This Way Up

Great writing from Aisling Bea - it's funny and feels authentic. Definitely worth a watch if you like clever, subtle humour as opposed to slapstick. Hope there's a second series!

It's not a comedy like most I've seen. Watching this made me feel like hanging out with that funny friend you have who doesn't necessarily make jokes, just a funny character and makes you laugh all the time, it's not forced or scripted, they're just able to find humour behind anything.

However, the shows more than just the humour, it shows a person who's struggling mentally and how it's affecting her life and those around her, veiling her struggles from her friends. Casting is spot on and they really bring the characters and story to life. It's cleverly written and manages to reflect mental issues in such a sad yet funny way. Aisling bea is really amazing at deflecting uncomfortable or awkward situations with her wittiness, even in real life. Her and Sharon's relationship in the show is amazing. I think the show deserves a little more recognition, just a little.

This Way Up is an incredibly raw and realistic portrayal of mental illness that steers away from cliches or stigmatization. It's not sanitized, but it's not sensationalized either. The show balances comedy and drama expertly. There are absolutely laugh out loud moments, but the show doesn't sacrifice substance for a laugh. Aisling Bea's storytelling is superb, and she's managed to create memorable and nuanced characters.

Depression is not pleasant to say the least, but this series brings the point home without labouring it. Laughter smoothly moves to tears and back to laughter... much like life. The most depressing part for me was realising I had just watched the last episode of series 1. I'm really hoping for series 2, and as quickly as possible please! If you haven't seen it, make sure you do, your life can only be a little poorer without it....

I had to leave a review since I've read some in here that are frankly childish, witless, and overly critical. Perhaps female led comedy is too scary for some? Or maybe the subtly of the humour went over their heads.

It's interesting to see a protagonist whom we can laugh with, rather than at, as is the way with many sitcoms. She is a genuinely funny character who hides behind the tears of a clown when it comes to her hidden mental health problems. The struggles portrayed are very relatable, and they're set in a modern, inclusive world.

It's clear that Aisling Bea comes from a standup comedy background, as her million-words-a-minute ramblings take up most of the screen time. There are moments that are genuinely hilarious, but also very moving as well.

This is a great new addition to Channel 4's abundant collection of UK sitcoms. Hope to see more!