Fleabag
Phoebe Waller - Bridge ’s second installment ofFleabag , which dropped on Amazon Prime in May 2019 , has leave us all with an emotional hangover . The law of continuation of Fleabag ’s story , play out expertly by Waller - Bridge , from rock bottom to healing has been both inspiring and incredibly go .
We all somehow require more of Fleabag and also think thatthe closing of season two was pure , no season three necessary . But if you ’re seem for an excuse to rewatch time of year one and towage ( not that we think you need one ) , here are some small – but important!–details you may go back and look f0r .
From the starting time , Phoebe Waller - Bridge ’s show seems to be involve us to debate what feminism really mean , and if it ’s working . After all , Fleabag appear , at least at first , to be the picture the Freed Independent Woman that feminism prognosticate us . But the more we get to know her in season one , the more we have to wonder : Is she just trapped in a unlike room ?
The Smoking Arc
There ’s a lot of smoking in the show , which often gives us opportunity to get wind more of Fleabag ’s thoughts . There ’s also a lovely — but easy to miss — smoking arc that mirrors her relationship with her father . The first metre we see her offer him a cigarette , in the last episode of time of year 1 , he takes it only to devolve it . He ’s angry with her in the aspect , or maybe just disappointed , then beam her away before long after dropping the cigarette . The 2d prison term Fleabag offers her beginner a cigaret , he considers it but at last does n’t take one . The third time , at the end of time of year 2 , he in the end has a drag and sort of chortle .
The first drop curtain mirror his complete rejection of her and who she is at the end of season 1 . The second butt is him considering who she is becoming and what to do next . The third and last is when their relationship has healed quite a lot — he is unforced to enlist , even if there are still affair he does n’t wish about her .
Dad Can’t Finish a Sentence
In all twelve episode , Fleabag ’s Dad struggle to get through a single time . Quick sentences , less than about five password , he can do just fine . But every fourth dimension he ’s asked to spill for more than a second gear , he trails off , changes subject , and “ uhm”s his elbow room through . The women in his life story — Fleabag , Claire , Godmother — seem to sort of understand what he ’s enunciate , or trying to say , and set aside it . It ’s not until the last episode , when Fleabag begs him to finish just one sentence , that we see him express a full approximation .
Similar to smoking , whether or not he can finish a sentence seems to mirror his consolation with the women in his life history . The more tense everyone else is the more Dad struggles .
Gary Dollner handled the redaction for both season of the series . In the final picture of the show , Waller - Bridge and the rest of the crew bear him a lovely protection . At the jitney full point , the digital display for the bus route reads “ Dollner Avenue . ” Dollner has also worked on Waller - Bridge’sKilling Eve , so their human relationship is clearly friendly .
That the timing read-out for the Dollner Avenue bus finally changes to ‘ cancelled ’ is a perfect eye blink to the fact that this is the show ’s final season … probably . Only rewatches will tell us if the names of the other work party fellow member appear in buildings and side - street .
All the Religious Symbolism
You probably did n’t escape that there ’s a mess of Catholic imagery this time of year . One of the independent persona is , after all , a Catholic non-Christian priest . But did you notice the symbolism of the promotional poster for season 2 ofFleabag ?
Everyone ’s favorite anti - heroine airs with Hilary the guinea pig , a halo around her head , and backer all around her . Using modern clothing makes it a svelte inversion of traditional apotheosis imagery , but otherwise it ’s very alike to traditional imagery of Saint Agnes . Agnes is often depicted with sorry curly hair and carrying a lamb . She is the patron paragon of lady friend and chastity . Given how much we have it away of Fleabag ’s gender life-time , the computer address to chastity is clear a mo lingua in face , but the history of Agnes is evocative for Fleabag . Agnes reject to be one valet de chambre ’s married woman so she was forced to be everyone ’s whore , and is now a canonized saint for it . almost two thousand years later in London , Fleabag used promiscuousness as an escape but was then love by a priest .
Hilary is Fleabag’s Heart
talk of Hilary the guinea pig — she is probably stand for to be a symbolic representation for Fleabag ’s heart . She gifted it to Boo , even though it was n’t something she was sure Boo desire . But Boo tended to it so fondly , making the whole café about Hilary . Boo was where Fleabag place a lot of her love for so long , as we see when Fleabag said she did n’t know what to do with all the making love she had for her mother and Boo replies , “ I ’ll take it . ”
Because Hilary symbolizes Fleabag ’s heart , that ’s plausibly why she was so upset by Rodent Guy ’s reaction to it . Him calling it a rat over and over clear hurt her — because he was symbolically rejecting her love . In season two , Priest says “ I ’m just trying to serve you , ” dismissing their flirtation / beloved , so Fleabag takes Hilary away from him . She says , “ You ’ve played with my guinea fowl slob enough , ” but we really have it away she meant , “ You ’ve play with my heart enough , Priest . ”
The Priest Isn’t a Smoker
During the entire second season Priest is middling undefended about his vices and hang - ups . Alcohol isdefinitelyone , and sexual practice probably is , given how he says he ’s been in “ this situation many times . ” What “ this situation ” means is ill-defined — with other parishioners ( tentative , since it seems like Fleabag meets him during his first assignment ) or just wanting to have gender with someone — but sex is still a bent up for him .
But smokingisn’t . Priest and Fleabag take on while celebrating Dad ’s booking , and she goes out for a cigaret three times during that dinner party . Priest does n’t join her until the third clock time . He asks to have one of her butt because he does n’t have his own , and has her Light Within it for him because he does n’t have his own lighter , then is irritated when she leaves . He never smokes again during the show . Seems like Priest might have only gone outside with her for an excuse to talk to her without her family ascertain .
The Wishbone Necklace
Through both season , Fleabag wears a wishing bone necklace in almost every episode . Thewishbone is a symbolization of skillful chance , of belief possibility and in the hereafter . For all that Fleabag acts as if she only cares about the present , there is a distinctly a part of her that hold promise for her time to come . Maybe she just likes the symbology , or maybe she ’s a routine superstitious and really believes in it .
If she ’s superstitious , maybe that ’s part of what draws her to Priest . She may not gibe with his Bible , but the religious mysticism of Catholicism might be part of what draws her to him . ( Remember when her counselor ask if she want to fuck him or fuck God ? ) Plus , the room she wears it as a choker visually mirrors his clerical collar .
The Four Evangelists
In the third episode of time of year two , Fleabag ’s sister Claire open up up the storey for the Best Woman in Business honor with a voice communication that begins “ A vast thanks to Matthew , Mark , Luke , and John for coming up with this award . ” Not only is it ironic that in her introduction to theWomanin Business award she can only remark men , but it ’s yet one more nod to spiritual symbolisation in this time of year .
Of of course , the fact that Claire then has to hand Belinda Friers ( Kristin Scott Thomas ) the recurring naked statue or else of the original honour makes this moment all the more subversive . The nude statue and misogyny of the subcategory “ women in business ” perfectly sets up Belinda ’s moving speech about feminism .
We Don’t See a Fox Until the End
Priest ’s fear of foxes comes up during season 2 episode 3 , but we never actuallyseea George Fox until the very remainder , when Priest leaves Fleabag and walks alone into the nighttime . Fleabag notices the fox , and tells it , “ He go that manner . ” The fox immediately follows , but is it really there ? It seems more potential that the dodger is actually in Priest ’s headspring , something that no one else is supposed to see . But just as Priest can see Fleabag “ talking to us ” throughout the season , Fleabag can see his externalized deal mechanisms by the end too .
So does the fox represent the Priest ’s emotional baggage ? Foxes seem to come up in conversation when they ’re talk about something that ’s difficult for him : when he claims Fleabag makes him find closer to God ; when Fleabag take up sexual abstention ; when he acknowledges their reciprocal drawing card ; when he says he ’s choosing God over Fleabag .
It ’s worth mentioning thatSt . Bernard of Clairvauxreferred to foxes as “ flatterers , disparager , and seducers of the sprightliness who are skilled and commit in representing evil in the guise of good . ”Bernard was expandingon Song of Solomon 2:15 , and his writing is work that Priest would have perfectly been familiar with . Does Priest see love life and sex with Fleabag as “ evil in the guise of good ” ? If we ever get a time of year three , perhaps we ’ll know for sure .
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