Cliffhanger leaves fans begging for more

Netflix

Main characters James (Alex Lawther) and Alyssa (Jessica Barden) wait outside of a restaurant after blackmailing their ride and and inadvertently becoming stranded in the process. The hit series “The End of the F***ing World,” based on the comic book by Charles Forsman, may have a second season in the works that would premiere sometime in 2018 or early 2019.

Dana Gould, Features co-Editor

Own Netflix? Love dark humor and quirky British television? The latest installment of Netflix originals brings viewers the perfect binge-worthy television series, “The End of the F***ing World.”

This eight-episode Netflix original series follows 17-year-old, self-diagnosed psychopath James (Alex Lawther) and the sulky new girl he has opted to kill Alyssa (Jessica Barden). The season opens as the odd duo make an instant connection as Alyssa persuades James, only a few days after first meeting, to run away in search of her biological father.

Their adventure begins, as most do, with a stolen car and an exceedingly low amount cash. The pair leaves their everyday lives behind in exchange for an extraordinary journey through England as both characters search for answers for their own messed up questions. For James, this means his first real murder, as he bores of killing his neighbor’s pets and other small animals. For Alyssa, this means a reunion with her absent, biological father and an escape from her dysfunctional family.

As the actual means of their escapade are quite precarious, it doesn’t take long before James and Alyssa find themselves in deep trouble, both legally and with each other. What started out as a carefree experience evolves into what could be each character’s worst nightmare.

“The End of the F***ing World” is a remarkable story of self-discovery as it maps out the evolution of James and Alyssa’s relationship and shows both characters as they eventually find something, or someone, worth fighting for.

Aside from the widely appealing plot, the show’s unconventional characters aid its offbeat, fresh perspective on the well-known coming-of-age motif. From the sweetly disturbed James and the hilariously blunt Alyssa to minor characters like James’ incompetent dad, and two lesbian detectives with opposing personalities, the characters truly run the show. The general weirdness of each character and how they react to each unbelievable situation adds both to the humor and greater message of the show.

Viewers looking for laugh-out-loud humor won’t find it here, as much of the show’s content proves extremely dark and serious. It is the overall strange atmosphere and carefully worded scripts, along with phenomenal acting and voice-overs on Lawther and Barden’s parts that provide a subtle comical experience. People with a love for dark, dry humor will most definitely appreciate all of these aspects.

This also happens to be the perfect television show for binge-watchers everywhere as each episode is only twenty minutes long. As the series itself contains merely eight episodes, an individual can watch the entire first season in four hours as opposed to many series with twenty episodes totaling 45 minutes a piece.

“The End of the F***ing World” is an exceptional show, but it is definitely not for all viewers due to questionable content. The show contains profanity, as seen in the title, many sexual references, and themes of rape, abuse, and mental illness. Along with the controversial themes found in this film, there are also many jarring, grim scenes that may be disturbing to some viewers.

An exciting and humorous television experience, “The End of the F***ing World” leaves viewers itching for a potential second season. Not only is this brand new series exceptionally entertaining, but it allows individuals to grasp the beauty of unconventional love and the idea that everyone eventually finds their place in the world, even if it takes a trip across England to do so.