Review: The End Of The F***ing World

The End Of The F***ing World (Seasons 1 and 2)

There's something about Netflix's The End Of The F***ing World that just does it for me. I don't know if it's the dark, quirky world its created, its comically nihilistic outlook on life, or the deeply compelling characters its created in James and Alyssa (and many of the supporting characters), but there's something about the show that demands me to binge each new season in ungodly compulsive speeds. Perhaps this is an indication of my own inner-disturbances (note to self: look into this further...), but under the surface of antisocial behaviours, violence and sex TEOTFW is a very relatable story of two teenagers simply trying to understand themselves and their place in this oftentimes perplexing and challenging world. It is attempting this Herculean task that our two leads, James and Alyssa, ultimately find one another.

As said, much of the show's success likely comes down to the black and quirky (I am going to be using these words a lot here...) universe that writer Charlie Covell has created, based off of the original comic book by Charles Forsman, the show's rotating door of talented directors, and, perhaps most importantly, its two incredible stars, Jessica Barden and Alex Lawther. Though I will try to get into it a bit later, I cannot stress how utterly marvellous Barden and Lawther are as the very damaged and endearing Alyssa and James.

The world of TEOTFW is in many ways similar to our own. It is often bleak: bad things happen to people (and children alike) setting them on dark pathways that they may otherwise not have strayed down. As a result, these people likewise do bad things to others - creating a circular narrative that carries through generations. The way people act in the world of TEOTFW, though seemingly normal enough, often have a quirky edge - in their syntax and in how they react to stimuli and other people. They are the types of personalities that one finds in the best kinds of black comedies. James and Alyssa are two such examples. James is a self-diagnosed psychopath and Alyssa is a moody rebel (arguably verging on the level of sociopathy). Both James and Alyssa have difficulties interacting with people. Neither can express themselves properly: James is a boy of few words and emotion, while Alyssa is forever frank and forthright with expressing every (curt) thought on her mind. Thankfully, the show lets the audience hear the two character's inner-thoughts and it is for this reason that we recognize that these are not two "bad" people but, instead, two very troubled individuals who are trying to get by as best they can. As well, throughout the course of these seasons there is excellent character development as James and Alyssa slowly become self-aware of and come to terms with their anti-social tendencies. It is a testament to Barden and Lawther that we can glean so much of the characters' inner-thoughts solely from subtle expressions in the face and eyes because, as is the case with so many people, the words spoken by James and Alyssa very rarely tell the whole story. It is equally wonderful to see how James and Alyssa likewise begin to pick up on each other's subtle cues as they grow closer to one another: Alyssa's avoidance of eye contact and outbursts when she is frustrated or scared, James' hunched posture when he is nervous, and so on.

Though I absolutely recommend The End Of The F***ing World to everyone out there, I also recognize that the show is likely not everyone's cup of tea. Its highly dark subject matter, deadpan and odd sense of humour and sudden violence may be enough to turn many people off. However, for those who are not compelled to stray away from these darker themes there is so much to take away from in this fantastic series. Now I just have the arduous task of waiting for the next season to come out at some point in the future... Ugh.