Do you know those typical shows about the group of friends who live in nice places where nothing much goes on? The Seinfeld derivatives. Or the hospital with the employees hooking up? Or even the crime dramas? The End of the F***ing World is not like any of the shows that exist today. Starring the talented Jessica Barden and Alex Lawther, the Netflix Original is based off of the comic by the same name by Charles Forsman.
This is why you need to watch this show:
1.It’s real and messy.
Most modern TV shows are difficult to relate to. This show, while I pray the story line never happens to me, is relatable. It reflects the messiness and hardship of life. The content of the show is at times disturbing and not suitable for all viewers. In particular, there are scenes of violence, abuse, and other sensitive topics. Keeping those warnings in mind, the viewer can appreciate the intensity of the show, which invokes compassion and makes the viewer feel that they are watching something real. If I am being brutally honest, it reminds me of when I was twelve and I realized my mother was wrong. It was like a world was crashing around me. Who could I trust if none were infallible? That’s the basis of this show. All have flaws and all are wrong. I could not blindly trust or completely sympathize with one person. I had to desire to see the whole world through the eyes of the different people rather than focus on one character’s perspective.
2. It’s reflective.
After watching this show, I had to re-evaluate my life. This is the mark of a good show. You cannot be content or unchanged after watching The End of the F***ing World. How do I view other people? How do I think of friends and family? What is moral in life? How would I react in the main character’s, Alyssa’s, situation? What is the dynamic going on with James? This show presents a complex and poignant message that demands conversation and reflection.
3. It’s a slight imitation of Romeo and Juliet that Shakespeare would applaud.
I believe that the imagination behind The End of the F***ing World might be the first to truly understand Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Since Shakespeare was literally a genius, do we really think he thought true love developed at first sight between some thirteen-year-olds? I don’t. There is obviously something wrong with this picture. The End of the F***ing World presents an in-depth depiction of love. The dynamic of this teenage love story is interesting and real. It’s dynamic and honest. Sappy, overdone? No way. Instead it is true to life. It’s messy. It deals with issues of sacrifice and love and family ties.
Admittedly, my friends and I binged this in one night, so I promise you won’t need motivation after the first episode. I encourage you to watch this show with a friend and reflect upon it. Talk to one another about the difficulties in life that this show presents and consider asking questions like: does there exist a situation in life with no right answer? What is so important about the main characters being flawed? What do these characters teach us about love?
Sources: Vulture.com
Josh Steen 
Grace Nealy 
Ethan Goonewardene