Fleabag

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Fleabag
Fleabag titlecard.png
Fleabag title card
Genre
Created byPhoebe Waller-Bridge
Written byPhoebe Waller-Bridge
Directed by
Starring
Composer(s)Isobel Waller-Bridge
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original language(s)English
No. of series2
No. of episodes12 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)
  • Phoebe Waller-Bridge
  • Harry Williams
  • Jack Williams
  • Harry Bradbeer (s. 2)
  • Lydia Hampson (s. 2)
  • Joe Lewis (s. 2)
Producer(s)
  • Lydia Hampson (s. 1)
  • Sarah Hammond (s. 2)
Cinematography
Editor(s)
Running time23–28 minutes
Production company(s)Two Brothers Pictures Limited
DistributorBBC
Release
Original network
Picture formatHDTV 1080i
Audio formatStereo
Original release21 July 2016 (2016-07-21) –
8 April 2019 (2019-04-08)
External links
Website

Fleabag is a British comedy-drama television series set in London. It was originally produced by Two Brothers Pictures for digital channel BBC Three in a co-production agreement with Amazon Studios;[1][2] the show premiered on 21 July 2016 and concluded its second series on 8 April 2019.[3][4] Show creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge writes and stars as the protagonist, Fleabag, an angry, confused and sexually voracious young woman living in London; the programme is particularly known for "breaking the fourth wall" when the main protagonist talks to the camera.[5]

Background[edit]

The show is adapted from Waller-Bridge's 2013 Edinburgh Festival Fringe one-woman play of the same name which won the Fringe First Award;[6][7][8] the initial idea of the character of Fleabag came from a challenge by a friend, where Waller-Bridge was given the task of creating a sketch for a 10-minute section in a stand-up storytelling night.[9]

Cast[edit]

  • Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Fleabag, a young woman living in London
  • Sian Clifford as Claire, Fleabag's sister
  • Olivia Colman as Fleabag's godmother, who is now in a relationship with Fleabag's father
  • Bill Paterson as Fleabag's dad
  • Brett Gelman as Martin, Claire's husband
  • Hugh Skinner as Harry, Fleabag's ex-boyfriend
  • Hugh Dennis as Bank Manager, approached by Fleabag for a loan
  • Ben Aldridge as Arsehole Guy, one of Fleabag's love interests
  • Jamie Demetriou as Bus Rodent, one of Fleabag's love interests (series 1)
  • Jenny Rainsford as Boo, Fleabag's deceased best friend
  • Angus Imrie as Jake, Martin's teenage son (and Claire's step-son)
  • Andrew Scott as The Priest, with whom Fleabag falls in love (series 2)
  • Fiona Shaw as Fleabag's counsellor (series 2)
  • Kristin Scott Thomas as Belinda, a successful businesswoman who Fleabag meets at an awards ceremony presented by Claire (series 2)
  • Christian Hillborg as Klare, Claire's Finnish business partner and love interest (series 2)
  • Ray Fearon as Hot Misogynist, who serves as Fleabag's lawyer and love interest (series 2)
  • Jo Martin as Pam, who lives with The Priest and works at the church (series 2)

Episodes[edit]

SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1621 July 2016 (2016-07-21)25 August 2016 (2016-08-25)
264 March 2019 (2019-03-04)8 April 2019 (2019-04-08)

Series 1 (2016)[edit]

No.
overall		No. in
series		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"Episode 1"Tim KirkbyPhoebe Waller-Bridge21 July 2016 (2016-07-21)
Fleabag recounts her day, starting with a one-night stand with a strange request and a bus pick-up to whom she explains how she split from her boyfriend, Harry. After being refused a bank loan, she meets (and argues with) her sister, Claire, at a feminist lecture before visiting her estranged father and godmother, whom he married with indecent haste upon widowhood and is not Fleabag's favourite person, she helps a drunk woman (who rejects Fleabag’s sexual advances) and pleasures herself in a taxi after the stranger on the bus fails to fulfill his promise.
22"Episode 2"Harry BradbeerPhoebe Waller-Bridge28 July 2016 (2016-07-28)
Haunted by memories of her dead best friend, dumped by her emotionally fragile boyfriend, and now desperately trying to sell the stolen statue to Claire's husband, Martin (a man who would like to be unfaithful, with Fleabag!), Fleabag attempts to rekindle romantic fires with the man who prefers a rear entry to distract her from the mayhem of her life.
33"Episode 3"Harry BradbeerPhoebe Waller-Bridge4 August 2016 (2016-08-04)
Fleabag helps her inappropriate brother-in-law buy a present for Claire, who is organizing her own surprise birthday party. On the hunt for a date, Fleabag reconnects with a toothy friend.
44"Episode 4"Harry BradbeerPhoebe Waller-Bridge11 August 2016 (2016-08-11)
Fleabag and her sister, Claire, reluctantly visit a female-only silent retreat, courtesy of their father. Their enforced silence is interrupted by an unusual neighbouring weekend workshop, explosive secrets coming to light and a surprising connection with an old acquaintance.
55"Episode 5"Harry BradbeerPhoebe Waller-Bridge18 August 2016 (2016-08-18)
On the anniversary of their mother's death, Fleabag and Claire return to their family home for the annual memorial lunch. But this time there is an interloper! Things get heated between Fleabag and her godmother, who muscles her way into the occasion and reveals plans for her, "sex-hibition."
66"Episode 6"Harry BradbeerPhoebe Waller-Bridge25 August 2016 (2016-08-25)
Fleabag takes a date to her godmother's, "sex-hibition," to discover a few shocks are in store for her there, including a declaration of love, a familiar piece of work, and an entire wall of surprises. But where is Claire? The series 1 finale forces Fleabag to face up to her actions and to finally reveal what happened to her beloved friend, Boo.

Series 2 (2019)[edit]

No.
overall		No. in
series		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
71"Episode 1"Harry BradbeerPhoebe Waller-Bridge4 March 2019 (2019-03-04)
Fleabag returns, joining an uncomfortable family dinner to celebrate Godmother and Dad’s engagement. Alongside familiar faces - uptight sister Claire and her alcoholic husband Martin - Fleabag find herself intrigued by Godmother’s new priest; the evening comes to a tempestuous end, when an unexpected attack brings old tensions bubbling to the surface.
82"Episode 2"Harry BradbeerPhoebe Waller-Bridge11 March 2019 (2019-03-11)
A counselling session elicits an uncomfortable truth from Fleabag, and she finds herself somewhere unexpected. Elsewhere, a chat with Claire brings some unwelcome news, Martin and Fleabag face off, and Jake wonders where Claire is.
93"Episode 3"Harry BradbeerPhoebe Waller-Bridge18 March 2019 (2019-03-18)
Fleabag helps with an event at Claire’s work which inevitably ends in disaster, but an introduction to Claire’s colleague proves intriguing, and a chance meeting with a stranger opens Fleabag’s eyes.
104"Episode 4"Harry BradbeerPhoebe Waller-Bridge25 March 2019 (2019-03-25)
The priest takes Fleabag for some quiet reflection leading to an unexpected revelation. After a day spent looking back on painful memories, Fleabag searches for solace, only to find more trouble.
115"Episode 5"Harry BradbeerPhoebe Waller-Bridge1 April 2019 (2019-04-01)
Claire has a crisis and turns to Fleabag for help, whilst a familiar face makes a reappearance at the cafe. Hilary makes a friend, Martin demands answers, and Godmother and Dad’s wedding hangs in the balance.
126"Episode 6"Harry BradbeerPhoebe Waller-Bridge8 April 2019 (2019-04-08)
The day of Godmother and Dad's wedding has arrived and Fleabag has decided to give them an all too familiar gift. Claire finally tells Martin that she doesn't love him following a revelation about her miscarriage, while Martin has a few home truths of his own. Fleabag persuades Claire to go after the man she really loves. Fleabag and the priest finally admit their love for one another.

Distribution and broadcast[edit]

The women behind the Fleabag monologue interviewed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2013. Performer Phoebe Waller-Bridge is in the centre.

BBC Three is the initial broadcaster of the series. However, a repeat run of the first series was broadcast on BBC Two between 21 August and 25 September 2016; the second series, broadcast simulcast with BBC One on Monday nights at 10:35 pm as BBC Three, is now part of a one-hour programming block on BBC One as of 4 March 2019.[10]

It was picked up by the on-demand Amazon Video service and premiered in the United States on 16 September 2016.[8][11] Fleabag is also available on IFC in The United States.

The series has been remade for French television by Jeanne Herry. Titled Mouche (French for 'fly', the insect), it started airing on 3 June 2019 on pay channel Canal+. Mouche is a close remake, though set in Paris with Camille Cottin in the starring role.[12][13][14]

Critical reception[edit]

Both series of Fleabag received widespread acclaim from television critics. At review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, both series received approval ratings of 100%; the first series received an average rating of 8.5/10, based on 40 reviews, with the site's critical consensus reading: "Clever and viciously funny, Fleabag is a touching, wildly inventive comedy about a complicated young woman navigating the aftermath of trauma."[15] The second series received an average rating of 9.29/10, based on 70 reviews, with the critical consensus stating: "Fleabag jumps back into the fray with a bracing second season that upholds its predecessors' frenzied wit and delicate heart, replete with Phoebe Waller-Bridge's indefatigable charisma".[16] At Metacritic, the first series received a normalised score of 88 out of 100, based on 19 critics,[17] while the second series received a score of 96, based on 19 critics, both signifying "universal acclaim".[18]

Emily Nussbaum of The New Yorker described the show's first series as "a precision black-humor mechanism, a warped and affecting fable about one single woman's existence."[19] Maureen Ryan at Variety called it "scathingly funny", concluding that "long after it’s pulled you in with its irreverence and jokes about sex, and beguiled you with its cutting wit and messily human characters, it reveals that it’s actually a tragedy".[20] Hank Stuever of The Washington Post characterised it as a "funny, highly profane but surprisingly poignant dramedy".[21] Mike Hale in The New York Times praised the show for its "restless, almost feral energy and its slap-in-the-face attitude."[22] Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles Times commended its unpredictability, acting, and "clear eye for truth that often becomes, like all good comedy, quite devastating".[23]

Serena Davies of The Daily Telegraph lauded the show's second series as "a near-perfect work of art".[24] Mary Elizabeth Williams of Salon praised its "brilliant swan song", finding the series' conclusion satisfying and "well-earned".[25] For Rolling Stone, Alan Sepinwall wrote that the "tragicomic masterpiece reaches new heights in its second outing".[26] James Poniewozik of The New York Times wrote that "the new season feels immediately confident, if inevitably less groundbreaking, yet it continues to push its form".[27] At the show's conclusion Hannah Jane Parkinson of The Guardian described it as "the most electrifying, devastating TV in years", writing of the second series that "it seems as though many who either did not watch the first series, or who didn’t think it lived up to the hype, have been converted".[28]

Awards and nominations[edit]

Year Award Category Nominee Result Ref.
2016 Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Comedy Series Fleabag Nominated [29]
Best Actress in a Comedy Series Phoebe Waller-Bridge Nominated
Broadcast Awards Best Comedy Programme Fleabag Nominated [30]
Best Original Programme Fleabag Won
Best Multichannel Programme Fleabag Won
2017 Dorian Awards Unsung TV Show of the Year Fleabag Nominated [31]
NME Awards Best TV Series Fleabag Won [32]
Writers' Guild of Great Britain Awards Best TV Situation Comedy Fleabag - "Episode one" Won [33]
Royal Television Society Awards Best Writing – Comedy Phoebe Waller-Bridge Won [34]
Breakthrough Phoebe Waller-Bridge Won
Broadcasting Press Guild Awards Best Writer Phoebe Waller Bridge Won [35]
BAFTA Television Awards Best Scripted Comedy Fleabag Nominated [36]
Best Female Performance in a Comedy Programme Olivia Colman Nominated
Phoebe Waller-Bridge Won
BAFTA Television Craft Awards Best Editing: Fiction Gary Dollner Nominated [37]
Best Writer: Comedy Phoebe Waller-Bridge Nominated
Breakthrough Talent Award Phoebe Waller-Bridge Nominated
TCA Awards Outstanding Achievement in Comedy Fleabag Nominated [38]
Individual Achievement in Comedy Phoebe Waller-Bridge Nominated
Golden Nymph Awards Best TV Comedy Series Fleabag Won [39]
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series Phoebe Waller-Bridge Won
Rockie Awards Best Comedy Series – English Language Fleabag Won [40]
Gotham Independent Film Awards Breakthrough Series – Long Form Fleabag Nominated [41]

Music[edit]

Phoebe's sister, Isobel Waller-Bridge, composed the music for the first series.[9]

Home media[edit]

Overview
Series Episodes Release date Additional Ref(s)
Region 2 DVD (UK) Region B Blu-ray (UK) Region 4 DVD (AU)
1 6 3 October 2016 15 October 2018 28 March 2018 [42][43]
2 6 6 May 2019 TBA [44][45][46]
1 & 2 12 6 May 2019 TBA [47][48]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Bullimore, Emma (19 July 2016). "Seven reasons why feminist comedy Fleabag will be your latest TV addiction". Stylist. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  2. ^ Day, Elizabeth (7 July 2016). "Fleabag star Phoebe Waller-Bridge on female anger, emotional honesty -and fancying Barack Obama". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  3. ^ Rees, Jasper (16 September 2016). "Fleabag: a gloriously rude, and far funnier, update of Bridget Jones – review". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  4. ^ Hunt, El (9 April 2019). "Fans react to the final episode of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's 'Fleabag'". NME. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  5. ^ Wilson, Benji (25 March 2019). "Fleabag, episode 4 review: another superb, poignant episode that was both shocking and shockingly good". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  6. ^ MJ (20 April 2016). "Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag coming to BBC Three". BBC. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  7. ^ "Drywrite and Soho Theatre present Fleabag". Soho Theatre. May 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  8. ^ a b Barraclough, Leo (19 May 2016). "Amazon Acquires Comedy Series 'Fleabag' From 'Broadchurch's' Phoebe Waller-Bridge". Variety. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  9. ^ a b Jung, E. Alex (20 September 2016). "Phoebe Waller-Bridge on Her Amazon Show Fleabag, Sex Jokes, and Ryan Gosling Feminism". Vuture. Retrieved 26 September 2016.
  10. ^ Waterson, Jim (20 February 2019). "New series of Fleabag will be released weekly as BBC decides against boxset". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  11. ^ Schwartz, Ryan (7 August 2016). "Transparent Season 3, High Castle Season 2, Woody Allen Comedy and Others Get Amazon Premiere Dates". TVLine.com.
  12. ^ Fournier, Audrey (3 June 2019). "Camille Cottin excelle dans « Mouche », version française de la série télé britannique « Fleabag »." Lemonde.fr. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  13. ^ Scott, Sheena (10 February 2019). "Fleabag: A Second Series And A French Remake." Forbes.com. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  14. ^ Cappelle, Laura (4 June 2019). "The French Version of 'Fleabag' Is Exactly the Same. Until It’s Different." The New York Times. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  15. ^ "Fleabag: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  16. ^ "Fleabag: Season 2". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  17. ^ "Fleabag - Season 1 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  18. ^ "Fleabag - Season 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  19. ^ Nussbaum, Emily (26 September 2016). ""Fleabag," an Original Bad-Girl Comedy". The New Yorker. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  20. ^ Ryan, Maureen (7 September 2016). "TV Review: 'One Mississippi' and 'Fleabag'". Variety. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  21. ^ Stuever, Hank (8 December 2016). "Fall TV 2016". The Washington Post. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  22. ^ Hale, Mike (15 September 2016). "Review: 'Fleabag,' Biting, Bitter and Pushing Boundaries". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  23. ^ McNamara, Mary (15 September 2016). "Not just a millennial Bridget Jones, 'Fleabag' gives the female narrator a whole new voice". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  24. ^ Davies, Serena (9 April 2019). "Why Fleabag's second series is a near-perfect work of art". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  25. ^ Williams, Mary Elizabeth (20 May 2019). ""Fleabag" gets a brilliant swan song: Who says there are no great finales?". Salon. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  26. ^ Sepinwall, Alan (14 May 2019). "'Fleabag' Season Two Review: A Heaven-Sent Sequel". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  27. ^ Poniewozik, James (16 May 2019). "Review: As She Was Saying, Brilliantly, in a New 'Fleabag'". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  28. ^ Parkinson, Hannah Jane (9 April 2019). "Farewell Fleabag: the most electrifying, devastating TV in years". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  29. ^ Lincoln, Ross A. (14 November 2016). "Critics' Choice TV Nominations Unveiled". Deadline. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  30. ^ "Broadcast Awards Shortlist 2017". Broadcast Magazine. 24 November 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  31. ^ Dry, Jude (28 January 2017). "'Moonlight' Sweeps Gay and Lesbian Critics Association's Dorian Awards - IndieWire". www.indiewire.com.
  32. ^ "'Fleabag' named Best TV Series supported by Domino's at the VO5 NME Awards 2017 - NME". 15 February 2017.
  33. ^ "Writer's Guild Awards 2017". writersguild.org.uk. 23 January 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  34. ^ "RTS Awards 2017". Royal Television Society. 21 March 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  35. ^ "The Night Manager, The Crown, Planet Earth II and Desert Island Discs take top prizes at 43rd Broadcasting Press Guild Awards". Broadcasting Press Guild. 17 March 2017.
  36. ^ "Bafta Television Awards Shortlist 2017". BAFTA. 11 April 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  37. ^ "Bafta Television Craft Awards Shortlist 2017". BAFTA. 26 March 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  38. ^ Stanhope, Kate (19 June 2017). "'Handmaid's Tale,' 'This Is Us' and 'Atlanta' Lead 2017 TV Critic Awards Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  39. ^ "Palmarès des Nymphes d'Or 2017" (in French). Monte-Carlo Television Festival. 20 June 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  40. ^ "Rockie Awards Program Competition". Banff World Media Festival. 17 June 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  41. ^ Erbland, Kate (19 October 2017). "'Get Out' Leads 2017 Gotham Awards Nominations". IndieWire. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  42. ^ "Fleabag: Series 1 (BBC)". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  43. ^ "Fleabag Series 1". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  44. ^ "Fleabag: Series 2 (DVD)". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  45. ^ "Fleabag: Series 2 (Blu-ray)". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  46. ^ "Fleabag - Season 1". JB Hi-Fi. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  47. ^ "Fleabag: Series 1 & 2 (DVD)". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  48. ^ "Fleabag: Series 1 & 2 (Blu-ray)". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2019.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fleabag&oldid=902649440"