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!

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....

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.

I think if you're already a fan of Aisling's comedy style then this will be an easy watch. If you're not, then perhaps it may not be for you. But that doesn't mean it isn't good, it just means everyone has different interests.

Personally I already found Aisling plenty adorable and funny, so when this came out it was just a continuation of my fandom. Aisling is front and center most of the time. Honestly a few times I actually wondered if some things were pulled straight from her personal life and that made it feel even more compelling.

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.