Late to The Party: My Thoughts on Fleabag

One of the most enjoyable parts of my day is when I finally get to watch TV after a long day of homework. Normally, I turn to a comfort show like Grey’s Anatomy or Parks and Recreation, but lately, my friends and I have been trying to watch shows together. I’m a chronic re-watcher of television because when I find something good, I stick to it. I like knowing what will happen next, it makes me feel safe. I don’t often watch new shows, so when my friend Maddy suggested Fleabag, I was skeptical. 

Fleabag, a two-season dramedy only available on Amazon Prime, came out in 2016. I had only heard of it a couple of times before I watched, which is shocking to me now knowing how good it is. Phoebe Waller-Bridge (the creator of the show who I am now obsessed with) stars as the unnamed protagonist known to viewers as Fleabag. Fleabag is a bit of a mess: she has unpacked trauma related to her family life and also regarding her friend Boo, who tragically died. She copes with trauma through humor (which is maybe why I relate to her so hard). In a Jim from The Office way, Fleabag will often turn to the camera and express her thoughts to the audience. It’s a way of relaying a character’s inner monologue that I had never seen before and really liked because it felt so personal, like I was talking to a friend. I also carry a strong belief that any movie or show that has British people in it is better than any American show out there.

The show starts out on a comedy high, and then more dramatic aspects slowly get entered in throughout season one. It honestly caught me by surprise a little, because it comes out of nowhere. I think that it’s meant to, in order to mirror real life a little bit. One of my favorite parts of Fleabag is her relationship with her sister, Clare. The sisters are very different: Clare is more uptight and closed off, while Fleabag is fragrant, bold, and a little vulgar. They’re opposites in the best way and complement each other perfectly. Clare quickly became my favorite character on the show because of her dry humor. I am also a sucker for sisterly relationships because I have one younger sister who is my heart in a person, and Clare and Fleabag give off that same feeling. They’re shy about expressing emotion with each other, and joke and make fun of each other constantly. They’re full of awkward hugs, gifting each other vibrators, and hating spending time with their family. I found them to be super relatable, and also admirable in the way that their love for each other knows no bounds. In the finale, Clare tells Fleabag that she is “the only person she would run through an airport for,” and it made my friends and me all cry. Positive and dynamic female relationships in television are like a drug to me.

Speaking of relationships on TV that are addictive, I cannot avoid talking about Fleabag’s main love interest: the hot priest. In season one, Fleabag has a ton of casual sex (as she should). She doesn’t really stay tied down and is pretty open about her sexuality. Her attitudes regarding sex are the same in season two, but she definitely sparks some interest with a hot priest who is officiating her dad’s wedding. No spoilers, but they film some of the hottest scenes I’ve ever seen on television, and also made me cry like a baby.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge created a work of genius with Fleabag, and her acting is amazing. She also wrote season one of Killing Eve, which is insanely good as well. It is crazy to me that this show isn’t talked about more, although Phoebe Waller-Bridge was just named one of Time’s 100 most influential people in 2020, and Taylor Swift wrote an essay about her for it (I love this crossover episode)! In summation, Phoebe Waller-Bridge is amazing, Fleabag is amazing, and if you haven’t watched it you are missing out on one of the most unique and special shows that will probably ever exist.

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