F*** Yeah!

We all know the way Netflix foists its many series onto viewers: because you liked that, you'll probably like this. Occasionally, though, I'll get a similar kind of recommendation from friends. From more than one person, I heard "you liked I'm Not Okay With This? Have you watched The End of the F***ing World?"

The End of the F***ing World (title officially styled that way, with asterisks or Xs) is a dark British dramedy -- two seasons, eight half-hour episodes each, done. It's the story of teenagers Alyssa and James. She's rebellious and angry, and wants to completely upset everything in her life. He's a psychopath who is ready to graduate to murdering humans, looking for his first victim. The two embark on a road trip together. Events ensue. They are not the events you'd expect.

I wouldn't say the show actually has all that much in common with I'm Not Okay With This -- nor do I think the people who recommended it to me felt so either. But they are similarly quite dark, and both interested in the intersection of typical teenage angst with wildly atypical circumstances. (Also, they're both based on comic series.) The first episode is powerfully off-putting, almost challenging the viewer to want to keep watching the show. Hmmm.... maybe the whole show is that way, but you get acclimated to it by the second episode (if indeed you're ever going to.)

It's interesting writing in that it's hyper-focused on character. The premise -- "she wants to run away with him, he wants to kill her" -- makes for an odd hook, but there actually don't seem like there are that many plot beats on that journey. And so at first, the series really doles them out at a deliberate pace. Things do happen, but for a time, you can't be sure they amount to much. But if the characters do grab you and you stick around, you are ultimately rewarded. Like everything after the first drop on a roller coaster, you're in for a wild ride. The situation keeps heightening more and more, particularly as it crosses into the second season and introduces a wild new wrinkle to the plot.

Series creator Charlie Covell knows exactly the tone she wants to strike here, making strong creative choices to foster an odd atmosphere. The visuals look washed out, the vistas look stark, and the performances are "properly British" -- low-key and unfazed. Existing songs are used far more extensively than conventional score, and it's a very carefully cultivated selection of sometimes deep cuts.

The main performances are quite fantastic. They're muted in many ways, but perfect. Jessica Barden is hilariously contemptuous as Alyssa. Alex Lawther does a great job of showing how much lies beneath the surface of the creepy James. (Both are laugh out loud funny in their dry narrations.) In the second season, Naomi Ackie is a fantastic addition to the cast... but the less said about her role ahead of time, the better.

I think this is one of those shows where you'll know rather quickly if it's "for you." And if it is, and you hang in to the end, you'll reach a satisfying conclusion. (Not that 16 episodes at a half hour or less is that much of a demand on your time.) I give The End of the F***ing World a B+.