It’s not the end of the world, just a new Netflix series
New Netflix original, The End of the F***ing World, exceeds expectations using charming and witty British humor. The binge-worthy series grips the watcher with dark themes and interesting characters over the short watch time of only three and a half hours. Having come out earlier this month, it quickly became another hit for Netflix, and critics expect to see this series on 2018’s top-ten lists.
January 24, 2018
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN MINOR SPOILERS
The End of the F***ing World managed with dark humor and themes, to tackle social and systemic issues plaguing the modern world and shows the disgusting underbelly of the world through the perspective of two pessimistic teenagers.
The skillfully written characters hold significant arcs, changing drastically in the eight episode span. James, played by Alex Lawther, started as a mentally scarred, seemingly sociopathic 17 year old transforms into an objectively wonderful person filled with passion by the end of the series. The other main character, Alyssa, played by Jessica Barden, branded from the beginning as the token angsty teen who hates her life, breaks the stereotype and finds her purpose through trying to show genuine goodness and compassion towards others.
The dynamic of the two main characters sets the story miles apart from other popular teenage shows and movies like Riverdale and The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Both main characters follow different paths but ending up needing each other to navigate the situations they come across. The quick-witted dialogue cracks up the most hardened of critics, and the inner turmoil broadcasted through the series asides by the characters and sends chills down one’s spine.
The two main characters do not represent the general population, but through satire and deep connections to real-world adult themes, the story grips the audience until the last moment. The talented acting from Alex Lawther as James and Jessica Barden as Alyssa, pushes the envelope.
With eight episodes running for just over 20 minutes each, the story holds no filler moments. It still proudly holds a score of 97 critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, three points higher than the already well-rated and established Netflix show Black Mirror, and two points above the pop-culture classic Stranger Things.
In the coming weeks, as people catch onto the beauty of the show The End of the F***ing World, the newly released series will claim its spot as a pop culture obsession like Netflix’s other prestige dramas and comedies.
The Chant’s rating: A+
