Sitcom ‘Wildwood’ Lands at FX: ‘Derry Girls’ Creator Lisa McGee Brings Irish Summer Misadventures to the Jersey Shore
WILDWOOD, N.J. South Jersey’s iconic resort town is stepping back into the Hollywood spotlight with a major new television project. FX and 20th Television have officially landed the development rights to Wildwood, a brand-new comedy series created by BAFTA Award-winning screenwriter and playwright Lisa McGee, best known as the mastermind behind the international smash hit Derry Girls.
The upcoming series marks McGee’s first television project set outside the United Kingdom and Ireland. 20th Television secured the show following a fierce, highly competitive bidding war among major networks and streaming platforms. Wildwood will transport McGee’s signature brand of razor-sharp humor, sharp cultural observations, and nostalgic coming-of-age storytelling across the Atlantic to the neon-drenched boardwalks of Cape May County.
A Spiritual Successor to ‘Derry Girls’
Pitched as a spiritual successor to her acclaimed Channel 4 and Netflix comedy Derry Girls, Wildwood shifts the focus from 1990s Northern Ireland during the Troubles to the bustling mid-Atlantic coast at the turn of the millennium.
Set during the summer of 2000, the series centers on a group of college-aged Irish women who travel to the New Jersey shore expecting an idyllic, life-changing American summer. According to the project’s official logline, the group arrives in town with “no money, no visas, no plan, and absolutely no clue”.
| Series Attribute | Derry Girls (2018–2022) | Wildwood (In Development) |
| Setting | Derry, Northern Ireland (1990s) | Wildwood, New Jersey (Summer 2000) |
| Central Characters | Local high school students at a Catholic school | Irish college women traveling abroad |
| Core Theme | Navigating adolescence amid political turmoil | J-1 style summer work, culture shocks, & resort-town chaos |
| Network / Platform | Channel 4 / Netflix | FX & 20th Television (Hulu / Disney+) |
For decades, Mid-Atlantic beach communities—particularly in South Jersey—have been a primary destination for thousands of Irish university students visiting the United States on seasonal J-1 work exchange visas. McGee’s script explores the authentic blend of wild summer jobs, shared rental houses, and culture clashes that defined the era.
Local Excitement Across Cape May County
News of the FX acquisition spread rapidly across South Jersey, drawing warm enthusiasm from local business owners, tourism officials, and longtime residents. Celebrated for its free white-sand beaches, 38-block boardwalk, and famous “Doo-Wop” mid-century motel architecture, Wildwood has maintained a unique visual identity since its postwar heyday.
Community leaders noted that the town has held deep ties to Irish heritage for generations:
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Annual Traditions: Nearby North Wildwood has hosted the popular Irish Fall Festival for more than 40 years, drawing tens of thousands of visitors every autumn.
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Boardwalk Nostalgia: The turn of the century marked a unique transition period for Wildwood, blending classic Doo-Wop aesthetics with a boom in youthful tourism and summer nightlife.
Louis M. Belasco, Executive Director of the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority (GWTIDA), expressed hope that the show will showcase the town’s vibrant character to a global audience while capturing the nostalgia that keeps families and young travelers returning year after year.
Production Timeline and McGee’s Legacy
Lisa McGee gained worldwide acclaim for Derry Girls, which won best comedy honors at the BAFTAs, International Emmys, and Irish Film and Television Awards. She recently created the Netflix comedy-thriller series How to Get to Heaven from Belfast, cementing her reputation as one of modern television’s most talented comedic voices.
McGee serves as both writer and executive producer for Wildwood. While FX has not yet announced a premiere date or casting details, the project is currently in active development at 20th Television. The series is expected to stream on Hulu in the United States and internationally on Disney+ upon release.
