Fleabag is a show about grief, religion, sex, and the quiet ways people lie to themselves. It is also the best thing Phoebe Waller-Bridge has ever done. The second season of the BBC series premiered in 2019, and it has aged better than most TV. Watching it now, after years of imitators and knockoffs, it still feels fresh, sharp, and utterly fearless.
The show follows a young woman in London who runs a failing cafe and lives with her sickly mother. She is sarcastic, self-destructive, and completely unfiltered. She speaks directly to the audience, breaking the fourth wall constantly, and she is the kind of character you want to slap and hug at the same time. The first season introduced her world; the second season pushes it further, turning tragedy into comedy and back again within seconds.
Trailer, via Prime Video.
Mother’s Illness Shapes the Season
The central relationship is with her mother, who has cancer. The show treats this with a mix of humor and dread that is almost impossible to describe without sounding cruel. There are jokes about death and illness that land because they are honest. The mother is a real person, not a plot device, and her slow decline is the emotional engine of the entire season.
The show does not soften this. It shows the mother being weak, forgetful, and sometimes cruel. This honesty is what makes the moments of tenderness land harder. The mother is not a saint, and neither is her daughter. They are both flawed, messy people, and that is the point.
Religion and the Church Setting
Religion is a recurring theme. Fleabag attends church regularly, and she has a complicated relationship with God. She is deeply spiritual in some ways and entirely cynical in others. The show explores faith as a coping mechanism and a trap at the same time. There is a scene where she confronts a priest about his hypocrisy that is both hilarious and deeply uncomfortable.
The church setting is also a physical space where Fleabag can perform her act. She walks through pews and aisles, delivering monologues that feel like confessionals. The camera captures the empty seats and the high ceilings, making the space feel vast and lonely. It is a visual metaphor for her isolation.
The Priest and the Affair
The other major storyline involves a priest. He is a man of God, and he has an affair with Fleabag. The show does not shy away from the moral complexity of this. Fleabag is a serial liar, and she lies to everyone, including the priest. The affair is not romantic in the traditional sense; it is a transactional, sexual relationship between two people who are both broken.
The priest is not a villain. He is a man who wants love and connection, and he finds it in the wrong place. The show does not judge him, which makes the ending all the more devastating. The affair is a symptom of loneliness, not a sin.
Humor That Cuts Both Ways
Fleabag is often described as black comedy, and that is accurate, but it is also too simple. The show is not just dark jokes; it is a portrait of a specific kind of pain. The humor comes from the absurdity of the situation, not from cruelty. Fleabag is funny because she is so honest about how she feels, even when those feelings are ugly.
There is a scene where she vomits on the floor of a restaurant. It is gross, but it is also cathartic. The show is willing to go there, and that willingness is what makes it special. It is not sanitized or polite. It is messy, and that messiness is the truth.
Father Figure Adds Depth
There is also a father figure in the show, a man named Andrew. He is a wealthy businessman who takes Fleabag under his wing. He offers her money, advice, and a kind of paternal affection. The show explores the idea of a father substitute, and it is not flattering. Andrew is charming, but he is also manipulative.
The relationship between Fleabag and Andrew is a study in power dynamics. She is a young woman who is desperate for attention, and he is a man who knows exactly how to give it. The show does not make Andrew sympathetic, but it does make him understandable.
Structure Built Around the Narrator
The show is structured around Fleabag’s narration. She talks directly to the audience, explaining her thoughts and actions. This is a classic Waller-Bridge technique, and it works brilliantly here. The narration is not exposition; it is character. It tells us what Fleabag thinks about herself, and it is always unreliable.
The show also uses flashbacks and dream sequences. These are not just filler. They are used to explore Fleabag’s past and her memories. The show is interested in how people remember things, and it shows that memory is not reliable. Fleabag remembers things differently depending on her mood, and the show reflects that.
Craft That Earns Its Ambiguity
The production values are high. The cinematography is clean and precise, with a lot of close-ups and medium shots. The color palette is muted, mostly browns and grays, which gives the show a somber tone. The sound design is excellent, with a lot of silence. The show trusts the audience to sit with uncomfortable moments.
The performances are uniformly strong. Waller-Bridge is the obvious standout, but her co-stars are just as good. Her mother is played with great subtlety, and the priest is given a depth that could have been missed. The supporting cast is a collection of recognizable British actors, and they all do excellent work.
| Episode | Title | Key Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode One | Fleabag meets Andrew |
| 2 | Episode Two | The priest’s confession |
| 3 | Episode Three | The mother’s hospital visit |
| 4 | Episode Four | The church service |
| 5 | Episode Five | The funeral |
| 6 | Episode Six | The final confrontation |
Ending That Resolves and Leaves Open
The final episode is a masterclass in storytelling. It leaves questions unanswered, which is appropriate for a show about grief. Grief is not a process with a clear endpoint. It is a cycle, and the show reflects that. The ending is a moment of peace, but it is not a happy ending.
The show does not tie everything up neatly. It leaves questions unanswered, which is appropriate for a show about grief. Grief is not a process with a clear endpoint. It is a cycle, and the show reflects that. The ending is a moment of peace, but it is not a happy ending.
Legacy That Still Stands Out
Fleabag has had a huge influence on television. Shows like Killing Eve and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel owe a debt to Waller-Bridge’s style. But the show remains unique. It is personal and specific, and it refuses to generalize. It is about one woman and her life, and it is all the better for it.
The show is not perfect. Some episodes are stronger than others, and the middle stretch drags slightly. But the highs are so high that the lows barely matter. The show is a triumph of writing, direction, and performance.
Fleabag is a show about grief, religion, sex, and the quiet ways people lie to themselves. It is also the best thing Phoebe Waller-Bridge has ever done. The second season is a masterpiece, and it deserves its reputation. It is a difficult watch, but it is a rewarding one.
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