Falcon Rating: 3.5/4

The new Netflix show The End of the F***ing World was released on October 24th, 2017, but was released internationally on January 5th, 2018. The show is based on the comic by Charles S. Forman, End of the F***ing World.

It’s the story of James, played by Alex Lawther. He is a self-proclaimed psychopath who has killed animals like cats and birds, feels no emotion, and wants to kill something bigger, like a human—which acts as the catalyst to the story. Alyssa, portrayed by Jessica Barden, is a girl who wants to date someone unpopular. She often sees James all alone, so she goes to him. James and Alyssa date, but the plot begins to thicken as it becomes obvious James plans to kill her.

The story is about the journey between James and Alyssa as they both run away from home, and what will happen between them.

The soundtrack in this show is fantastic. There are a lot of doo-wops and other great music, like “Never” by The Earls and “Where Is the Love” by The Monzas. The cinematography is good—nothing special, but still good. The show is quite funny, with dark humor spread throughout. In many of the darker or uncomfortable moments, characters will make jokes.

For those who like dark humor this will make you enjoy the show even more. The humor also makes the characters more likable and gives the story a unique feeling to it.

Alex Lawther plays a ditched psychopath in a believable way. In his scenes he is still funny, even though he can’t show emotion. It was also very interesting to see his character’s internal conflicts with wanting to kill Alyssa and to see him develop as a character. He is more of a character who does what he’s told; he even confesses this in his inner monologues.

Meanwhile, Jessica Barden plays the foul-mouthed rebel amazingly; it seemed completely natural the way she performed. Many of my laughs were from her scenes.

She also kept the show always moving, as most of the troubles they encountered were because of her character. Simply put, it was never clear what could happen next on their journey.   

This is a show, but the length totals at around 166 minutes, so it’s more like a long movie. I have to say: The ending was sort of rushed. It felt odd, the way it ended. It was believable as something the characters would do, but it still feels like a letdown.
The show is very dark. It also contains some uncomfortable scenes. But, if you’re willing to endure those moments, I suggest watching The End of the F***ing World in full.

The music is great, the two leads are incredible, and it’s funny. The ending was abrupt, but that could just be because the show makes you want more—which could be seen as a positive.

And Netflix is said to be releasing a season two. Even with a single season, the show is quite good.

This piece also appears in our January print edition.