I'm not particularly fond of British television shows; at best I enjoy the likes of Black Mirror and Peep Show, but my interest doesn't really extend beyond that.
The End of the F***cking World (I love how it's censored due to obvious marketing purposes) sparkled in front of me, however, due to its abnormally high review scores and lack of actual discussion across the Internet. Typically, to me, this spells out a good television show aimed at a niche that admires obscenity and artistic vision, without being too obnoxious, but enough to be what I'd refer to as a 'casual filter'.
It follows too broken teenagers with both very complicated lives and upbringings, both are deranged and seeking for ways to escape reality; in the case of James, he's psychotic and searching for somebody to kill, and Alyssa is just a problematic teenager that is rude and far too straightforward and open about her thoughts. The two are outsiders, but quickly find solace in each other's company. It results in a very fucked up 'road trip' that quite literally has the two acting as if it is the very end of the world as they know it.
Outside of its edgy humour, the writing portrays the characters as broken children that are simply in need of someone to actually talk to that will listen to them. They're not bad, they're just stuck in a direction that is a result of careless families and a clear lack of emotional support. It allows us to sympathise with them throughout the show, despite their actions--although often enough their actions are justified--in a manner that has us kind of actually wanting them to get away from all this and end up alone, together, to finally live in freedom and with that emotional support they've both been longing.
What starts off as a twisted narrative soon becomes a story of love and acceptance amidst total chaos as the two remain on the run from the world, but they both know it's going to be short-lived, as hurdles constantly arise and prove that at some point, this has to end; although how it ends is something they're refusing to think of. As long as there is a way that ends with them together.
What I absolutely love about this show is that, in a way, it displays the ways in which society slowly crushes and pins outcasts down; forcing them into situations that results in a breaking point. Society's ways are not for everyone, but is there ever an actual escape? These are not bad people, they're just so tired of how they've been treated, and how bleak the world actually is, that they're willing to take drastic measures in order to avoid it, even if that means it's merely temporal and results in a rather negative outcome. There's an excellent narrative being told outside of the lives and actions of the characters, and it's hardly even evident, given the great writing.
The End of the F***ing World is mostly comedic, but hiding underneath the story is another that portrays society as a meaningless prison that often forces people to crack under its weight.
