After a perfectly ambiguous Season One finale, The End of the F***ing World creator Charlie Covell delights fans with the news that a second season is in the works.
Praise be to the higher Gods. And by Gods, I mean Netflix. News recently broke that beloved dark comedy-drama The End of the F***cking World has been renewed for a second season. The unconventional and harrowing love story between troubled teens, James and Alyssa, left viewers in disbelief after season one’s enormous cliffhanger. The bleak climax left one huge question unanswered, but given the spectacular and abrupt nature of the show, it was clear that The End of the F***ing World had very much come to an end.
Or so we assumed.
Season One introduced an atypical coming-of-age story, one with a dark twist. From the very first episode, our attention was directed toward James, a boy whose dead-pan narration made us aware of his intentions of transitioning from killing animals to humans. His first target? His obnoxious schoolmate, Alyssa. However, James’ initial intentions are skewed, and he and Alyssa form an unlikely bond in the face of crime sprees, unfortunate events and police chases.
News of the renewal was met with contention from fans of the original comic book and TV series. After the overwhelming sense of finality following the gunshot and cut to a black screen, this is one bold power move from the series’ creators. Now independent from the original source material, created by Charles Forsman, the autonomy is palpable. Whether it’s questioning fidelity to its gory origins for the means of pumping out new content or simply pleasing fans – one question lingers: what will season two hold for the British teens after one is presumed dead?
Like many page-to-screen adaptations, altercations are the bread and butter for manufacturing entertainment. If the new season was to be based on the comic book, the material would be sparse. The comic book decides the fate of James and Alyssa after that fateful day on the beach. James is referred to in the past tense by Alyssa’s spiteful mother, while a mournful Alyssa carves James’ name in her arm in act of remembrance. But knowing the on-screen chemistry between the two leads, played by Jessica Barden and Alex Lawther, I doubt the creators will sacrifice their modern day Bonnie and Clyde for the sake of fidelity. Hopefully we won’t see a resurgence of the ghost-in-the-room a la 13 Reasons Why. Knowing how the comic book pans out, could season two solely focus on Alyssa post-trauma?
Season One marked the transition from focusing on James’ arc to Alyssa’s. Her complex portrayal of feminine adolescence in a lonely world, full of neglectful and abusive parents, made her portrait of teen rebellion more heartbreaking and honest as opposed to two-dimensionally ‘edgy’. Unlike the uncertainty of James’ future, her story can easily continue post-James. There is room to grow, to discover and assess her coming-of-age more intensely after living through pain, something we viewers can’t seem to get enough of. TEOTFW is narration-heavy, giving viewers the most intimate entrance into the characters thoughts and feelings. With Alyssa’s past narration, we are equipped with the knowledge that her home life will be her biggest hurdle to conquer.
Will season two usher in a tsunami of flashbacks to James? Dream sequences? Or will he actually be well and alive? The questions, oh the questions. Long story short: it’s not the end of the f***ing world …yet. Although the renewal is splitting opinions, many are eagerly awaiting the release on Netflix to once again bear witness to the misadventures of James and Alyssa.
What are your thoughts on TEOTFW? Will you be watching Season Two? Let us know in the comments below.
