The British Bonnie and Clyde take center screen in another Netflix breakout hit, “The End of the F***ing World.” This UK series follows James, a self-labeled psychopath in training, and Alyssa, a rebellious girl with no filter, on their crazy adventure that started with an unlikely first date at “One Of The Top 10 Greatest American Dining Experiences in the South of England.”
James, portrayed by Alex Lawther, is not your average teenage boy; he did not ask out a girl simply because she interests him; there’s a hidden agenda. He is dying to murder something, or rather someone, larger than your average neighborhood cat. And James thinks Alyssa could be his ideal subject. Meanwhile, Alyssa, portrayed by Jessica Barden, stands none the wiser believing James is her chance to leave her humdrum, suburban life behind.
With a desire to break free from her troubled home, neglectful mother, and step father, Alyssa persuasively drags James along on a spur-of-the-moment road trip with intentions to never come back. Along the way, unexpected twists and turns plague the duo that threatens not only their safety, but their futures.
As the plot progresses, changes in James and Alyssa’s personalities are hard to dismiss. James slowly loses his Norman Bates-like persona and his emotions towards Alyssa become more apparent. He also starts to develop genuine care for, and somewhat depends on, Alyssa. In the beginning of the series, this concept of James having any emotions at all seemed so far-fetched. On the other hand, Alyssa stays pretty true to her wild, outspoken self, but her relationship with James turns her a bit soft; letting the viewers finally get a peek of what lies under her tough exterior.
The duo also builds up more confidence not only in themselves but in their ability to commit and get away with crimes as well, with James going as far to say, “After the murder, other crimes seemed easy by comparison.”
Facing difficult and complicated circumstances such as murder, viewers can forget that James and Alyssa are merely teenagers. However, there are moments were the viewer can catch a glimpse of their young spirited selves, getting drunk and dancing around to old records for one, making them seem more like “typical teens.”
Based on the graphic novel by Charles Forsman, “The End of the F***ing World” mixes the right amount of comedy, darkness, and quirk. The series is an eight episode compilation, all around 20 minutes long, making it prime binge watching material you can easily finish within the span of a few hours.
The cinematic qualities of the show aided in the episodes flowing cohesively. The viewer can easily forget it is actually a television show, especially if they watch all eight episodes in one day.
Much like a majority off Netflix produced series, “The End of the F***ing World” disregards the common mold for a television show. An example of this would be the detectives, Eunice Noon and Teri Darego, both female characters reshaping the stereotypical, male dominant detective role. Aside from them being female, the show also alludes to their past, quite brief, romantic history. A relationship between two female characters that is more than platonic is still not typically seen in a wide array of television despite our society’s relative acceptance.
“The End of the F***ing World” definitely serves the witty, dry, and borderline insulting comments that viewers can expect of classic British humor. Alyssa is the main character who dishes out the twisted comic relief during rather inopportune moments. For example, when James and Alyssa are about to hitch a ride from a random, older man she says, “I’m gonna be so f***ed if we get murdered.”
Season one of “The End of the F***ing World” not only grips you with their rugged charm but also ends at a point that definitely leaves you yearning for answers. Despite there being no official start-up date for season two, do not let that stop you from adding this addictive “dramedy” thriller to your Netflix list.