Derry Girls makes a triumphant return to TV
The "friends across the border" episode left viewers in hysterics

Everyone's favourite Northern Irish sitcom, Derry Girls, returned for its second series on Channel 4 – and fans were in absolute stitches.
- Derry Girls cast on series 2: Bill Clinton, boys and belly laughs
- Ardal O'Hanlon to guest star in Derry Girls series 2
- Listen to the RadioTimes.com Podcast now: subscribe on iTunes / subscribe on Google Podcasts
The series opener saw the five Catholic teens – Erin (Saoirse-Monica Jackson), Clare (Nicola Coughlan), Michelle (Jamie-Lee O'Donnell), Orla (Louisa Harland) and James (Dylan Llewellyn) embark on a countryside retreat with a group of protestant boys from another school.
Any fears of a sophomore slump were almost immediately put to bed as the jokes started rolling in hard and fast, with a light-hearted look at the conflict between the two strands of Christianity at the heart of most of the humour.
The highlight of the episode saw returning handsome priest, Father Peter (Peter Campion), attempt to get the group to detail their various similarities, only for everyone to bring up hysterical mundane differences instead.
"I'm feeling slightly light headed because I laughed so hard at the Catholics/Protestants differences board in Derry Girls," Amelia Hockey wrote on Twitter, "in particular Catholics love Mary, Protestants love soup, Protestants think Catholics keep coal in the bath and HOLY SHOPS!"
https://twitter.com/AmeliaHockey/status/1103062112757342208
Cathy Ritchie shared a screengrab of the blackboard, which is covered with jokes that only made it into the episode for a split second, with the caption: "Paused Derry Girls to check out all the differences... Haven't laughed so much in ages. We do buzz off a good statue... and I do love a bit of bingo." Check it out below.
https://twitter.com/cathy_85/status/1103047870511493123
Derry Girls writer Lisa McGee even chimed in herself, saying she "stood by" all of the differences as outlined, but that she does not agree with Orla's hilarious assertion that "Protestants hate ABBA".
https://twitter.com/LisaMMcGee/status/1103076760554491906
There were plenty of other jokes in the episode that got people giggling, too, like the suggestion that former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams had his voice dubbed on TV because it was "too sexy"...
A whole lot of viewers said they "haven't laughed so much" in a long time.
https://twitter.com/nickduke/status/1103051339934941185
https://twitter.com/Munsterannie/status/1103066972357619713
https://twitter.com/sociem/status/1103046510349090816
https://twitter.com/calebjohndavis/status/1103054830661177346
https://twitter.com/mandhk4444/status/1103240440554405889
https://twitter.com/lucy_haine/status/1103049619406245888
We're already looking forward to episode two.
Derry Girls series two continues on Tuesday at 9.15pm on Channel 4
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