Bea and Horgan’s chemistry is as glorious as ever. They overlap and underlap perfectly, giving expansive but controlled performances that never take from each other. It is wonderful – indeed it feels almost a privilege – to watch.

Series two somehow manages to be funnier, kinder and more heartbreaking than its predecessor, and is a perfect testament to Bea’s talent.

“This Way Up” still finds enough of life’s tiny absurdities to make for the perfect tether. Aine may not always have the right words for every occasion, but somehow “This Way Up” always does.

It’s the sibling relationship at the heart of the series that really makes it sing, and Bea and Horgan’s free-flowing chatter, rapid tonal switches and moments of unflinching honesty – “Sometimes you talk like you’re the only one who’s ever sad. It’s annoying” – provide the stand-out moments in a show that captures the precarious balance of life’s light and shade.

The opening sauna scene went on too long, but it didn't matter because Aisling Bea and Sharon Horgan are oozing with so much talent that you could watch them doing nothing. ... These are expert hands and the observations sharply pertinent. It's worth the long haul.

Even the inclusion factor of This Way Up is natural and believable, and its management of mental health issues is respectful and personal. Six episodes feel like a lifetime with these wonderful people. At the same time, it’s not nearly enough.

While the show balances its many themes and characters well, in the end, it feels a bit rushed. The number of plotlines left hanging after the final episode are ultimately unsatisfying.