By Imogen Harter-Jones
Described as “the most electrifying, devastating TV in years” (The Guardian) and "a near perfect work of art" (The Telegraph), BBC3’s ground-breaking series ‘Fleabag,’ written by and starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge and directed by Vicky Jones, oozes female perspective. White male dominance is generally acknowledged but, until the #MeToo movement began in 2017, male control of the arts was perhaps less under the spotlight. In 2018, a report commissioned by the Writers Guild found that 82% of UK television is made by men. Our male dominated culture regards male narratives as having greater value: their control of ‘culture’ ensures their stories, or their take on women’s stories, prevails. Men control the creative agenda and cultural conversation. This is why Fleabag, being female centric, is so important. The male gaze has sexualised women for too long; however, with women writers and directors, the power and sexual politics of perspective are flipped. Waller-Bridge gives an honest, entertaining and enthusiastic exploration of a strong, intelligent, lovable mess of a 21st century woman. Feminist messages are put across in Fleabag: don’t be trapped in bad relationships; prioritise your career; be loyal to yourself and fellow women; don’t let men come between you and your friends/family; be economically independent, don’t over-invest in relationships. Fleabag’s most complex yet important relationship is with her sister Claire. She sorts out legal advice for Fleabag after she punches Martin, Claire’s obnoxious but compellingly awful husband; to protect her sister, Fleabag pretends Claire’s miscarriage is her own. Fleabag explores the complexity of modern womanhood; trying to find oneself through friendships and work; feminist lectures run by “Women Speak”; retreats where women are forbidden to speak; art shows; religion; relationships. Fleabag lives independently, owns her own cafe, is confident personally and sexually and speaks her mind regardless of whether others will be offended.
Perhaps Fleabag is the most triumphant portrayal of the ‘bad feminist’ (Roxanne Gay’s coinage in her 2014 book of that name where she said feminism should not be exclusive, militant, or a prescribed set of rules). In a feminist lecture, Fleabag and Claire immediately raise their hands when asked who would exchange 5 years of life for the perfect body, branding themselves as ‘bad feminists’ but not in the Roxanian sense. Waller-Bridge gently mocks overly dogmatic feminism stressing, with humour, that societal pressures on women should not also be compounded by doctrinaire feminists to demean others who, like Fleabag, wear short skirts and makeup and flirt with and like men. Fleabag is a brand of feminism which is accepting, forgiving and not controlling. In Fleabag, men are flawed but not harshly judged. They are, however, overshadowed by the women. Claire’s slimy, sexually inappropriate, alcoholic husband Martin’s career is less successful than hers; he’s desperate to keep his wife even though he knows she doesn’t like him. As Claire tells him to leave her, Martin pleads, “I am not a bad guy. I just have a bad personality. It’s not my fault. Some people are born with fucked personalities.” He describes his 15-year-old son Jake as, “so creepy, it’s not his fault,” again absolving him from responsibility. Fleabag’s ex-boyfriend Harry, whose trademark is being ‘too nice,’ thinks it is acceptable to ‘praise’ her for being “not like other girls” as she can “keep up” intellectually. Fleabag’s father, dominated by his new partner (brilliantly played by Olivia Coleman) utters perhaps only one complete sentence over the two series and Coleman can’t even remember his name on their wedding day.
This isn’t a man bashing programme; it’s just they don’t push the plot forward, women’s stories do. Like the men, the women are imperfect. Claire is perpetually pissed off, neurotic and uptight; Coleman’s character is a gushing, manipulative, insincere bohemian - the ultimate smiling bitch; Fleabag is someone of whom her own father says, “I love you but I’m not sure that I like you, all of the time.” However, the women characters are active, strong, opinionated, successful. They make mistakes but move on; the consequences of not doing so are shown with the flashbacks to Boo who committed suicide over a cheating boyfriend. A memorable monologue on womanhood is by Kristin Scott Thomas in an outstanding cameo performance in series 2; “Women are born with pain built in … period pain, sore boobs, childbirth” whereas men seek it out creating wars or playing rugby. Fleabag’s statement that life would be so much easier if someone could just tell her what to do, is relatable to many. The programme shows men and women experiencing a complex range of emotions and qualities evolving with time and experience. By the end of series 2 Fleabag has grown, repairing familial relationships, making her cafe successful and finding hope through someone loving her for who she is; even though Andrew Scott’s Catholic priest chooses God, anything else would have been clichéd. After tears, she walks away smiling.
The World Economic Forum reported in 2018 that women around the world could have to wait 217 years for disparities between their pay and employment with men to end, significantly longer than the 170 years calculated in 2017. Every step to reduce such inequalities and positively change the perception of women is vital. Even Fleabag can be part of this.
Catch Fleabag Season 1 and 2 on BBC iPlayer
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