It’s been almost a decade since Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s groundbreaking BBC drama Fleabag offered one of the most poignant explorations of grief on TV.
The Emmy-winning show started as a one-woman show at Edinburgh Fringe Festival before making the leap to the small screen in 2016, with the first episode airing on July 21.
The fourth-wall-breaking show stars Phoebe as the titular Fleabag who is navigating the complicated and sudden loss of her best friend Boo (Jenny Rainsford).
As she navigates this trauma, we meet the people who make up her small, and chaotic, world, including her uptight sister Claire (Sian Clifford), her snooty stepmum Matrigna (Olivia Colman) and, later on in the show, the man she falls in love with but can never have – Andrew Scott’s (Hot) Priest.
The two-season comedy has built a loyal fanbase over the years and, with its regular inclusion in people’s favourite shows of all time, it is also constantly being discovered by new viewers.
Praised for its wit and surprising depth, fans are reminiscing on just what made the show so good – from its fundamental understanding of bereavement to its ability to flesh out flawed characters.
During one scene, when Fleabag is describing the heaviness of Boo’s loss, she explains: ‘I don’t know what to do with it. With all the love I have for her.I don’t know where to put it now.’
Sharing this moment on X, user @moralgrey simply wrote: ‘When fleabag perfectly encapsulated grief.’
Another user, @weirdnelipit, added: ‘genuinely, my favourite one was this whole boo and fleabag conversation after her mom died,
‘Like it sparked a new layer of understanding of grief & all of our unconditional love for someone & the closest people we have will always be on our side.. a love that will always remain.’
‘Thank you Fleabag for one of the most beautiful depictions of grief,’ chaoticguitar echoed.
‘Fleabag summed up a lot of the grief we feel after a loved ones death in this scene,’ Layal Shakeir agreed.
Over on Reddit, fans were in agreement about the show’s impact.
User sgt-snuggles wrote: ‘I didn’t truly see it on first watch but Fleabag really has such a unique and real portrayal of grief. When I rewatched it after losing someone close I felt like I was seeing it through different lenses.
‘The desperation to be close to people while pushing away real closeness, the fear of confronting how everything truly feels, it’s so real and beautifully shown in such a deep yet silly manner.’
‘The spiraling, confusing, messy grief is so well displayed in Fleabag with Boo. It’s cold and snowy out, so I’m going to make beef stew and watch Fleabag and cry and drink wine,’ soup-creature echoed.
This was not the only moment fans were profoundly moved by.
For many, the highlight of the show is the portrayal of sisterhood in all its messiness, and more importantly, all its unconditional love.
‘I’m so grateful for the depiction of Claire and Fleabag’s relationship — the ugliness and heartbreak and enormity of love and care. how different they’re & how they choose to stick with each other,’ @apparitionow said.
In one scene, Claire tells Fleabag that she’s the only person she would run through an airport for in a bid to do a grand gesture (typically reserved for romance).
‘Portrayal of the sibling relationship in Fleabag still remains one of my favourite aspects of the show. As someone who has always struggled to verbalise her love for her sibling, this bit was like a eureka moment for me,’ d_majumdar92.
Other highlights include the heartwrenching exchange in which Fleabag confesses her love for Priest, only to be told ‘it’ll pass’. Or when Priest is the only one to ‘ask her a question in 45 minutes’. Or when he’s the only one who can break the fourth wall with her.
For @alison_epp, these moments were an ‘absolute surprising and beautiful way to show someone truly being seen’.
Another fan shared their love for the scene when Fleabag is talking with an older woman who has been through menopause, Belinda, who delivers a layered monologue about ‘women being born with pain built in’ and the freedom you find in your later years.
If you haven’t watched Fleabag, then let this new milestone be your sign to watch it. You won’t regret it.
Fleabag is available to stream on BBC iPlayer now.
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