Introduction
Somewhere mid-series when the unnamed protagonist of the show – Fleabag, finds herself at a gift psychiatrist session that she wanted to exchange for cash – she reflects why her father would give such an odd gift –
“Because my mother died and he can’t talk about it and my sister and I didn’t speak for a year because she thinks I tried to sleep with her husband and because I spend most of my adult life using sex to deflect from the screaming void inside my empty heart. Although I don’t do that anymore.”
In just 12 short episodes – fleabag follows Pheobe Waller-Bridge’s character’s journey as she sleepwalks through a broken life – reconciling the accidental suicide of her best friend, unwanted sexual advances from a creep of a brother-in-law, and a particularly cunty step-mother.
Reading the intro, one might reasonably conclude that Fleabag is a sad-sad drama but it couldn’t be farther from the truth. Despite the seemingly grim backdrops – the show manages to be riotously funny and smart and sweet! A thoroughly enjoyable watch.
The Cast
Fleabag
Fleabag is spontaneous, smart, intimidating. She is also emotionally detached, dishonest, obsessed with sex, and not a very good person generally. She makes for a great protagonist.
For a girl with no friends and an empty heart – ‘by her own description’ – Fleabag doesn’t come across as a sad person. A lonely person? Sure – but the ‘no friends’ part is also not entirely accurate – she has friends who are constantly around peeking into her life and her deepest thoughts. It is us – the audience.
Fleabag is constantly talking to us – with winks and secret smiles and commentaries on the absurd. Talking to us allows Fleabag to escape her traumas and commitment issues allowing her to maintain her distances from the people around her. (Spoilers) This suddenly changes in the second season in what would be one of the most innovative experiment with ‘breaking the fourth wall’ when someone suddenly can peek in on our secret friendship with Fleabag.
Claire
Claire is the polar opposite of fleabag –
She is her very successful, anorexic, beautiful and perfect sister who is also awkward, uptight and trapped in a loveless marriage. They share a complicated love-hate relationship and Claire forms a perfect contrast to Fleabag’s spontaneity.
The evil-stepmother
Well, “she isn’t exactly evil, just a c**t” – Fleabag
Olivia Coleman’s plays the unnamed character of the perfectly lovable villain of the show portraying an very successful and talented godmother turned stepmother. She is an accomplished sexhibitionist – who has a very amiable hate-hate relationship with Fleabag.
The ghost of a dead friend
Also around, lurking in Fleabag’s memories is her closest friend and the person who understood her best – Boo – reminding her of the times when she actually was happy. Boos has died in a stupid fake suicide attempt, after her boyfriend cheated on her, before the events of the show
Then there are the men – the awkward father (who likes Claire better), a creep brother-in-law, an equally unhappy bank manager (who refuses her a loan for a valid-ish reason – and is dealings with the consequences of his own misogyny) and the several love interests who pass thru her life – lovable Harry, the tooth guy, the sexy guy, the best-sex-she-ever-had lawyer and the hot priest.
Each of the characters is engaging, quirky and well developed – complementing Waller-Bridge’s exceptional performance.
The Story
Built as a funny and serious drama – the overarching story is broken by sitcom-esque episodes, each of which is a joy in itself – a trip to a women’s retreat, a family dinner, Claire’s office party. Connecting these episodes is a profound piece of stolen art – ‘a women robbed’, occasionally, also a vibrator and foxes. It is a show about grief and trauma, faith and feminism, love and loneliness amidst complicated family dynamics – (spoilers ahead)
Grief and Trauma
Throughout the show, Fleabag is haunted by the memories of Boo and the guilt of sleeping with her boyfriend – which was ultimately responsible for Boo’s death. Outside the guilt, these actions are also responsible for Claire not trusting her completely when she reveals to Claire that her husband tried to kiss her. She tries make amends – by avoiding sex, being a better person generally with some, if limited success – and manages to reconcile with her sister. As for the guilt – it was always going to stay . A little bit of kindness from an equally sad soul at the end of season one – helps her live another day. (A café for guinea pigs – told you that’s funny). Recognising she still had the capacity to fall in love, at the end of season two, made for a perfect end for the show (details below)
Feminism
“Please raise your hands if you would trade five years of your life for the so-called “perfect body” – only 2 hands shoot-up – Fleabag’s and Claire’s before a shameful retraction –
Outside some incredible jokes about bad feminists – The main arc on feminism would be how the empowered Claire makes choices to maintain a toxic family life rather than chase true love and professional success.
Her husband is quite sure she wouldn’t beg him to leave her in that dress!
Faith
The hot priest, who against his vows of celibacy, ends up falling in love and sleeping with fleabag is far from a perfect human being. Having chosen religion as an escape from the traumas of his life – he has always struggled with his choice. Fleabag, who practically believes in nothing offers a temptation which he ultimately doesn’t fall for.
“Be strong, and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord”
It’s God, isn’t it? A tearful Fleabag asks him – and he assures her love for him will pass. That is perhaps true. But I wonder what the temptation does for the priest? – This YouTube video offers a compelling food for thought –
The Perfect Ending
Irrespective, of the judgement on the priest’s choices – the show has a perfect ending for Fleabag – thanks mostly to the priest. The priest presence always pulled Fleabag out of her comfort zone – asking deep probing questions and pulling her out of her most toxic relationship – her escape to the audience.
It reminded me of one of my favorite quotes from fiction – “One cannot be forever looking for the point, or one loses the most important things – being a major character in one’s own life”
Learning that she is capable of giving and receiving love – she starts her lonely walk home – leaving us behind.
Fleabag’s raw honesty and dark humor make her story uniquely relatable. The article captures how the show challenges traditional storytelling brilliantly.