4) Fleabag
The ruthless, pulsating brilliance of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s impeccable Amazon/BBC 3 miniseries Fleabag didn’t hit me at once. Like a rubix cube laced in alcohol and piercing red lipstick, the darkly comedic and stunningly intensive character piece may, at first, seem not unlike several other pieces cut from its same cloth.
Comparisons to Amy Schumer’s self-depreciating/self-destructive alcoholic sex addict in Trainwreck and Frank Underwood’s fourth wall-breaking wisecracks in House of Cards were easily won, yet to reduce this smashingly witty and quickly heartbreaking series down to its contemporaries would be cutting it from the heels of its own resistance, defiance and bruising wit.
Waller-Bridge gives herself an astounding calling card here and a role that will surely remain one of her all-time greats. Accomplished beyond her years, and expressive in ways few could ever dream (not since John Belushi has one used their eyebrow rises to the camera so choicely), Fleabag is a crackerjack claim-to-fame for the actress and an endlessly intuitive, completely heartfelt, entirely singing television accomplishment. Don’t let first impressions fool you.