SPOILER ALERT: This text comprises main spoilers from Season 2, Episode 8 of “Unhealthy Sisters,” now streaming on Apple TV+.

Belief “Unhealthy Sisters” showrunner and actor Sharon Horgan to complete the second season of the hit Apple TV+ sequence with a literal cliffhanger (which occurs to be even be titled “Cliff Hanger.”)

Within the eighth and closing episode of the season, the surviving Garvey sisters — Eva (Horgan), Bibi (Sarah Greene), Ursula (Eva Birthistle) and Becka (Eve Hewson) — discover themselves as soon as once more coping with a useless physique after Angelica (Fiona Shaw) thwacks abusive conman Ian (Owen McDonnell) over the pinnacle, and leaves him apparently dying in a pool of blood.

Deciding to get rid of Ian’s corpse, the sisters load him into the trunk of their automotive and plan to throw him off the aspect of the cliff — however once they attain their vacation spot, it seems he’s not as useless as they thought. Bleeding and disoriented, Ian escapes the trunk and manages to by chance throw himself off the aspect of the cliff, though even that doesn’t end him off. Which leaves the Garvey women with a dilemma: Depart Ian to perish on a cliff face, or name an ambulance?

After some squabbling, they in the end determine to do the latter, ending the season with a mirror picture of Season 1 (the place Grace survived whereas her abusive first husband JP, a.okay.a. The Prick, performed by Claes Bang, was murdered.)

Forward of the Season 2 finale dropping on Apple TV+, the forged and lead director Dearbhla Walsh sat down with Selection to debate taking pictures on a cliff edge, why the sisters determine to grant Ian mercy — and whether or not plans are already afoot for Season 3.

Sharon, how did you land on the Ian storyline?

Sharon Horgan: The concept of “Can lightning strike twice?” was the primary concept, as a result of girls who’ve been in that state of affairs — have been in an abusive relationship — they don’t essentially stroll right into a wholesome one. Additionally, they are often focused. I used to be nervous in case it was a foolhardy concept simply to instantly lead with that, however then every part else that constructed round it, like what occurs to Grace, got here out the writers’ room, and once more, felt a bit daring. We needed to point out that collateral injury of getting a person like [JP] in your life, and simply because he’s useless doesn’t imply that the ache goes away and her guilt and her conscience. She’s an excellent one that was put in a horrific state of affairs — and would she ever simply transfer on with life?

Dearbhla Walsh: That was such a shock, the success of The Prick in TV phrases, and the way a lot folks beloved to hate him. After which in doing this [second season], not wanting to only say “Right here’s Prick, Era 2.”

Anne-Marie, what had been your ideas on Grace’s relationship, and the way she twice ended up with an abuser?

Anne-Marie Duff: I believe, sadly, a variety of ladies and men who discover themselves in unhealthy love relationships are repeat offenders till they work out why they’re doing it. There’s a horrible inevitability about it, and that’s what makes it so tragic, as a result of he looks as if the perfect man. I imply, Owen is so good-looking and so charming, it’s excellent casting, so you are feeling devastated, the viewers. After which for Eva to develop into barely concerned with him and her to make the invention, that’s so advanced and intelligent. However sadly, I believe there’s a unhappy inevitability about it, isn’t there?

Did you’re employed on a backstory for Grace and why she’s inclined towards abusive relationships?

Duff: I believe all of us mentioned the truth that we [the Garvey sisters] misplaced our mother and father very younger. Trauma evolves otherwise in everyone. Some folks put on it like a fedora hat. Some folks simply do every part they’ll to heal themselves. Some persons are collapsers. And I believe she tried to seek out security in any person else’s spinal column, and that by no means works.

That closing scene on the cliff’s edge was shot on location in the midst of winter. How near the sting had been you truly taking pictures?

Horgan: We had been proper up [to the edge], however all of us had harnesses. Terrifying. All of us had security buddies with us as effectively. Nevertheless it was proper there. You get this bizarre confidence from having the harness, and it’s important to truly not lean into it, as a result of in any other case the concern goes and we glance means too snug.

Walsh: I bear in mind providing you with the notice, “OK, can we do this once more, and this time are you able to seem like it’s truly harmful?”

Sarah Greene: Dearbhla needed to remind us that like that is truly fairly scary. However the climate that evening was completely chaotic. Each time we went on set, it rained, so we spent many of the evening in our trailer collectively, napping within the mattress. It was fairly a pleasant time. The crew had been soaked. However, yeah, it was an actual cliff, it’s not CGI, it’s not a studio someplace. Dearbhla actually needed to place us on the cliff’s edge.

Eve Hewson: It was a number of, a number of, a number of evenings and a number of cliffs. After which there was two or three nights the place they actually harnessed us in, and we climbed down a cliff and needed to do the scenes hanging off of a cliff. These scenes had been hilarious and depressing on the identical time, as a result of each time it was raining. They might go, “OK, we’re gonna have 20 minutes of dry right here. Let’s get the women out, get them of their harnesses, able to go.” The minute they might put us in these harnesses, which took about 10 minutes, the rain would begin once more. So you may solely giggle and get utterly delirious however these nights are the nights that we actually bonded collectively. So it finally ends up being actually enjoyable, however you might be actually chilly and exhausted by the tip.

Eva Birthistle: Yeah, that climate was dreadful. We had been hanging off the aspect of the mountain, in the midst of the evening, harnesses on. The bottom was actually slippery as a result of it was so moist. It occurred each time, by the point they’d depart us and we’re about to roll, it will simply pour down once more. And well being and security are similar to, “Minimize! No. Get again up.” And the entire evening is simply us attempting to seize one thing. In the meantime poor Owen is mendacity down actually on a rock within the sea, waves truly crashing over him.

Horgan: The state of poor Owen. When he would are available in in between, once we would get somewhat little bit of time, like 10 minutes or no matter to calm down, he’d simply be sitting there, he didn’t even take off [the harness].

Birthistle: [Eventually] he simply made the choice, “I’m not going to maintain getting again up and down.” Trigger he truly — actually — climbed up the mountain. So he simply went, “I’m truly grand, I’m grand.” And he lay on that rock splashed by the ocean I’d say for a superb six hours.

Walsh: However everyone needed to do their very own stunts. There was no one saying “I’m not doing that.”

Finally the sisters determine to save lots of Ian. Sharon, why do you suppose Eva makes that decision?

Horgan: Due to every part that’s occurred, and so they’re not murderers. They react loads, the sisters — I imply, clearly not within the first season, that’s all very a lot a alternative — however for me, it was nearly extra of like, “How can I make it plausible that they tackle the mess of Ian post-Angelica?” However actually, I believe there’s a survival in it. They already really feel like there’s a really shut eye on them. There’s protectiveness for Angelica, even at that time, however the alternative to save lots of him — I believe it’s simply merely that they’re not unhealthy folks. All this stuff have occurred to them, and that is one factor that they’ll reclaim. And it’s a massive threat, and so they’re taking an opportunity, and God is aware of what’s going to occur, however in her intestine, Eva knew that it was the fitting alternative and it was.

Walsh: And likewise, I believe Blanaid is a large a part of this sequence.

Horgan: Yeah, [Eva] needed to make the fitting decisions for her.

Walsh: And I believe for unusual folks, it is vitally laborious to kill any person in actual life. It was staying very grounded in that.

Horgan: There’s an enormous distinction between placing somebody within the boot of a automotive and really shoving them off the aspect of a cliff and watching them die. There was nothing in them the place that will have felt like a pure alternative or the fitting alternative. And when you cross that line, there’s no going again.

Becka is likely one of the most vocal about letting Ian reside. Eve, did you suppose it was the fitting choice?

Hewson: I believed it was actually sensible. And likewise it confirmed the fact of who they had been. It’s very intelligent. Nobody is definitely murdered in Season 2, and in Season 1 they don’t truly homicide anyone, it’s Grace who does it. They usually get themselves into these locations the place you suppose, “Oh, they’re murderers. They’re attempting to homicide folks,” however they really by no means observe via, whether or not it’s due to their unhealthy makes an attempt at it or as a result of one thing morally holds them again. I suppose Mina was an unintentional homicide. However I simply suppose that second [on the cliff] — Becka is the youngest, and she or he’s speculated to be essentially the most harmless. And I suppose it was getting her to talk to the guts of the issue. All of them understand that truly, irrespective of how a lot they hate this man, they’re not gonna homicide him.

Sarah, how does Bebe really feel about letting Ian reside?

Greene: Becka’s proper: We’re not murderers. And I believe it’s good, simply actually intelligent writing by Sharon that they really don’t ever kill anyone. Folks have died, but it surely’s probably not their fault. I believe sure, she would need him to reside.

Birthistle: I really like when issues aren’t tied up. It simply offers you alternatives.

Talking of which, Sharon, have you ever received ideas already for a 3rd season story arc?

Horgan: I imply, you realize, we’re all the time speaking about it.

These interviews have been edited and condensed.