Fleabag

When Phoebe Waller-Bridge created Fleabag she created a devastating masterpiece. She created something that will send people into existential crisis’ for decades to come. She created perhaps the most emotional television event of all time. Fleabag is a beautiful and heartbreaking journey of human emotion. It's an incredible depiction of guilt, and growth. And most importantly it is perhaps some of the most relatable work that's ever been done in television.

Fleabag can really be analyzed in a few parts; Her internal struggles, which we, the audience get special insight to because of the fourth wall breaks. Her relationship with her family. Claire, her father and her godmother all play an important role in Fleabag’s actions and character growth. And last but not least her relationships with men. Harry, Martin, the nameless guys she sleeps with and, of course, the Hot Priest.

So let’s start with her internal struggles. The first season is mostly focused on the guilt she feels over her best friend's death. The way that she has been coping with that guilt is with meaningless sex. Something a lot of young women have used as a bandaid at some point. Through sex she also tries to find a purpose. When Boo was alive Fleabag had a reason to live. She had someone that loved and cared about her. She had a business with her best friend. She had a purpose. Without Boo, she is clearly feeling a little lost. When she has flashbacks about Boo, the coloring is so much brighter and when she snaps back to reality, it's much duller, and darker. It is a very visual representation of her loss.

Then we have Fleabag’s relationship with her family. Her closest familial relationship is clearly her sister, Claire. Though they don’t necessarily get along really well, they are very different people, they clearly love each other and Fleabag reaches out to her sister several times throughout the show. And her efforts are not always met with a warm reception. They have a complicated relationship but they do end the series on relatively good terms. Then we have Dad and Godmother who are just the worst possible human beings on the planet. I truly could not hate them anymore than I do. I have a deep, guttural reaction whenever they are on screen. They suck so much. Dad is a horrible father. Actually the worst. Then we have Godmother who is just a rancid bitch. And they have no development throughout the series. They start horrible and they end horrible and they get married in a horrible ceremony and they get to live the rest of their horrible lives together.

Then we have the important relationships; arguably the ones that shape the series, Fleabags relationships with men. The most important relationship to talk about is that of Fleabag and the Hot Priest. The Hot Priest is the catalyst for just so much of Fleabag’s character growth. He makes her realize that she is worth so much more than sex and she is capable of an actual human connection. And in the worst way, she solidifies his faith for him.

The ending of season 2 is truly one of the most devastating endings to a television series. I have so much respect for Phoebe's genius as well as her restraint. She very easily could have made this an ongoing comedy series and cheapend the message for views. But she said exactly what she needed to and then left it alone. The ending was perfect and it really didn’t need any more seasons. I wish more shows would follow suit.