This Way Up is a 2019 Sitcom written by and starring Aisling Bea as Áine, an Irish teacher of English as an additional language living in London trying to put her life back together after a nervous breakdown.
This Way Up is broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK and on Hulu in North America.
Provides examples of:
- Ambiguously Bi: Shona starts the series dating Vish, her boyfriend later fiance, but also kisses Charlotte in the final episode of the first series. They have an affair that lasts an unrevealed amount of time come the second series.
- British Brevity: So far consists of two series of six episodes each.
- Disappeared Dad: Áine and Shona's dad died at some point in the past. The trauma of his death is implied to be at the root of Áine's mental health issues.
- Driven to Suicide: In the final episode of the first series, it's revealed that Áine's nervous breakdown culminated in Shona finding her after she had taken an overdose of pills.
- Floorfilling Song and Dance: The fourth episode of the second series ends with everyone at the fundraiser (except Richard) doing the Electric Slide to "Candy" by Cameo.
- Foolish Sibling, Responsible Sibling: While Áine is often impulsive and emotionally volatile, Shona is restrained to the point of being represssed and feels a great deal of responsibility for Áine's safety and general wellbeing.
- Missing Mum: Áine and Shona's mum, Eileen, originally left Shona for the first three months of her life, and also wasn't around to support Áine while she was in PACT.
- Modesty Bedsheet: Lampshaded by Áine when she's in bed with Richard:Áine: I love when, you know, when you see two characters in a scene who've clearly just had sex and obviously seen each other naked. But clearly an actor isn't comfortable, they got something in their contracts so they're like, "Okay, well, I'm just gonna slip to the bathroom" and then they're like-" [starts to yank the entire duvet off the bed as she gets out of it]
- No Periods, Period: Averted. Áine gets one post coitus at one point.
- Ripped from the Headlines: Áine helps out Bradley at a fundraiser for victims of the Windrush scandal
. The fifth and sixth episodes of the second series take place in the weeks leading up to the UK's first COVID-19 lockdown. - Ship Tease: Quite a lot of it in the first series between Áine and Richard as well as Charlotte and Shona. By the second series, the former are in a relationship and the latter have had an affair.
- There Are No Therapists: Downplayed. Shona was able to find Áine a place at PACT, a (presumably private) rehab facility, when she had her breakdown, but it's a centre that caters primarily to patients with substance abuse issues, which doesn't make it an ideal match for Áine's psychiatric profile. After Áine leaves and goes back to work, she starts attending therapy by the end of the first series but points out to the therapist that the cost is a major issue for her.
