This British television drama is based on the Charles Forsman comic of the same name. He is also the author of I Am Not Okay With This. Jessica Barden and James Lawther star in The End Of The F***ing World, joined by Naomi Ackie in season 2, whose performance won her a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress. The series also recently won a BAFTA for Best Drama Series and is currently nominated for an Emmy Award.
The show was just as well received by viewers as it has been by critics, with a rating of 8.1/10 on IMDb. The two lead characters, each compelling in their own right, form an unlikely bond and embark on an adventure that sees them traveling across the UK, avoiding their families and the authorities.
Episode 1.4 (8.1)
At this point, Alyssa and James are well and truly on the run, a realization confirmed by their decision to change their appearances. James dons a Hawaiian shirt while Alyssa dyes and cuts her hair.
She also begins to develop feelings for James, which frightens her. They try to cover their tracks after killing Clive Koch and decide what their next move should be. Alyssa thinks they should find her father, which proves to be harder than they thought it would be.
Episode 1.5 (8.1)
James and Alyssa are separated for the first time in the series when Alyssa flees. She resorts to shoplifting, which lands her in an awkward situation, but the shopkeeper sympathizes with her and lets her go.
Meanwhile, James recalls painful memories from his childhood and asks a group of boys to beat him up. Eventually, he and Alyssa make their way back to the diner and reunite, ready to continue the adventure together.
Episode 2.3 (8.2)
Alyssa is married, a decision she instantly regrets. She runs away from the reception and straight into James’ car. They go to have a very awkward lunch, where Alyssa says she should go back.
They exit the diner to find that James’ car has been towed, his dad’s ashes along with it. The two chase the car all the way to the scrapyard, where they decide to wait until it closes so they can break in and retrieve James’ dad. While they wait, James admits that he loves her, but Alyssa pretends to be asleep.
Episode 1.6 (8.2)
Alyssa and James are back on the road, but they need to make a stop at a gas station to fill up the tank. Here they meet Frodo, who is unsatisfied in his life.
Alyssa inspires him to do something about it, so they lock up the store manager and Frodo allows James and Alyssa to escape with their stolen goods. This exchange is caught on the security camera, which allows Eunice and Teri to pick up their trail again.
Episode 2.2 (8.3)
Alyssa is beginning to return to some semblance of a normal life, meeting her new boyfriend, working at the cafe, and living with her mum and aunt. However, a suspicious figure seems to be following her around, always lurking in the background of her daily routine.
After being shot at the end of season 1, James spent a long time in the hospital, where Gwen visited him and forced him to write a scathing letter to Alyssa. Heartbroken, Alyssa eventually moved on while James recovered and his father died. Now, James finds Alyssa again after receiving a bullet with his name carved into it.
Episode 2.4 (8.4)
Joining them on their escapade is Bonnie, a hitchhiker Alyssa and James pick up on their travels. They don’t yet know that Bonnie is the one who sent them the bullets and that she plans to kill them since they killed Clive Koch, her university lecturer/lover/abuser.
Bonnie attempts to kill the pair on multiple occasions, but something always stops her. The trio is forced to spend the night at a local motel after Bonnie slashes James’ tires. One thing leads to another, and Bonnie accidentally kills the motel owner.
Episode 1.3 (8.6)
In this episode, Alyssa and James stumble into Clive Koch’s house. The place is luxurious and seemingly abandoned, but James soon finds evidence that the guy who lives there is a murderer.
Clive Koch comes home as the two teens go to bed. James has by now found video evidence of the man’s abusive and violent actions towards women. When he finds Alyssa sleeping in his bed, James jumps out from underneath and stabs him in the neck. And thus begins their grand adventure.
Episode 1.8 (8.8)
In the final episode of season 1, Alyssa and James make camp at her dad’s house. Unfortunately, he turns out to be a disappointment and calls the cops on them. Alyssa and James now realize that they’re in love and no longer try to hide their feelings.
Eunice shows up before Teri can and tries to talk Alyssa down, but the two teens are scared and make a run for it. James is shot as he sprints across the beach, and the screen goes black: the end of the f***ing world.
Episode 2.8 (8.8)
The season 2 finale is the second-highest rated episode of the series. James fears that Alyssa might kill herself, so he frantically searches for her and finds her at Clive Koch’s house.
She doesn’t plan on killing herself, only to make amends with her own memories. James finally scatters his dad’s ashes, which have turned into a pulp. At the end of the episode, James and Alyssa tell each other they love each other.
Episode 2.7 (9.1)
Finally, the highest-rated episode of the series is the second-last of season 2. James and Alyssa seem to have gone their separate ways, but Bonnie is still intent on serving what she believes is justice.
She tracks Alyssa down at work, where James has secretly slipped in. He hopes to save her, but Bonnie hears him. In an emotionally charged moment, Bonnie shoots them both dead, leaving viewers shell-shocked. But it turns out to be all in Bonnie’s head. She turns the gun on herself, but Alyssa and James save her.
