Do you ever find yourself in a situation where you’re the only person who knows your sister’s alcoholic husband tried to kiss you at her birthday party while your godmother who is now your soon to be step-mother is making penis replicas of not just your father, but your ex boyfriend?
And all the while this is happening you think about your cafe with a guinea pig that is now yours because your best friend accidentally killed herself, despite everyone thinking that was not an accident?
And while you handle thinking about all of that, you can’t help thinking – is this priest ever going to have sex with me?
If you said ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then you will love the show Fleabag.
The two season twenty minute episode with a mischievous music track that keeps each episode moving along show Fleabag leaves you with a whole day gone and desperately wanting more. Phoebe Waller-Bridge is the genius behind the naughty, hilarious, emotional show that depicts the life of a struggling cafe owner with a tense sister, a quiet father, and a gaudy soon-to-be stepmother.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s character constantly breaks the fourth wall and talks directly to the audience seamlessly as she goes about her day. This creates a relatable character who is cheeky and hurting and honest. The only other character that picks up on this is the sexy priest who, despite committing his life to the Lord and abstinence, the main character falls deeply in love with. But don’t worry, it’ll pass.
Or so the priest thinks. (Spoiler: it doesn’t.)
Not only does this breakage of the fourth wall submerge us into the world of Fleabag, it demonstrates the unmatched wit and acting talent of Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Her tone and facial expressions change in matters of seconds without it seeming disjointed. The other actor’s abilities to remain present in the scene is also something to praise.
Besides Fleabag, my personal other two favorite characters are her sister Claire and of course, the sexy priest. Claire is the opposite of her sister. She’s a stressed out, hugely successful serious person who just happens to have the cheekiest sister in the world. Their dynamic changes throughout the two seasons, but it is clear that they love each other deeply in the strange way that only sisters understand.
Claire receives her own drawn out character development from dealing with her lousy husband, her creepy step-son, and breaking out of her shell when she finds love in a Finnish man also named Claire. She grows into her own and exudes a strength that, I believe, she wouldn’t have found without Fleabag.
The sexy priest shows up in season two, and within the first few minutes of screentime, he is unusual for a priest. He curses, drinks a lot, smokes cigarettes, and awkwardly relays his own family trauma. He shows interest and respect for Fleabag that the other family members lost long ago. Their relationship becomes murky as he wrestles with God vs Fleabag. Despite the emotional turmoil the sexy priest experienced, he never got over his biggest fear: foxes.
The dilemma in Fleabag that is quietly addressed is: are you allowed to be happy even if you’ve done a terrible thing? The answer is complicated, but ultimately, yes you can.
Over Easy Zines 