S15E5 “The Gang Goes to Ireland”
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Anyone else feel that the ‘Goes to Ireland’ episodes were created so the cast could write off the trip? These are my least favorite episodes, and I say this as a huge fan who has been watching this show over and over again for over a decade.
The Ireland scenes were actually filmed in the USA, for the most part, due to COVID travel restrictions. There were some B-roll shots of Ireland that were filmed by a small crew that took the trip, but the main cast stayed in the USA.
Very interesting, and thank you for this. As a former resident of Sonoma County and frequent visitor of Bodega Bay, I’m afraid my cynicism prevented me from recognizing one of my favorite places. Appreciate your kind correction internet stranger!
Well Hitchcock didn’t portray the area very well either. He made it all look very isolated in The Birds.
I imagine the area was much less populated and well connected to larger cities inland when the film was made 63 years ago.
However, I also imagine Hitchcock intentionally picked locations that were remote and harder to access to give more of an isolated feel.
I lived between Sebastopol and Bodega Bay in the early 2000’s and definitely saw a lot of farmland and isolated residences in the area, a stark contrast to areas like Santa Rosa and even the Russian River area. I’ve visited since leaving and feel like the area has developed a lot even in the relatively small span of time since I lived there, that’s why I feel confident saying it was much more isolated and quiet at the time of filming.
Fun fact: I’ve ran down the same hill from the schoolhouse like in the scene where the birds are attacking the kids! I’ve been to that school a few times and it was always completely empty.
I love The Birds. I watched every Halloween. You must have annoyed the people who live there.
I’ve been to Santa Rosa (which is named checked in the movie) and Russian River (yes the brewery’s tasting room too). Maybe I was conflating the times I’ve driving those freeways and highways in the area. Doesn’t seem very isolated. I’m not sure how true this is, but I read somewhere (a long time ago) that the driving scene was meant to depict the 101 but the shots were filmed closer to the coast.
Hahaha I’m sure I did, because I definitely screamed down that hill while flailing my arms. I also love that movie, I grew up watching it every time I visited my grandma who also loved it.
Yeah if you’ve only really been down the highways and other dense roadways in the area, it absolutely feels more populated. When I lived there, I used to go on drives with the intention of getting lost and finding my way back, only choosing a general direction as my guide (north, south, coast, etc.) and avoiding highways at all costs. This was before smartphones so it was quite easy, and I took the most incredible trips down these tiny side roads in these random rural areas all throughout and around Sonoma County. My favorites: Russian River/Guerneville, Calistoga, Bodega Bay, and Occidental. Also if you ever get the chance, driving from Bodega Bay down to San Francisco (or vice versa) via Highway 1 is divine.
As for your mention of the driving scene in The Birds - it would have to be Highway 1 they were depicting, as it goes right through Bodega Bay and is right up against the coast. It is indeed more remote and smaller feeing (mostly 2 lanes iirc) in that area and the main ‘thruway’ so to speak. Highway 101 is ~30 miles inland and goes right through Santa Rosa. Both highways take you to San Francisco from Sonoma County.
Right. I should have figured it was Highway 1. They do mention in a scene how long it’s take to reach the freeway (assuming they meant 101).
Austin Powers: “You know what’s remarkable, is how much England looks in no way like Southern California.”
Anyone else feel that the ‘Goes to Ireland’ episodes were created so the cast could write off the trip?
There’s no question. Of course they
didwanted to. (Edit: See below. Seems they couldn’t. I don’t blame them for trying. I would!) They seem like the types to admit it, anyway.There’s no question. Of course they did.
Except that almost everything in Ireland was filmed in the states because of COVID.
In August and September 2021, images circulated where the cast teased that they were filming in Ireland.[3] In November 2021, it was confirmed that the series would have episodes set in Ireland.[4] However, due to COVID-19 restrictions in the country, the series used Bodega Bay, California as a stand-in for Ireland.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gang_Goes_to_Ireland#Production
Is this why they included the plot about Dennis being extremely sick?
I am unsure about the specifics of the story, but I am sure COVID and the various restrictions and people blatantly ignoring health warnings played a role in the story.
Maybe we’d eventually learn… if they didn’t stop the podcast.
Thank you for confirming, my partner and I talk about it every time those episodes come up. We’re convinced this is also the way they’ve gone in other recent episodes, particularly the late season football episodes.
I love the gang, love the actors, but I don’t love feeling like my favorite show has become a means to acquire and flaunt over the top wealth at the expense of great comedy.
That was how Adam Sandler handled his movie contracts with Netflix. “Must be in a cool place and all my friends get to come during production.”
Oh wow, that makes perfect sense. I’m sure this happens a lot, and it sucks that this is the priority over telling an actual story.
I say this as a huge fan who has been watching this show over and over again for over a decade.
Yeah, I don’t like the “we took this meme from the internet and applied it to our show” lines either. When they made stuff that took off as memes, it was us taking mainstream culture and deriving shit from it. They’re just scooping up whatever’s around and parading it around. Maybe with the parody stuff or “from the headlines” they were doing the same thing (gas crisis, etc) but it feels especially hollow when they crowbar in “Cock chewah” or “rawdogging”
Using the phrase “soyboy beta cuck” was a poor choice. Then they used it a second time later in the same season.
I feel that so much, and agree that the new episodes that center around ‘of the moment’ issues/trends feel very manufactured and forced vs. funny commentary like early seasons did. There’s a subtlety that’s been lost and it feels artificial.
no way i love that whole storyline
If I wasn’t Irish, why would I have a shamrock tattoo?
I’M GONNA GET ANOTHER SHAMROCK TATTOO ON THE OTHER LEG!
