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By Coren Feldman
To me, writing a review of Fleabag is like writing a review of the Sistine Chapel. What is there to say? I just feel like I'm staring at it and going, "yeah, it's really good. I mean - all the art, and - just really good".
But I'll put that aside and do my best to sell you on why this show is perfect.
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| "Jesus." |
Fleabag was originally a one-woman show in England created Phoebe Waller-Bridge. It was adapted for the BBC by Waller-Bridge herself, who writes and stars along a stellar cast including Academy Award winning actress Olivia Coleman who is only in the show because she told Waller-Bridge that she was interested and when Academy Award winning actress Olivia Coleman wants to be on your show, you write her in to your show.
Fleabag follows an unnamed protagonist (or just, "fleabag") as she deals with grief over her mother and, more recently, her best friend who she had opened a cafe with. Now she has to juggle keeping the cafe afloat as she navigates her complicated familial relationships, her dysfunctional romantic relationships and her sex life.
Most importantly, this is a show where the protagonist constantly breaks the fourth wall and talks to the camera. I'm usually not a fan of this type of storytelling and shows/movies that use it a lot (like Deadpool) tend to fall flat for me. But this is different. In other shows, this would just be an excuse for extra exposition or quick jokes, and sure, Fleabag does that too, but her relationship with the audience is actually largely what this show is about. Without spoiling any details, I'll just say that there is a deeply rooted character motivation for her "jimming" the camera and it evolves over time as well.
It's unfortunately uncommon for women to be written by women in the TV industry, which makes Fleabag a rarity already, but what really stands out to me is how complexly and honestly this character's story is told. This show has a distinctly female point of view - tackling women's objectivization, grief, superficial feminism, religion and a family that's still reeling from loss and struggling to stay together.
Fleabag is hilarious. It's honest. It's heart wrenching and then heart warming. It's possibly the best show of our generation and you have to - have to - watch it. As in, you do not have a choice. I will track you down and strap you to a chair and make you watch this show. And then you'll thank me, because it's that good.
