Courtesy of Indiewire
The British dark comedy “The End of the F***ing World” returned for its second season on Netflix on Friday, Nov. 8. Two years have passed since the events of season one, and the show continues to maintain its uncomfortable air. Awkward characters, deadpan dialogue and deeply twisted circumstances keep “The End of the F***ing World” weirdly intriguing.
Our main characters, Alyssa (Jessica Barden) and James (Alex Lawther), seem to have experienced a bit of a role reversal since season one. James was previously stoic and tense, while Alyssa was loud, bold and unafraid to express her feelings. With a newfound interest in life after a close brush with death, James is eager to reunite with Alyssa and pick things up where they left off. In their time apart, Alyssa has found love and is about to get married, which leaves James pretty disappointed.
This season introduces Bonnie (Naomi Ackie), who is quite the agent of chaos for the protagonists. Bonnie was a former lover of professor (and secret serial killer) Clive Koch, who James and Alyssa killed in season one. Bonnie has just been released from prison, and she’s eager to get revenge as she tracks Alyssa down. In a parallel to season one, Alyssa attempts to escape with James, and they find themselves on a very uncomfortable road trip. The duo quickly turns into a trio after they pick up Bonnie, who they believe to be a quiet, socially awkward hitchhiker. Tensions continue to rise as James and Alyssa struggle to rebuild their relationship. The pair manage to escape Bonnie’s murderous plots quite a few times – unbeknownst to them – further elevating the twisted humor within the series.
The soundtrack of “The End of the F***ing World” has been a standout aspect of the show since its premiere. The old-timey feel of some of the music makes plot points even more eerie and unsettling. Music can make or break a series, and it’s evident that the creators put a lot of thought into how to further bring the audience into the uncomfortable reality where James and Alyssa exist. The performances given by the main characters in season two are undeniably the strongest. The minor characters in this season bring very little depth to the story, making it difficult to focus on or care about them. This may have been an intentional choice by the directors in an attempt to keep the focus where it should be: on James, Alyssa and Bonnie.
Though the season has some slow moments, it delivers the same charm as season one. It’s hard not to relate to James and Alyssa on some basic human level. Still awkward and dark as ever, the return of “The End of the F***ing World” is certainly a compelling one.
