There’s nothing two dimensional about this beautifully layered, hilarious and romantic post-breakdown comedy
• This Way Up is streaming in Australia on Stan. For more recommendations of what to stream in Australia, click here
For those mourning the Fleabag shaped hole in their hearts, I hereby present to you: This Way Up. Season one of this Bafta-winning show begins with Aine (Aisling Bea, also its screenwriter) checking out of rehab after a “teeny weeny” nervous breakdown. “Is she, um … is she fixed?” Aine’s sister Shona (Sharon Horgan) asks the nurse before leaving. “It’s just, I didn’t really see this coming, so…” It is with this trepidation that we watch the next two seasons of the compellingly funny and chaotic This Way Up, wondering not only whether Aine is fixed, but just how close we all are to the things we don’t see coming.
Aine works as an ESL teacher and through her position we have an insight into immigration, the absurdity of the English language, Brexit and Love Island. It’s also how we come to meet Etienne, a young French boy she has been asked to tutor, and his father, Richard (Tobias Menzies).