Sharon Horgan recalls fan backlash to Bad Sisters storyline: 'People didn't like it at all'

Published: Thursday, May 29, 2025 at 4:00 pm

Bad Sisters' Sharon Horgan Reveals Shocking Fan Reaction to Controversial Storyline

**Bad Sisters** star and co-creator Sharon Horgan has revealed her surprise at the negative fan reaction to a pivotal storyline in the Apple TV+ series. During EW's Awardist Drama Actors Roundtable, Horgan discussed the audience's strong disapproval of Eva (Horgan's character) sleeping with Ian, the husband of her deceased sister Grace.

The dark comedy-thriller, which follows the Garvey sisters, saw Eva, the typically level-headed sister, find solace and eventually romance with Ian (Owen McDonnell) after Grace's death in a car accident. This plot twist, intended to explore themes of grief, loneliness, and unexpected connections, didn't resonate with viewers as Horgan had hoped. She explained that she aimed to create a love story that viewers would root for, despite its unconventional nature. However, the audience overwhelmingly rejected the pairing.

Horgan, also the showrunner, admitted she was more concerned with the audience's perception of the sisters' actions in the larger context of the show. The sisters, including Ursula (Eva Birthistle), Bibi (Sarah Greene), and Becka (Eve Hewson), were fiercely protective of Grace, who suffered abuse at the hands of her husband, J.P. (Claes Bang). The sisters' attempts to protect Grace, even to the point of plotting against J.P., were a central focus of the series. Horgan noted the challenge of keeping the audience on the sisters' side as they repeatedly tried to harm J.P.

The roundtable also featured fellow Emmy contenders Aimee Lou Wood (The White Lotus), Bradley Whitford (The Handmaid's Tale), Tramell Tillman (Severance), Antony Starr (The Boys), and Marisa Abela (Industry).

Keywords: Bad Sisters, Sharon Horgan, Eva Garvey, Apple TV+, Ian, Grace, storyline, fan reaction, backlash, dark comedy, drama, Emmy, Awardist, Claes Bang, Owen McDonnell, Anne-Marie Duff, Eva Birthistle, Sarah Greene, Eve Hewson, TV series, showrunner, entertainment, EW, interview

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