The exterior shots step into a London that's remembered fondly in lockdown, into the familiar colours of particular streets and nightclubs and restaurants– to the extent that Coel makes you believe it’s still there. But from what Coel has offered so far, both in her vividlynatural performance and tangibly realistic writing, there’s promise from thisquiet yet provocative drama.
I MAY DESTROY YOU EPISODE 1 SERIES
It’shard to judge a series on the first two episodes, especially as it’s clearlymeant to unfold slowly. Coel builds suspense in a rawer way: one scene, inparticular, has Arabella question a man who was potentially involved in herassault, and a harrowing, choking tension fills the room. Her suspicionsgrow into our suspicions, but there’s no need to say them out loud in overlongexplanations, as in most detective dramas. Photo: BBC/Various Artists Ltd and FALKNA/Natalie SeeryĪscertain details come into focus, the series catalyses into a beautifully pacedinvestigation drama as Arabella retraces her steps from the night before. There's no sensational or overdramatic hyperbole here Coel clearly wants to maintain as much realism as possible. Episodetwo gradually eases into this, with certain revelations sparking sharply ineveryday situations like walking with a friend on a busy street. Ittranspires that Arabella's drink was spiked, and only fragments come back to her. They arrive in dribs and drabs, often functioning to support Arabella,no doubt waiting to expand their characters within the next 10 episodes. Although the awkward organisation has its funny moments, their connection to Arabella feels circumstantial at first.īut they’re part of Arabella’sstory and, as the series continues, other characters will have their own ambiguous sex storiesto tell. There’sone affluent couple, for example, who are arranging a threesome to spice uptheir love life.
Inthe first episode, it’s hard to establish the relevance of various characters,who walk or smile or saunter through different areas in Arabella’s life. She naturalistically captures Arabella's long, enduring realisation of having beenassaulted, and her struggle to piece together the truth. Photo: BBC/Various Artists Ltd and FALKNA/Laura RadfordĬoel wrote the show, loosely based on a personal experience. Buttowards the end, a harsh, violent memory flashes dizzily through Arabella's mind and the story turns into something more horrific, slicing through her sense of normality.
I MAY DESTROY YOU EPISODE 1 FREE
The first episodeoffers little in terms of direction: it’s sporadic and free (much like her),structured like a slice-of-city-life story.
She’s a sweet, fun-loving, unemployed Londoner,of a kind that’s easy to recognise and make friends with. In between writing periods Arabella hangs out with mates, boozes, takes drugs and watches endless YouTube videos. Story cards are taped to her bedroom wall, she writes in cabs and buses around London… everywhere except her empty office in Soho, whereshe endlessly procrastinates. Its title character, Arabella (Michaela Coel), is the author of a Twittermemoir titled Chronicles of a Fed-Up Millennial, and she’s now stuck inwriter’s block. Fromthe first 20 minutes of I May Destroy You, you wouldn’t necessarily guess that it's about a sexual assault.
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