Bad Sisters: Saving Grace
October 14, 2022 1:00 AM - Season 1, Episode 10 - Subscribe
Finally: what really happened the night JP died.
Eva, Bibi, Ursula and Becka are all suspicious of each other and sure that one of them (or Ben) is responsible for JP’s death, but each swears she’s not responsible. We know it wasn’t Ben because he breaks it off with Ursula, appalled that she had tried to convince him to do away with JP that night.
Grace is packing up JP’s things to give away and discovers his secret stash of porn and evidence on his computer that he was the one who framed Roger.
Finally, upon learning of the exhumation and postmortem, Grace confesses to her sisters that she killed JP the night of her birthday when he tried to claim Eva seduced him and she realized he had raped her. We see how she strangled him, then set up his body to make it look like he had accidentally strangled himself when the scarf she had knit for him wrapped around the wheels of his ATV. Later, we find out Roger helped her move the body.
Thomas is in the hospital with his wife Theresa, who has to have an emergency C-section. He is distracted, anxious and worried about his wife and baby, and has all but given up on the Williams case. Matt talks to Roger, then drives to the cabin in Wicklow and discovers the evidence that Grace had killed JP (the leftover yarn from the scarf and a DVD of a movie about Isadora Duncan, who famously was strangled when her scarf wrapped around the wheels of her car). Matt confronts Becka with his knowledge; Becka, who has stolen the pentobarbital from Ursula, contemplates poisoning first Matt and then herself, but is stopped by her sisters. Finally, Matt strikes a deal with the sisters: Grace will withdraw the insurance claim and Matt will keep his mouth shut about how JP really died.
The baby is born healthy and Theresa is craving kebabs, so we know she is OK. Matt gives Thomas the good news about the Williams case but doesn’t tell him how he managed to swing the deal.
We see a tender moment with Grace and Blanaid, then with Grace and Roger as she tells him she and Blanaid will be moving in with Eva.
At the very end we see the sisters back at Forty Foot, laughing and swimming and having a good time.
Eva, Bibi, Ursula and Becka are all suspicious of each other and sure that one of them (or Ben) is responsible for JP’s death, but each swears she’s not responsible. We know it wasn’t Ben because he breaks it off with Ursula, appalled that she had tried to convince him to do away with JP that night.
Grace is packing up JP’s things to give away and discovers his secret stash of porn and evidence on his computer that he was the one who framed Roger.
Finally, upon learning of the exhumation and postmortem, Grace confesses to her sisters that she killed JP the night of her birthday when he tried to claim Eva seduced him and she realized he had raped her. We see how she strangled him, then set up his body to make it look like he had accidentally strangled himself when the scarf she had knit for him wrapped around the wheels of his ATV. Later, we find out Roger helped her move the body.
Thomas is in the hospital with his wife Theresa, who has to have an emergency C-section. He is distracted, anxious and worried about his wife and baby, and has all but given up on the Williams case. Matt talks to Roger, then drives to the cabin in Wicklow and discovers the evidence that Grace had killed JP (the leftover yarn from the scarf and a DVD of a movie about Isadora Duncan, who famously was strangled when her scarf wrapped around the wheels of her car). Matt confronts Becka with his knowledge; Becka, who has stolen the pentobarbital from Ursula, contemplates poisoning first Matt and then herself, but is stopped by her sisters. Finally, Matt strikes a deal with the sisters: Grace will withdraw the insurance claim and Matt will keep his mouth shut about how JP really died.
The baby is born healthy and Theresa is craving kebabs, so we know she is OK. Matt gives Thomas the good news about the Williams case but doesn’t tell him how he managed to swing the deal.
We see a tender moment with Grace and Blanaid, then with Grace and Roger as she tells him she and Blanaid will be moving in with Eva.
At the very end we see the sisters back at Forty Foot, laughing and swimming and having a good time.
That one scene with Grace jumping into the sea with her sisters is so great. (I wonder how many takes did they do.)
And, yes, this episode is so satisfying.
posted by applesurf at 2:10 AM on October 14, 2022
And, yes, this episode is so satisfying.
posted by applesurf at 2:10 AM on October 14, 2022
Echoing many of the comments so far.
I cannot remember the last time I watched a show that managed to wrap up enough ends so satisfyingly. Too often, a show will overstay its welcome and meander through will-it-won't-it-get-renewed cliffhangers, or just not answer questions adequately, with endings that are underwhelming, too after-thoughty or nonsensical on rewatch, too pat, or too convenient only for the main protagonist. All I feel for those shows is "Angry yawns!" as The Simpsons once put it.
From episode one, this show set out a rhythm that assured you they would land it. Sure, the ending is neat-and-tidy and certain character(s) extremely exaggerated, but believably enough, and intentionally so; some characters did actually have consequences and stuff happen in their lives! A good balance of fiction and horrific reality, of revealing some answers beforehand while keeping some mystery. Convincing casting, too.
posted by Sockin'inthefreeworld at 2:47 AM on October 14, 2022
I cannot remember the last time I watched a show that managed to wrap up enough ends so satisfyingly. Too often, a show will overstay its welcome and meander through will-it-won't-it-get-renewed cliffhangers, or just not answer questions adequately, with endings that are underwhelming, too after-thoughty or nonsensical on rewatch, too pat, or too convenient only for the main protagonist. All I feel for those shows is "Angry yawns!" as The Simpsons once put it.
From episode one, this show set out a rhythm that assured you they would land it. Sure, the ending is neat-and-tidy and certain character(s) extremely exaggerated, but believably enough, and intentionally so; some characters did actually have consequences and stuff happen in their lives! A good balance of fiction and horrific reality, of revealing some answers beforehand while keeping some mystery. Convincing casting, too.
posted by Sockin'inthefreeworld at 2:47 AM on October 14, 2022
I'm just so sorry that I probably won't see all these glorious actors together again. I do much enjoyed watching every one of these women.
And I'm glad he's dead.
posted by prismatic7 at 3:17 AM on October 14, 2022
And I'm glad he's dead.
posted by prismatic7 at 3:17 AM on October 14, 2022
Great, neat ending. Agree on the ensemble being 😗👌 . Can’t wait to see what Sharon Horgan does next.
I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to see Claes Bang sympathetically in anything else.
posted by supercres at 9:08 AM on October 14, 2022
I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to see Claes Bang sympathetically in anything else.
posted by supercres at 9:08 AM on October 14, 2022
Claes Bang posted a “JP’s greatest hits” supercut on his IG a couple days ago.
posted by supercres at 9:21 AM on October 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by supercres at 9:21 AM on October 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
Totally! All of the performances were great. The writing and acting of JP was especially good, just because it would be easy to make him cartoonishly evil, and when I describe him to people who haven't watched the show, it kind of sounds that way. But I think they found the maximum amount of hate before I disconnected. And that made the rest of the show sing because never for a second did I wonder if the sisters were wrong to murder the bastard (even though, sure, it was wrong, had way too much fallout, and they didn't actually do it).
posted by Garm at 1:43 PM on October 14, 2022
posted by Garm at 1:43 PM on October 14, 2022
I agree, I think the writers showed us just enough of JP’s humanity (the early trauma of his sister’s death, his father’s verbally abusive behaviour, his grief reaction on finding his mother’s body) that he was not a cartoon but an actual damaged human being. Reprehensible, yes, but understandable.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 6:47 PM on October 14, 2022
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 6:47 PM on October 14, 2022
Apple TV just confirmed Bad Sisters has been renewed for a second season. This series just seemed so perfect and self contained, I’m kind of surprised they’re going for another season, but the cast and writing were top rate, so…I guess let’s hope for the best.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 11:15 PM on November 27, 2022
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 11:15 PM on November 27, 2022
I loved this show. I watched the first two episodes two nights ago, then stayed up til 4 am watching the rest last night. I’m still processing a lot of it, but one thing is stuck in my head: what’s Thomas’s long game? Won’t this situation just happen again the next time someone makes a claim? It looked like there were a lot of policies his father hadn’t filed, stashed in that bottom drawer.
posted by bluloo at 11:12 AM on February 18, 2023
posted by bluloo at 11:12 AM on February 18, 2023
In some ways I'm disappointed that a second season has been announced, since it seems like this really wrapped up well. Apparently Clan was only one season.
posted by larrybob at 11:14 AM on March 24, 2023
posted by larrybob at 11:14 AM on March 24, 2023
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I thought it was a pretty satisfying final episode. I had suspected Grace, and I thought circumstances and the way she killed him was actually very believable. Oh, Eva’s face when she is talking about the night JP raped her, and blaming herself for miscarrying…it was so heartbreaking. She is such a good actor.
I still feel that Minna’s death was too grim for the tone of the series overall, and I don’t believe Becka would be able to forgive herself for it.
I was not at all sorry JP died and only wished it had happened before he managed to traumatized so many people.
I was glad Theresa and the baby were OK, but I still wanted to smack Thomas right till the very end. I could not care less about him or his happiness. What a wanker. I didn’t particularly care for Matt’s handwringing over the sisters’ role in JP’s death, either. Have you not been paying attention, man! JP was certifiably a monster!
Just kidding. I don’t really support vigilantism. But I would not have considered it justice served if Grace had gone to prison for killing JP either.
I liked the end scene with the sisters at Forty Foot. It was lovely to see Grace so free.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 1:08 AM on October 14, 2022 [4 favorites]