Fleabag Series Two BBC

When Fleabag first hit our screens back in 2016 it received wide critical acclaim and was hailed as a TV revelation. With Series One coming full circle, most fans accepted it would be a standalone series and it was hard to see where the show could go next. Yet, three years later the brilliant Phoebe Waller-Bridge has taken the sitcom to a whole new level, raising the bar higher than anyone could have possibly imagined.

On a purely technical level, each episode is perfectly constructed and carefully pieced together; the scene shifts are seamless, the dialogue is snappier and every line, every look and every movement serves its clear dramatic purpose. The outstanding performances of the new cast additions have also helped propel Fleabag to new heights, with the introduction of the excellent Andrew Scott as The Priest causing an instant splash amongst fans. Not only does the character have great onscreen chemistry with Fleabag, and a hilarious fear of foxes, but his battle between faith and love is utterly compelling. Series Two also saw the likes of Kristin Scott Thomas, Ray Fearon and Fiona Shaw joining the ranks and provides some wonderful little cameos. The returning cast have also continued to do what they did so well in the first series, from Fleabag’s awkwardly bumbling father superbly played by Bill Paterson, to her horrible Godmother, played so well by national treasure Olivia Colman, to Waller-Bridge as Fleabag herself. Yet, it was Sian Clifford in particular who really stole the show this series as Fleabag’s sister Claire. In Series One, she was the uptight older sister, but this time we get to see a different and more layered side to Claire’s character and she provides us with some of the series most heart-warming moments.

Episodically, the Second Series is incredibly consistent, but in particular the first and third episode really stood out. The first episode, which has been hailed as genius by fans and critics alike, takes place over the course of an evening, at a family dinner in celebration of Fleabag’s father’s recent engagement to her Godmother. The brilliant choice of setting provides all the right ingredients to reintroduce us to the characters again. While the tension of unspoken resentments and passive aggression make for some of the most hilariously painful moments in the show’s history. The third episode is definitely the most action-packed of the series and its remarkable how Waller-Bridge is able to squeeze so much into 23 minutes of screen time. From Fleabag dropping a trophy worth thousands of pounds and having to make a mad dash across to London to replace it, to Clare having a thing for a man who is called “Klaire”, not to mention a hilarious and brilliantly written rant by Kristin Scott Thomas about womanhood, the pacing and gags are spot on.

The amazing thing about Fleabag is that it’s always been so daring in its approach to narrative and Series Two is no exception. It never shies away from its subject matter and tackles themes of grief and guilt head on but in an interesting way that is both brilliant but devastating.

While Waller-Bridge has wrapped things up, she has done so in a way that keeps in line with the DNA of the show and provides us with a fitting end to Fleabag’s journey. Taking place on the day of the wedding the last episode see’s Claire finally rid herself of her awful husband Martin (Brett Gelman), whose very presence is enough to make your skin crawl. It also provides us one last heart to heart between Fleabag and her father, in a lovely little scene. Gifting us with one of the show’s most memorable lines as her father tells her “I think you know how to love better than any of us, that’s why you find it also painful” In fact, the finale is littered with memorable lines, with Andrew Scott’s character making a captivating and heartfelt speech about love, “Love is awful. It’s painful. Frightening. It makes you doubt yourself, judge yourself, distance yourself from the other people in your life”.

While some fans will be heartbroken that Fleabag didn’t get her happy ending with The Priest because he “chose god”, it wouldn’t have been in-keeping with the show’s essence. After all, Fleabag does get a sort of happy ending, well as close to a happy ending as you can get in real life. After all she has managed to overcome her guilt and repair the relationships with those around her that she holds so dear. As our beloved character waves us goodbye for the last time we can’t help but feel she will be okay. And, as we wipe the tears from our eyes longing for more, at least we can take solace in the fact we have just witnessed some of the best television of the decade.