Derry Girls is coming to Netflix – here's the release date, and why it's worth watching again

On 9 July, series one of Northern Ireland’s answer to The Inbetweeners will be making its way to the streaming service, two months after it was initially slated to appear there.

If you haven't seen it, the show follows 16-year-old Erin and her four friends as they navigate their teens in 90s Londonderry amid the Troubles.

Written by Lisa McGee and based on her own experiences as a teenager, Derry Girls did well for itself when it was first broadcast on terrestrial TV, becoming Channel 4’s biggest comedy for nearly five years and getting renewed for a second season after just one episode.

You’ll need to get yourself on top of all of the slang if you don’t want to have a ‘cack attack’ and find yourself ‘broke to the bone’ though.

The show was originally scheduled to appear on Netflix in May, but was pushed back.

A winning formula

In many ways, Derry Girls is your typical coming-of-age comedy.

There’s a love interest for the main character, teens rebelling against their parents, a varied and flawed group of friends, a rival set of schoolmates – and a dictatorial head teacher.

But the backdrop is conflict torn, Troubles era Derry – “or Londonderry depending on your persuasion”, as central character Erin Quinn puts it.

It’s a winning formula.

The comedy focuses closely on Erin and her tight-knit group of friends, each with their own defining trait.

Erin herself is the moody and self-righteous one. Orla is the weird one who likes to melt stuff. Clare is the panicky one. Michelle is the rebellious and foul-mouthed one.

The dynamic is similar to that of fellow Channel 4 comedy the Inbetweeners – Will, Simon, Jay and Neil could all slot into the profile of one of Derry Girl’s central characters.

And like the cast of The Inbetweeners before them, each of the young actors play their niche role terrifically.

When can I watch it?

Series 1 on Derry Girls comes to Netflix on Tuesday 9 July.