The End of the F***ing World Review
A coming of age story that really comes at you.
I watch a lot of Netflix, but most shows on the platform could be described as “palpable”, “not great”, or mostly “meh”. There is one show that recently came out that defies those descriptions. The End of the F***ing World is one of the bright spots on Netflix. The show is smart, dark, and really funny. The cast, story, and humour work well together in a very refreshing way. In that sense there is a lot of 'british' humour in the show that elevates it from other Netflix shows.
It’s entirely addicting to watch not because of predictable use of cliffhangers like other Netflix shows but the stylized characterization of the story. The characters are loveable and it makes the story flow so much better. The show relies on your investment of the characters motivations as a way to draw you in.
What makes the series so interesting is the story and character motivation that engages the audience right away. James, the main character wants to kill someone. Alyssa wants to run away and befriends James. There lies conflict of love, murder, and a weirdly burned hand. They then go on an adventure to find Alyssa’s father, as they stumble and tumble on every decision they make. Jessica Barden (Alyssa) and Alex Lawther (James) are amazing and fit the characters perfectly. Their chemistry pulls you in. It’s not the best couple but writing overcomes any deficiencies they had acting wise.
The other supporting characters are written perfectly. From the lesbian police detective to James’s conflicted father, each character adds a flare of comedy while grounded emotionally. The main stand out in the series is Gemma Whelen who plays Eunice, one of the detectives tasked to find James and Alyssa. Gemma also plays Theon Greyjoy’s sister on Game of Thrones. Her role in The End of the F***ing World is a complete 180 of that from Game of Thrones and she pulls it off. She plays the character really well. The compassion and drive that she showed really elevated the tension. That and how the series writes her personal dilemma in the story really compels the audience to root for her.
There is an element in the writing that makes the show intriguing above par. How the series portrays internal moments of the character and how it visual expresses them is very refreshing to watch. The pacing of the lines are phenomenal. There are moments of pause as the characters speak voice over lines that overlay into the scene to act like internal moments. James would say something out loud and then the voice over would let the audience know what he is thinking in his head. It would be quick bursts of dialogue like “shit!”. But there are more to it than just a neat little editing trick. It puts the audience right in the forefront of the characters' dilemma and adds internal conflict. There is no way to question the characters feelings because their inner dialogue is spoken to the audience and the story beats become increasingly more appealing. This allows for quick and refreshing storytelling rather than drawn out scenes for the audience to detect the character’s internal conflict.
The style is very retro. Like something made in the 70s with the set and art design. The flashbacks are in 3:4 to emphasize the oddity of what is happening. Everything is stylized, not for the sake of it but for the feeling of freedom and nostalgia. The art and wardrobe is on point and relatable. It’s hipster but not too hipster and there is a general British style with Alyssa’s coat to the cars they drive to the houses they visit.
Each episode is around 20 minutes long. It’s quick in establishing the plot and gets to the meat of the story right away. There is no time to stop with this series. All together, it’s like a 4 hour long indie student film type series. So it’s fun to watch, it’s over before you know it and that was one of the best parts about. There is no need to sit through 12 episode arcs with each episode being 40 minutes long. The End of the F***ing World gets you into it right away and doesn’t let the gas off the pedal one bit.
The End of the F***ing World is a fun ride with lots of awkward, fun, and captivating moments that will surely hook you right from the start. I can’t recommend it enough. It seems like a wholesome series that the story can’t be extended further but it leaves you wanting more anyways. It’s a quick binge and worthy of the time 100%.
Cowin Poon • TORONTO 2018
