“The End of the F***ing World” Season 2

By Josie Takeshima Allen

Fans of the first season of “The End of the F***ing World” may be surprised at the tone of the second season. The show goes from an action-packed Bonnie and Clyde, revolving around teens running from their parents and societally imposed lives to a slow burn about revenge and emotional damage. The themes stay the same from season to season, however, focusing on the relationship between violence and love.

The second season focuses on Alyssa and James two years after their runaway love story filled with robbery and murder. After James goes to prison and Alyssa returns to school, they cross paths again and realize their love was based only on the adrenaline rush of committing crime. Though they try to part ways, they are forced back together after a woman who loved the man they murdered attempts to seek revenge.

The change of tone works well, reflecting how real life works. Living fast and loose only works so long, and then you are left with the reality of what you’ve done.  Both main and side characters are dealing with James and Alyssa’s actions in the first season. They are emotionally damaged and are trying to return to normalcy in their own (often unhealthy) ways.

The season builds slowly, reaching a boiling point where the truth must come out and people have to face up to their pasts. It’s a refreshing change of pace from the multitude of rose-tinted teen love dramas cluttering Netflix.