Teen dramas have evolved to strange new places in the past decade, often finding themselves mixed into various genre hooks to stay relevant. Some, like Stranger Things, feature teen drama as more of a bonus quality to their blockbuster and sci-fi thriller-like qualities. Others outside of Netflix, like teen drama-heavy network The CW, have produced engaging-yet-progressively ridiculous debacles like Riverdale, jumping the shark past organ harvesting and into superpowered lunacy. But some, like Netflix’s The End of the F***ing World, approach a blend of these qualities to create something shockingly poignant.

The Channel 4 original series, distributed for streaming internationally by Netflix, adapts the eponymous limited comic series by Charles Forsman. A dark comedy twist on the usual teen angst, The End of the F***ing World’s principal characters James (Alex Lawther) and Alyssa (Jessica Barden) are a pair of misfit runaways, attempting to escape thoroughly broken homes as they travel around England. But, as it turns out, James and Alyssa continuously must face the consequences of their hideously ill-conceived actions, ranging from simple joyrides, to armed robbery, to manslaughter, all while they experience their mutual coming-of-age.

Netflix’s Best Teen Drama Is a Darkly Funny Weekend Binge

Set across two seasons, The End of the F***ing World initially shows James, a self-proclaimed psychopath, having stolen his father’s beloved car with the girl he plans to murder, Alyssa. Each bearing trauma such as parental neglect and even witnessing horrific moments in their childhood, the pair rapidly juxtapose their coherent internal monologs with their actual conversations, often failing to communicate their real intentions of feelings.

But James’ ideation isn’t the only source of conflict in the series. With Alyssa having adjustment issues of her own, namely a tendency to fan the flames of hers and James’ teen rebellion, the pair soon find themselves crossing an exceedingly dark line by episode #3 of season 1. With barely an hour before a brutal twist that sets the show’s darkest undertones, and a total of 16 20-minute episodes apiece, The End of the F***ing World makes an easy yet wildly compelling weekend binge.

The End of the F***ing World never seems to lose sight of its cruel sense of wit, with a night of breaking and entering going horribly wrong being undercut by dreamy, bluesy vocals. James and Alyssa consistently make some of the worst choices imaginable, yet it’s a surprisingly addictive train wreck to watch unfold. They continuously fail to address their feelings for each other, as well as what they’ve overcome together. This is perhaps best encapsulated by the moment of their shared trauma leaving a dead body and a pool of blood forming an unmistakable heart underneath; James and Alyssa’s chaotic odyssey.

A transgressive teen drama and tragicomedy at heart, The End of the F***ing World also features the pitiful parents who raised James and Alyssa, and the various troubles they inadvertently pass onto their children. James’ father was seen as a poor role model growing up, while Alyssa never knew her birth father all too well; but in trying to help Alyssa track her dad down, predictably, things aren’t all geared for a teary reunion. It’s all a dark setup, but in the execution, viewers see the humor: James’ internal narrative is disarmingly naive for a “psychopath”; when an awkward teen gas station employee tries to join in on their rebellion; and the neutrally painful awkwardness between its main stars.

The End of the F***ing World Is as Shocking as It Is Cathartic

While much of the series revolves around James and Alyssa constantly failing to communicate even the most basic of emotions to one another, the weight of their actions soon gives them plenty to talk about. Within one season, the pair soon find themselves on the run from the law, extorting or outright killing sexual predators while trying to find a place for themselves. It’s a destructive journey leaving a noticeable ripple effect on season 2 in which even the most heinous people they encountered had somebody who loved them.

The shock value of The End of the F***ing World effectively communicates to the viewers that, while in an exaggerated premise, its characters live in a believably “real” enough world where all their actions have dreadful consequences. They, their parents, and much of the cast surrounding them range from unsympathetic to irredeemably awful, with very few characters being outright virtuous. This can often mean freak accidents sucking in bystanders as James and Alyssa grow from troubled teens into adults saddled with dread, escaping broken homes only to try to repair themselves on the road.

But despite the dark comedy and nihilistic moments spread throughout the series, its starkest moments often work to shock viewers into truly appreciating when its characters find some light to strive for. One key moment includes two juxtaposed, imagined futures where James and Alyssa’s pursuer gets vengeance only to find nothing left to live for, and another, in which they give into their trauma outright.

James loves Alyssa, and viewers quickly catch on that Alyssa also loves James. It’s often a blend of excruciating yet baffling fun to watch them constantly avoid acknowledging their feelings throughout the show. For Alyssa, this means potentially cutting James out of her life for a “safer” partner, while ultimately repressing the feelings that spurred on their road trip from the start; for James, it’s clear that Alyssa is the only one to understand and truly appreciate him. The End of the F***ing World may put some viewers off for its bleak and moody stars, but beneath the cynicism and dark humor lie two wounded hearts whose journey is thoroughly rewarding to see to the finale.

Release Date

2017 – 2019-00-00

Network

Netflix

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