And we are back with a new show for you ladies!
Let’s talk about Fleabag today.
This show has made a lot of waves since it aired in the UK back in 2015. At the start of 2016, it aired on Amazon Prime where you can watch all episodes.
It is narrated by Fleabags creator and star Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Fleabag is an incredibly refreshing show, as it has women characters that are incredibly nuanced, and are therefore about a lot more than the male characters on screen. It’s not necessarily a feminist show, but it is a fiercely anti-sexist show. It demonstrates that women and men can have complex lives outside of the lives of their male bedmates.
She shares her own narrative.
In the first episode, Fleabag (the main character) looks at the camera and tells us that she died. She then proceeds to tell us how she died. This is a pretty unique storytelling device because it turns the audience into characters in her story, much like they would be if we were reading a book. It also makes us feel like we’re in on something special like we know what’s really happening when others don’t know anything about it. Finally, this creates an intimate relationship between Fleabag and the viewer—she isn’t just some actress who plays herself; rather, she’s telling you about your own life through her narration of it.
She has complex family relationships.
The relationships in Fleabag are complicated and the repercussions of these complications are the subject of the show.
There’s Fleabag and her father, who has an alcohol addiction. They have a strained relationship because of this and it affects their relationship with each other as well as with her sister (who is also an alcoholic) and brother-in-law.
Then there’s her friend, who is a total mess but they still love each other deeply. She also has a complicated friendship with someone she used to date that turned into a one-night stand then turned into something more but turns out he wasn’t right for her at all but now they’re friends and sometimes lovers again…
And finally, there’s Godmother who introduces us to the world’s worst boyfriend (that she shouldn’t be with).
She’s unapologetic about her sexual life.
The way she treats sex is so different from most TV shows: it isn’t crass or shocking, but rather honest and thoughtful; she doesn’t look down on the male characters for their lack of a filter or knowledge about women, and she doesn’t seem ashamed to admit that she has needs—and wants them fulfilled. It’s refreshing to watch a woman who embraces her own sexuality without shame or concern for what others might think—even if her actions don’t always line up with traditional definitions of femininity (like when she decides not to shave her legs).
It also doesn’t shy away from tough questions like:
● What does sex mean at this point in your life? Are you doing it just because everyone else is? Would you even know if someone pressured you into having sex?
● Is there a meaning to life beyond mere survival? And if there isn’t, should we still try our best to make something out of our lives despite knowing full well that our existence is meaningless at the end of it all?
The show discusses female pain in a no-nonsense way.
The main character, Fleabag, is constantly dealing with some kind of emotional turmoil, whether it’s heartbreak, anxiety, or just the general pain of being a woman in the world. And she doesn’t shy away from discussing these things in a no-nonsense way. In fact, she often uses her wit and humor to help deal with her pain. For example, after sleeping with a man who turns out to be married, she quips “Welcome to my life: A series of unfortunate events followed by me making terrible decisions.” It’s this willingness to talk about the dark stuff that makes Fleabag so relatable and lovable.
It explores the boundaries of consent and vulnerability.
It’s a master class on consent, vulnerability, and how to give and receive it. The show also teaches us that consent is something that has to be sought out every single time — even if you already know someone well enough to feel comfortable with their past behavior towards yours.
It normalizes therapy.
The show is also frank when discussing grief. Fleabag’s mother died when she was 13, and she never discusses her feelings about it until episode seven of the first season when she finally breaks down in therapy. The show deals with the topic in a way that feels real; it explores how grief can affect our lives for many years after it has happened, but also acknowledges that time does eventually heal wounds—even if they never fully heal.
In episode one, we’re introduced to Fleabag as she tries to get her life back together after being dumped by her boyfriend. This prompts her to go through the motions of attending AA meetings and seeking out professional help for dealing with grief, which leads us into an entire episode focused on therapy! If this doesn’t make you want to stop everything and tune in then I don’t know what will!
In Fleabag, Phoebe Waller-Bridge tells us that we’re allowed to be vulnerable and messy and angry too and that it’s OK to do all of those things at once.
In Fleabag, Phoebe Waller-Bridge tells us that we’re allowed to be vulnerable and messy and angry too and that it’s OK to do all of those things at once.
The show is incredibly funny, but it also deals with some very heavy topics.
It’s definitely not a light-hearted show, but it’s one that we think every woman should watch.
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