Fourth Wall Breaking For The Win
Fleabag’s most distinct quality is its consistent, nay, constant breaking of the fourth wall. The show is unique, because it is told solely from the perspective of its main character, following her around at all times. And there will be frequent asides during which Fleabag, played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, looks directly into the camera to address viewers about what’s going on.
These addresses could be full-on mini-monologues about the person she’s sleeping with or the family member whose idiosyncrasies fascinate her. They could be a quick interjection made just to the audience to contradict something she’s said out loud to another character. And, perhaps most often, these fourth-wall-breaking asides take the form of a simple look to the camera, meant to clue viewers into Fleabag’s emotional state.
If you’re at all like me and came of age during the era of Sex and the City, perhaps you remember these same kinds of “talk to the camera” segments that Carrie used to do in the first two seasons. They basically never worked, and it makes me cringe a bit when I rewatch them.
But Fleabag manages to avoid that awkwardness trap because, unlike Carrie Bradshaw’s asides, each moment of connection to the viewer is awash in sincerity and character depth. All of these moments add cumulative nuance that make Fleabag can’t-miss television.
I’m still of two minds about how we’re supposed to understand Fleabag’s relationship to its viewers in these asides. My latest theory is that the audience is some sort of manifestation of personified grief: an amalgamation of Boo and Fleabag’s mom and the true self she would show them if only they were there. On the other hand, it could be a simple format, the way Parks and Recreation or Modern Family adopted a mockumentary style for convenience of storytelling.
Whatever the reasoning for including this touch, Fleabag’s direct approach to the camera helps the audience achieve a deeper understanding of the main character and the emotional stakes in each episode.