This episode is so underrated on IMDb, but hopefully, more people will get to this series and the average rating will shoot up someday.
This will always be one of my most favorite episodes from the series, mainly bcoz how effectively it subverted poor old "Dead Poets Society"! How it drew the parallel to "The Usual Suspects" and tied it in with the former film at the end was pure amusement as well.
I also fall a little more in love with Sister Michael in each episode. Her character is so well-written and complex and infinitely fascinating, but we never get to see her much.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2022-01-18T04:41:35Z
[7.5/10] A fun riff on Dead Poets Society. The girls all falling under the spell of their free-spirited new teacher is a good comic premise because it captures that easily-imprinted spirit of youth in a ton of fun ways. I particularly enjoyed the montage of them all imitating her style of dress and eyeliner (even James!) and sauntering down the hallway. Erin proudly holding herself out as a poet only to be knocked down for her haughtiness is an amusing beat as always.
The girls trying to ransom the precious wee baby Jesus statue to get Ms. De Brun her job back, only to break it, is predictable but still amusing in the discord. And I appreciate the subversion that this improvisational, bohemian mentor they all go gaga over after two days of instruction turns out to be a regular workaday teacher ready to leave for another job with the promise of better benefits and a salary that can help pay down her mortgage. It makes for the best comically negative image of Robin Williams’ character in the 1989 classic.
The B-story with the grown-ups is a hoot as well. I love the classic humor of Gerry trying to have a private date night with his wife, only to have more and more of his relatives and hangers on glom onto the occasion and then give him the business. Granda’s a right pain as always. But Mary getting hung up on Keyser Soze from The Usual Suspects and Sister Michael giving her the twist is a great place to take it.
Overall, this one is a bit more high concept than the usual Derry Girls episode, with a take-off on one classic film and family headache over another one, but the humor still sings.