TONIGHT MARKS THE premiere of RTÉ 2′s brand new comedy series, the exquisitely titled Can’t Cope Won’t Cope.
The series follows the trials and tribulations of two gals from Cork living in the Big Smoke. It touches on shifting, nights out, run-ins with the boss, bumming cigarettes, emergency contraception. In other words, the typical highs and lows of being a twentysomething in Ireland.
A double bill of the show airs from 10pm tonight. Here’s why you should tune in:
The trailers are genuinely gas
“I’m actually sweating vodka, like.”
*nods in solidarity*
And the cast and crew are sublime
The cast is led by A Date For Mad Mary’s Seána Kerslake and Nika McGuigan, but also features the comedy stylings of Amy Huberman, Norma Sheahan and Eileen Walsh. The series also boasts a strong female presence behind-the-scenes — it’s written by playwright Stefanie Preissner and directed by award-winning filmmaker Cathy Brady.
HON THE GALS.
(Seriously, we’re living for Amy Huberman clutching a cigarette and going, “This is also your fault”)
!!!
The opening titles are dreamy as hell
Designed by Irish illustrator Laura Callaghan, the opening credits are quintessentially Irish and feature a tequila bottle, the name ‘Aisling’ flashing on a mobile and, of course, the Poolbeg Towers.
Gorge.
But mostly, the reason you should watch it is because young Irish women don’t get to see themselves portrayed on screen very often, and it’s high time that was rectified.
As creator Stefanie Preissner wrote on Instagram earlier:
I’d love you to watch and tweet about it so we can prove that the ratings are good and it’s important to have a TV show about women who are difficult and make bad decisions and vulnerable and endearing. Girls that will shout louder than the bland stereotypes women are expected to measure themselves on a daily basis.
It’s not useful for our generation to always see Irish people who are a parody or who are always being virtuous and making the right choices. It’s useful to see how a fictional version of you might cope with difficulties. So you can relate with your own story or learn from the future. That’s what I was trying to do anyway
In other words — if you’re a fan of funny, complicated, messy Irish women and want to see more of them on your screen, make an appointment with your couch at 10pm tonight.
