The show the “End of the F***ing World” which just came out on Netflix is not only aptly named, but also perfectly timed. At a time when it feels like the world might actually be ending, “End of the F***ing World” feels like the greatest escape. But as the characters quickly discover, it’s difficult to fully escape from your problems. The show begins with the narration of the seventeen-year-old self-proclaimed psychopath James, who after killing animals in his backyard has now set his sights on something bigger. James then meets the broody and blunt Alyssa who has decided to fall in love with James. The two are upset with lives, bored with the mundanity of the suburban and fed up with their families James and Alyssa run away, but their lives on the run are not as easy or as freeing as either thought it would be.
The “End of the F***ing World” is not just a story of two teens running away from home, but it is a deeply dark and heartfelt story of self-discovery. The two teenagers have no idea what they are doing, but they keep running making bigger and bigger mistakes as they go. To simply call the “End of the f***ing World” a love story would do it an injustice because it grapples with so much more. James and Alyssa are victims of circumstance. They are constantly reacting to the injustices and abuse that the world has put them through, but their impulses lead them astray.
The show looks at the question everyone has asked themselves at least once in their lives, what if I just ran away, but it also shows that their can be great consequence to acting purely on impulse. The episodes of the “End of the F***ing World” are short and few, making it an easy show to binge. Each episode has been carefully written and crafted, making sure that only the important details remain. The show alternates between the narration of James and Alyssa giving the viewer a sense of what each character thinks and feels. The narrations themselves are also reflections of the character. James is methodical and plain in the way he thinks, while Alyssa weaves complicated thoughts that show that her insecurities despite her brash and confident persona. All in all the “End of the F***ing World” is a show that is worth a watch. Dark and beautifully made it is a modern story that somehow leaves the viewer feeling oddly nostalgic. And while this f***ing world ends you might as well watch the “End of the f***ing World”.