Will Netflix Renew & What Can We Expect?

Just over three years after Derry Girls ended, creator Lisa McGee has another hit on her hands in the form of How to Get to Heaven From Belfast, an irreverent, laugh-out-loud mystery and an odyssey across Northern Ireland (and beyond).

How to Get to Heaven From Belfast has already garnered hugely positive reviews from critics. In our 4-star review, we called the series a love letter to Northern Ireland in its own way, exploring themes of friendship, life, loss, and grief. It has a contagious charm, and it’s genuinely laugh-out-loud hilarious. Other outlets have heaped praise on the series, too: The Guardian rated it 4 stars, and The Independent gave it 4 stars. All things considered, even in these early days, the show is a major critical success. 

For those unacquainted, How to Get to Heaven From Belfast follows three lifelong friends in their late 30s: Saoirse (Roisin Gallagher), a popular TV writer; Robyn (Sinead Keenan), a stressed-out mother of three; and Dara (Caoilfhionn Dunne), a carer. Having grown up and moved apart, leading very different lives, they are brought together after receiving a peculiar email that Greta, the estranged fourth member of their friendship group, has sadly passed away. Together, they journey together to pay their condolences. But before long, old secrets begin to resurface, and they learn that Greta’s death may not be all what it seems to be.

Creator Lisa McGee wants to make Season 2

The series ends with no major loose ends or cliffhangers. It wraps up nicely, solving its overarching mystery and leaving fans satisfied. It could serve as a well-rounded and complete limited series. But given its early high ratings, it’s entirely possible that we’ll see it return. That said, viewership is the key factor here, and we’ll have to wait for those figures to come in. Right now, the most positive sign so far about a renewal comes directly from series creator Lisa McGee, who confirmed to Deadline that she’s keen on a return.

“I’ve left it open for a second series, but it’s all completely down to how many people watch,” she said. “I’d love to do one.”

How well is How to Get to Heaven from Belfast performing on Netflix?

We won’t get official numbers until February 17th, but the series has had a slow, soft start in the Netflix daily top 10s so far. So far, the series has performed best in Ireland, rocketing to the number 1 spot on its first day and featured in the daily top 10s in 5 other countries, including the UK, where it’s reached #3.

How does ‘How to Get to Heaven From Belfast’ set up Season 2? 

Warning: The following section contains spoilers. Proceed with caution!

While the central mystery of Greta’s “death” is resolved—with Greta, her husband, and daughter escaping to a new life with fresh passports—the finale plants several seeds that suggest the story is far from over.

The most obvious setup involves the dramatic shift within the shadowy organization known as The Evaporation Society. Throughout the series, this group is revealed to help women in dangerous situations disappear. In the finale, Booker (Bronagh Gallagher) and Feeney (Saoirse-Monica Jackson) orchestrate a violent takeover of the society, gassing the headquarters to eliminate the corrupt leadership. Booker declares they can now run things their own way, with Feeney ominously noting that they are going to need “some new soldiers.” Could our trio be recruited, willingly or otherwise, in a future season?

Pictures: Netflix

The Mystery of the Pink Bag

The biggest narrative hook, however, is the cliffhanger involving a mysterious pink bag.

In the final moments of the episode, the friends are preparing to head home. Dara reveals she picked up a pink bag that Greta had left behind. This bag originally belonged to Conrad, a creepy stranger who had offered Greta a lift earlier in the episode.

The show cuts to a shot of Conrad’s body in a clearing—he has been brutally stabbed in the neck with a screwdriver. This confirms that whatever is in that bag is something people are willing to kill for.

When Saoirse, Robyn, and Dara unzip the bag, the audience doesn’t see the contents, but we see their horrified reactions. It isn’t just confusion; it’s shock. The season ends on a perfect note of irony with Robyn declaring, “We are not, under any circumstances, getting involved in this.”

If Season 2 happens, it is all but guaranteed that, despite Robyn’s protests, the three friends are already involved. They are now in possession of an item connected to a murder, which will likely drag them into a chaos even wilder than their search for Greta.

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All eight episodes of How to Get to Heaven From Belfast, Season 1, are now streaming on Netflix. Would you like to see another season? Tell us in the comments down below!