Netflix’s British comedy “The End of the F***ing World” is a prime example of shows who use teenage angst as a peg.
A show with teenage angst is nothing new or interesting, if anything that makes a show boring and cliche.
How does the show overcome this? Great character development that explains and justifies the otherwise tiresome and overdone characters.
James, played by Alex Lawther, is a self-diagnosed psychopath who feels the need to graduate from killing small animals in the woods to killing humans.
Alyssa, who is played by Jessica Barden, approaches James looking for a person to run away with and who does not fit in because she doesn’t trust people who fit in.
Alyssa decides to run from her oblivious mother and sleazy stepfather with James tagging along to run from his own father as well as to kill her later on.
The show’s plot picks up after a justified murder by the British Bonnie and Clyde.
Seeking refuge James and Alyssa break into a professor’s house and find pictures of female students he had been abusing.
The professor comes back home to find Alyssa alone and sleeping in his bed and after some very creepy dialogue, which included a children’s story, he decides to rape her.
James, hiding underneath the bed, jumps in to save the day and stabs the rapist in the neck thus saving Alyssa and leaving her drenched in blood a la Carrie White.
After the murder, James and Alyssa move on and commit petty crimes to reach a seemingly safe destination with Alyssa’s absent drug-selling biological father.
The show is not only a show about a teenage couple who become fugitives of the law, but it also reflects on some today’s significant issues.
It deals with suicide as an issue that many people have to deal with today and demonstrates what a monster it can become if not addressed and dealt with.
Aside from suicide, it contemplates on teens raising themselves.
The conundrum of teens raising themselves is nothing new, in fact it is so normal now that the effects are no longer thought about, however it is something to think about as it affects many teens and even adults.
It makes one thankful to have present parents who care.
Even if the show does try to remove itself from boring cliches it can not avoid sad, melancholic French pop.
The show moves on with said French pop to reunites the duo after Alyssa and James temporarily separate.
Some may consider teens to be shallow and naive, however, this show works to disprove that by letting the protagonists explain their thoughts and wisdoms.
A great example of this would be Alyssa realizing that her father is not the answer to her problems and that he is only more questions.
So as to not let the show get to dreary and heavy it includes some humorous bits which may not be everyone’s cup of tea.
The show is full of dry British humor. It is not obnoxious like most American comedies which become stale and forced after a couple episodes.
The episodes are also on average only 20 minutes long which makes this the perfect show for a quick Netflix binge.
A bit of warning for animal-lovers: beware of the ending!
Mary Jane • Jan 22, 2018 at 3:50 pm
One of the best articles I’ve read from Cerritos College newspaper!!! Way better than my College Newspaper!!!!