The first two episodes aired on 19 August The first season received a positive reception from critics and won a Peabody Award. After Grace's abusive, controlling husband John Paul dies unexpectedly, the sisters find themselves at the centre of a life insurance investigation. The series flips between timelines, one before John Paul's death, in which Grace's sisters plot to murder their repulsive brother-in-law and another after his death, in which a determined insurance agent tries to prove the sisters' malicious involvement to save his struggling business.
The sisters question the wisdom of trying to kill John Paul. Ian returns at the end of the funeral and is questioned by the detectives. Detectives Loftus and Houlihan continue their investigation. On her 50th birthday, Eva meets with her menopause coach Eileen. Eileen states Angelica is her new client. The detectives question Eva about the money Grace withdrew. Eva was not invited. Ian drops off a gift for Eva. The sisters throw Eva a surprise birthday party. Blanaid visits Angelica.
Angelica arrives late at the boat for ash scattering. Blanaid returns home and insults Eva. While comforting Eva, Ian kisses her. Angelica is accidentally knocked into the sea, and the sisters cannot retrieve her:. The series, which had a working title of Emerald , was an adaptation of the Belgian series Clan.
Principal photography for the first season took place in Cast and crew were reported filming in and around Dublin at locations such as Sandycove , the Forty Foot , Howth , and Malahide in August. They would also film in Belfast. The title sequence depicts a physical Rube Goldberg style machine made from dangerous objects and props from the show that foreshadow narrative elements in the main storyline.
The website's critics consensus reads, "Dark secrets are a family affair in Bad Sisters , a riotously funny murder mystery that makes fine use of its gifted ensemble while exemplifying creator and star Sharon Horgan's penchant for salty warmth. Aside from a few minor red herrings, "Bad Sisters" sets a trajectory and sticks to it for much of the run.
