![]() The finale could easily nothave worked: the approach could’ve been utterly incomprehensible. We’ve been warned against spoilers, and it’s easy to see why – how couldanyone spoil such a marvel in modern television? But this critic can't avoid writing that Coel is a storm of a storyteller. They bleed into the finale, as Bella ponders what to do withthem. Memories tortured and buried come flooding back in jittery,nauseous flashes. It’sa staple of the series to jump from humour to trauma in the blink of a scene change.Coel avoids those familiar minutes of dramatic set-up the scars of the characters appear suddenly, out of nowhere. Episode 11 also crafts somethe best laughs, opening like a millennial flat-share comedy as Bella pursues oneof her idols. All of them begin to learn ways of sweatingout their worst qualities, especially Terry, who can be an interminablepresence but occasionally reveals her kind side. The series rushes to wrap up its character arcs, but tackles them with the same absorbing mundanity that makes everyepisode so intrinsically watchable. It’s a message thatseems to resonate through Bella, Kwame (Paapa Essiedu), and Terry (Weruche Opia).Bella’s persistent procrastination catches up with her and she needs to improveher motivation, Kwame tries to make amends for his questionable behaviour, andTerry finally lands a job. ‘Dowhatever you need to do to become the right person,’ says Arabella’sintroverted flatmate Ben (Stephen Wight) in episode 11. Coel takesapart the formulaic wheels of television, challenging the form without a drop of pretension. Using a structural move that’s initially confusing, episode 12 turns intoone of the most poignant and mind-bending episodes made in the last few years. Photo: BBC/Various Artists Ltd and FALKNA/Natalie SeeryĬoelprovides all those details while employing such inventive narrative turns, re-organising time to better understand fraught pasts and anxious presents. The sting of awkwardness as she sends a stupid DM. You can hear her shuffled breaths as she approaches apanic attack. You can feel the glass of the bar where her character,Arabella, was raped. Despite being distant from everything Coel tackles (yes,even partying), this critic can’t remember another series that feels soundeniably tangible. After half an hour, the world looks different – especially forthe privileged, who can hide from certain distressing realities.Ĭreator/writer/directorMichaela Coel has floated through issues of consent, rape, trauma, race, sexuality, class, gender,periods and partying via large-as-life characters thatscreech with realism. ![]() ![]() Withevery episode of I May Destroy You, you can feel a shift: a change that ripplesinto the future. ![]()
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