elevating almost every scene she enters, supplying luminous comic timing and unexpected pathos. Veteran actors in supporting roles amplify the menace and add textured counterpoints to the central trio.
Creative fingerprints familiar to viewers of the creator’s earlier hit are visible — a fondness for sharp, character-led dialogue, a sense of chaotic camaraderie and a gift for turning small-town detail into big laughs. Yet this project pushes into darker territory, often resembling a modern, female-centred take on classic cozy mysteries while refusing to settle for nostalgia or tired stereotypes. The script lets the women be messy, brave and often very funny investigators who are not particularly good at sleuthing, which becomes part of the charm.
Scope, locations and production energy
Visually and logistically the series is ambitious. Filming reportedly used more than a hundred locations across Northern Ireland, the Republic and parts of the UK, creating a roaming, cinematic feel that supports the plot’s road-trip momentum. Convent ruins, rural forests, small-town wakes and urban stopovers combine to give the story a wide canvas: this is mystery on the move, not a stationary whodunnit.
The production values back the storytelling without overwhelming it. Tight editing and lively tonal shifts keep the eight episodes sprinting; the energy rarely flags and moments of quieter reflection are earned rather than gratuitous. If the pace occasionally feels breathless, that breathlessness is part of the design — the show wants to propel viewers forward as the characters bulldoze into danger and revelation.
In sum, how to get to heaven from belfast is being talked about as one of the season’s sharpest new offerings: funny, dark, and propelled by a trio of leads whose friendship is both the emotional engine and the comic supply. For anyone who enjoys mysteries threaded through with heart and bite, this is a series worth prioritising.
