Netflix’s new crime drama How To Get To Heaven From Belfast is one of 2026’s first true hidden gems and an unmissable miniseries for fans of the murder mystery genre. Murder mysteries have enjoyed a major resurgence in recent years, and Netflix has consistently been at the forefront of championing the genre.
Not only did the streaming service produce both Knives Out sequels, but Netflix also regularly releases murder mystery shows and movies that range in tone from cozy and family-friendly to violent and brutal. Netflix’s biggest 2026 hit, His & Hers, is a grim, gripping murder mystery with a dark twist.
Meanwhile, Agatha Christie’s Seven Dials is a lighter, more playful take on the genre, and these two hits were released only one week apart on the same streaming service. As such, it should come as no surprise that Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee’s latest miniseries, How To Get To Heaven From Belfast, is another stellar Netflix murder mystery.
How To Get To Heaven From Belfast Is A Critically Acclaimed Crime Thriller
What might be more surprising is just how unique How To Get To Heaven From Belfast is. McGee’s earlier shows, London Irish and Derry Girls, were both goofy sitcoms that balanced warm-hearted character comedy with sharp political commentary and a foul mouth, while the biggest outlier on her screen CV was a major departure from this style.
The Deceived was a Channel 5 miniseries that McGee co-wrote with Tobias Beer, and this dark psychological thriller had more in common with Gone Girl than Derry Girls. In How To Get To Heaven From Belfast, McGee successfully marries her talent for well-observed character comedy with the murder mystery format to make what might be her best project yet.
How To Get To Heaven From Belfast follows a trio of school friends, now navigating their early middle age, as they are confronted by the death of their former classmate. After traveling to her Donegal hometown for the sparsely attended wake, the women quickly realize that their friend isn’t really dead, and something much murkier than a tragic accident is afoot.
Things get more mysterious with each passing episode, as Irish character actors like Emmet Scanlan, Bronagh Gallagher, and Saoirse-Monica Jackson crop up in supporting roles. With 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, How To Get To Heaven From Belfast is a deservedly acclaimed binge-watch that every murder mystery fan needs to see.
How To Get To Heaven From Belfast Is As Funny As It Is Tense
Like Derry Girls, How To Get To Heaven From Belfast centers its story on a group of flawed but lovable heroines, and, like that show’s leading ladies, Saoirse, Robyn, and Dara are instantly easy to root for. Of course, the scrapes they get into during the course of investigating their friend’s death are often just as embarrassing as they are dangerous.
From the moment the trio unintentionally crash the funeral of a Kenny Rogers impersonator in an attempt to prove that their friend isn’t really dead, it is clear that How To Get To Heaven From Belfast’s heroines are woefully unprepared for this investigation. What makes matters funnier is Saoirse’s role as the head writer of a murder mystery series.
This running gag allows How To Get To Heaven From Belfast to mock the familiar clichés of the psychological thriller genre, with the Netflix show anticipating what viewers expect from the series and subverting audience expectations every step of the way. At the same time, How To Get To Heaven From Belfast also displays a genuine affinity for suspense stories.
How To Get to Heaven From Belfast Is A Perfect Followup To Netflix’s Earlier Cult Hit
Saoirse’s role as a writer of murder mysteries might make her prone to paranoia and fantastical plans that don’t go off as intended, but this same mindset also stands to her throughout the twisty story of How To Get To Heaven From Belfast. She has a hard time proving it, but her initial instincts about her friend’s suspicious death are right.
This is How To Get To Heaven From Belfast’s best trick, as the show manages to affectionately mock the familiar tropes of murder mysteries while also playing into them. While many psychological thrillers take themselves painfully seriously, How To Get To Heaven From Belfast isn’t afraid to find plenty of humor amid all the darkness.
With the same creator, the same recurring ‘90s nostalgia, and the same ‘Group of mismatched girls in trouble’ premise, it would be easy to call How To Get To Heaven From Belfast a sequel to Derry Girls in all but name. However, with its feminist thriller plotting and twisty ending, the show is equally comparable to The Deceived.
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Ultimately, McGee’s latest series has managed the tricky task of blending the best aspects of her two earlier shows to create a murder mystery that is as funny and life-affirming as it is tense and thrilling. This is no small feat, but it is one that How To Get To Heaven From Belfast pulls off with aplomb and charm to spare.
- Release Date
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February 12, 2026
- Network
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Netflix
- Directors
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Michael Lennox
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