Is It The End of The F***ing World?
It’s that time of the year. I have made my way through all of the new year online releases and thanks to having spent 80% of 2020 glued to a screen, Netflix seems uninspiring as ever. I settle on rewatching The End of The F***ing World (and laugh at how appropriate it seems). Since I can no longer recite every single scene word-for-word, I decide enough time has passed since my last viewing. (SPOILER ALERTS)
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last couple of years (good decision, maybe stay down there for a little longer) you’ll have seen, or at least heard of TEOTFW. It took over the world after landing on Netflix in Jan 2018, becoming Channel 4’s most watched exclusive All4 programme of all time and receiving BAFTA and an Emmy nominations. The series proved itself to be the ideal binge; Bonnie & Clyde-esque adventure, young love, murder, and self-discovery all thrown together into beautiful 20-minute long episodes. What more could you want? An unbelievable soundtrack crafted together by Graham Coxon? Fine, you get that too.
The mastermind behind the show (though she would probably humbly reject this title) is screenwriter, and actor Charlie Covell. Having acted in a handful of pivotal British TV shows (Fresh Meat, The Inbetweeners, Peep Show, Marcella) and been a part of the writing team for even more (Humans, Banana), Covell is no stranger to success. Adapted from the award-winning comic series by Charles Forsman, Covell sticks closely to the source material but brings it to life beautifully on the big screen with some of her own changes. Speaking to Vulture, Forsman says “I’m jealous of everything she added to the story… She didn’t get any of that from my book, and that stuff is so good. I wish I’d thought of it.”
We were lucky enough to chat to Charlie, who shared her favourite moments of the series and ga us a wonderful list of shows to binge next…
LB: The feedback from series 1 must have been totally overwhelming. When did you first realise how popular the show was?
CC: Yeah it was nuts. I honestly thought about twelve people would watch it and that hopefully more than half of them would like it. The response was completely overwhelming — I think we were all stunned. It was much more intense for the actors: Alex (Lawther) and Jess (Barden) were suddenly being recognised everywhere, and that happened overnight. I was just able to pootle along like normal, unless someone actively knew I’d written it, so it was pretty cool just taking it all in.
How did writing and preparing for S2 differ from S1?
Well it was different because a) there was no more source material and b) there was the lovely but terrifying success of the first series. So the main difference was perhaps the weight of expectation? But then, that’s a bit of a ‘luxury problem’ isn’t it? Anyway, you have to try and put that out of your mind as much as possible and just strive to work out what the best story is. In many ways it was similar to last time because it was the same bunch of people in a room together, working out the story: me and Clerkenwell Films (Ed McDonald, Andy Baker and Emily Harrison) and Dominic Buchanan who’s one of our EPs. We took ages to develop the story, because it had to be right. What seemed crucial was that we dealt with the events of Series 1, rather than just reset and start again with another road trip, re-hashing stuff. We needed to deal with the fallout of everything, particularly Alyssa’s trauma and PTSD.
Bonnie was a really exciting character to develop — she was actually based on a strand of the original comic that we’d ended up cutting from S1 to lean down the story. When we realised she was a key component of S2 it was like a lot opened up for us, plus it felt properly connected to Chuck Forsman’s amazing graphic novel. So we did have some source material again!
The soundtrack is exquisite. You worked with Graham Coxon on it, how was that experience for you?
I will never, ever get over meeting Graham Coxon. If you told me, when I was a teenager, that would happen, I would have imploded. It was completely amazing. To be fair, he worked most closely with the directors — I just turned up and nodded with joy like a mad fan, so I’m not sure you could call it a true collaboration between us…
“Wherever possible, try not to be a dick. And if you realise you have been a dick, apologise.”
What's your favourite song/moment in the series?
I really loved ‘Walking All Day’, and that scene of them walking through the woods in S1 — that feels like a key moment for me. And in S2, I love Bonnie walking towards the diner at the end of Ep6, holding Alyssa’s veil and “Meaner Than The Sea” is playing. I think that’s a beautifully directed (and acted) moment. It gave me goosebumps when I first watched it in the edit. I’m also hugely sentimental, so I do love the very end of S2, with them looking out over that almost PEANUTS-like vista, with Bettye Swan’s ‘Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye’. That songs always makes me cry, and I love the timing of the credits cutting in when the lyrics start. I felt a bit overwhelmed the first time I watched that. It was the end — we’d done it!
If you were in James & Alyssa's shoes and had just killed Clive Koch, what would be your first port of call?
Disappointingly, I’m very law-abiding. I’d probably call the police and confess to everything.
The unsung hero of season one has to be Frodo. What do you think happened to him after they left the petrol station?
I see Frodo on a beach somewhere, possibly with a new identity, enjoying a Pina Colada and the warm embrace of an older woman.
What's a standout quote from the show for you?
“Bye Marvin!” which Jess improvised. Just brilliant.
IMAGE COURTESY OF NETFLIX
After binging both seasons back to back, what show do you recommend us to start with next? What are you binging at the moment?
I have come straight off the back of seven seasons of The West Wing, which I loved and am now into Tom Tywker’s Babylon Berlin which is excellent. Other recommendations would be Atlanta, Fleabag, I May Destroy You, Mrs America, Parks And Recreation and The Leftovers.
What one piece of career advice would you give to your younger self?
Wherever possible, try not to be a dick. And if you realise you have been a dick, apologise.
Who are you listening to at the moment?
I’m currently enjoying Tom Tom Club, The Pointer Sisters and quite a lot of Sia.
All-time favourites are unchanging in Dire Straits, Tina Turner and Leonard Cohen.
What do you listen to on the Last Bus home?
It has to be whatever Magic FM chooses. (And I sincerely hope it’s ‘Right Here Waiting For You’ by Richard Marx…)
IMAGE COURTESY OF NETFLIX
