In season one, Bad Sisters relished in the dark comedy of Eva, Ursula, Becka, and Bibi striving to kill Grace's abusive husband, John Paul. Each episode followed a dual timeline, with one section portraying the aftermath of John Paul's death and the other unraveling the comical truth of the four sisters planning their murder of John Paul. Plenty of comedy came from each of the failed attempts. But, season two has been making different choices in an attempt to push the story forward rather than re-creating the dark charm of its original slew of episodes.
Season two's direction is not necessarily bad. It has a strong guide in following the sisters two years after helping cover up the truth that Grace had ended up being responsible for John Paul's death. As detectives try to uncover the truth about how and why John Paul died, as well as how John Paul's father died with his remains in a suitcase, it places real stakes on Becka, Eva, Bibi, and Ursula as it becomes a question now of if they will get caught. The additions of Ian, Grace's new husband, and Angelica, Roger's sister, place more pressure on the central characters, especially in the aftermath of Grace's tragic death. But, the biggest mistake season two has made so far is in its choice of tone.
For the most part, with the exception of a few quips here and there, Bad Sisters season two is significantly more serious than season one. It leans more heavily into mystery and drama as the circumstances are more dire for the main characters. In season one, it was not just the dialogue that made the series funny; it was the entire premise of what was occurring. Four sisters decide to kill their sister's husband because he is a despicable person, and they find themselves failing several times before his inevitable death. While the motivations behind their actions are very serious, with John Paul's history of mental, physical, and emotional abuse, as well as rape, the way the show presents itself in a more light-hearted way allows the audience to enjoy the chaos that comes from the group's unwavering determination to kill this man.
Season two has interesting plot lines occurring as well. Following Grace's death, one of the biggest questions available is asking where she was going in the middle of the night leaving her daughter sleeping at home. Detective Loftus and Detective Una Houlihan are on track to begin finding the secrets that the Garvey sisters are holding tightly to their chests. Angelica's role offers a nosy character who appears to not be able to help herself but try and find an in to the Garvey family. Still, none of these aspects help bring back the quick humor that season one offered in spades.
Bad Sisters makes a great choice to pivot away from trying to tell the same story twice. But, it loses some of its personality in the process. One of the things that made Bad Sisters such a fun show to watch was the chaotic energy of this family and the lengths they were going to go to. Season two still has plenty of time to bring that tone back to the storylines and characters. The interactions between the Garvey sisters, who are trying to hide their family's connection to John Paul's murder, and the Detectives, who are trying to solve that same case, should offer plenty of amusing moments. But, if Bad Sisters continues to exclude humor from its narrative, it is doing a disservice to a series that knew how to mix dark feelings for vengeance with comedy.