Stars 4.5 / 5
While Netflix tends to let viewers down with their documentaries, its original shows are absolutely fantastic. “The End of the F***ing World” is no exception.
Based off Charles Forsman’s comics of the same uncensored name, the 8-episode season tells the story of two troubled teens, James and Alyssa. Alyssa’s dad isn’t in the picture, her step-dad is creepy and her mom doesn’t seem to notice that she’s unhappy. James believes he is a psychopath who is ready to graduate from killing small animals to killing something bigger.
When Alyssa approaches James at school, he decides that she is the perfect candidate for his first human kill. Their friendship leads to an adventure filled with breaking and entering, stolen cars and murder — just not the murder you expect. Through their misdeeds, however, this coming-of-age show evolves from a dark comedy with a great soundtrack to something purely nostalgic and profoundly sad.
In the opening scenes of the first episode, you can’t help but want to laugh. James’s completely monotone voice, his brazen observation of his status as a psychopath and the dramatic doo-wop song in the background is so sad it’s funny. Alyssa’s dramatic outbursts about trivial matters — smashing her phone after her friend sends her a text while sitting two feet away —screams teen angst. Both characters try to appear calm, cool and collected but the viewer can hear their frenzied freak-outs happening within their own heads. The dark subject matter is made hilarious due to the characters being completely out of their depth but pretending that they’re fine. This initial humor then transitions to plain melancholia.
James and Alyssa run away from home to escape their abysmal circumstances to find the greener grass. They soon learn their lives really aren’t as bad as they previously thought. As they make their way to Alyssa’s dad’s house, dodging the police and committing more serious crimes, James and Alyssa fall for each other. 
James plays the savior figure and Alyssa puts on her brave face as they navigate their new status as fugitives. The 17-year-olds mature throughout the season and learn the world does not work the way they think. To continue to live on the lam, the pair must keep committing crimes. They dig their hole deeper and deeper but they begin to understand the gravity of their situation and that their actions have consequences. They’re just a couple of scared kids who did what they had to do to survive. I, at least, cannot help but reflect on my own poor decisions and experience an intense nostalgia and understanding for James and Alyssa.
The love between the troubled teenagers and their origin stories break the hearts of viewers. The show forces us to contemplate on the reality of humanity existing even in the darkest of circumstances or crimes. We remember kids are kids, no matter how wise they pretend to be. Younger audiences gain sympathy for their parents, who only want what’s best for their children — they just get it wrong sometimes. We understand that survival is messy but some actions are necessary.
The show invites us to think about what it means to be human, to be immature, to be homeless, to be troubled and to be helpless. It is heartbreaking and beautiful and an entirely human experience. I highly recommend setting aside three hours to binge watch this incredible, thought-provoking show.