Fleabag and Insecure: A Tale of Two Millennials
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- Опубликовано: 13 июн 2024
- In this video, I discuss the common (millennial-relevant) themes between the series Insecure and Fleabag, created by Issa Rae and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
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Sources mentioned:
‘Insecure’ Broke Ground by Embracing Imperfection | The New York Times
www.nytimes.com/2021/10/15/ar...
'Insecure' Was About the Messiness of Love, and That's Why the Finale Was Perfect | GQ
www.gq.com/story/insecure-finale
After five seasons, 'Insecure' leaves behind a long-lasting legacy | CNN
edition.cnn.com/2021/12/26/en...
How ‘Fleabag’ Seduces Us, Then Accuses Us | The New York Times
www.nytimes.com/2019/06/19/ma...
Full article: Intimate distractions: Fleabag’s manipulations of audience attention
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/...
0:00 Intro
1:19 insecurity/detachment
11:58 internet age
16:51 relationships 
Развлечения
Fleabag and Insecure are essentially the same show and are both critically acclaimed. But Fleabag was the one that was rewarded with TV awards while Insecure gets repeatedly ignored come award season. Insecure is a cultural phenomenon in the Black community and Issa Rae has opened many doors for other Black creators because of the success of her show. Videos like this are great because I’ve always seen the similarities between the shows and I’m here for anything that gets more people to watch Insecure.
I don't know, I see what you're saying, they definitely share the same concepts and points but they're really different.
ok, i haven't watched insecure, but this comment made me want to. im going to take a guess and say that insecure isnt not going to be anywhere near as good as fleabag. Just on the account of fleabag being one of the best shows Ive ever watched and my personal favorite. What do i know tho, ill report back in 2 months.
edit: episode 1 was damn good. it could be as good, lol nvm. It having 5 seasons scares me but, see we shall.
I've seen every episode of Insecure and I love it intensely. I've never watched Fleabag however..
@@nendu4316 I want an update once you've watched all of Insecure 😬
I’ve never heard of Fleabag but watched Insecure and loved it.
Michaela Coel, Issa Rae, and Quinta Brunson are such inspirations to me as a Black women writers and creatives. Through their shows Black women are showcased as complex and flawed in a way that is non-stereotypical and refreshing while still being lovable characters. I feel less alone in the world thanks to their work.
Fleabag's depiction of platonic friendship between the bank manager and Fleabag was such a breath of fresh air. In their discussions you can see their reflections and honesty liberate and shift them. Even rewatching the show after the finale feels like watching different characters, they feel distant from who they used to be and its such a massive transformation in such a short series that really shows how growth truly is the only option to recover from the pain of the past.
"growth truly is the only option to recover from the pain of the past". Thank you very much for putting it so concisely. I'm in my early 20s but I'm working through a lot of unresolved pain from the past. I've come to realise that letting go and freeing yourself of who you were in the past is necessary, but it's also mourning. And grieving this loss does mean actual growth.
@@blanqui2040 I just turned twenty, and I am in the exact same boat. Honestly, reading your reply was such a relief to know I was not the only one experiencing heartbreak and sorrow about the past, while knowing it is better to move on. You are exactly right in what you're saying, and I know how hard that must be for you. I wish you the best on your journey, and hope you find your new self soon!
@@blanqui2040 also in my early 20s, feeling the same way. Good luck & thanks for the validation that I’m not alone!
Insecure has definitely set a wave for the next generation of black creators. The show really captured the realities of adult friendships and career struggles. Their friendship breakdown in season four was too relatable for those who are outgrowing their friends
I think what's so brilliant about these shows is that they're not afraid to let empowerment be ugly. They're both strong, modern woman, pursuing life unapologetically. They try, they fail, they try again. I think many shows think that in order to lift something up (be it race, sexuality, gender, or anything else) that they need to portray it as empowering, beautiful, strong, assured. etc. These shows (Fleabag in particular) allow feminism and the female experience to be ugly, confusing, misguided, and ultimately very real. They allow their audiences (who have experienced all of these things) to feel okay about mistakes, bad decisions, and choices they've made. It feels like acceptance, understanding, and love, more so than blanket empowerment.
Yes, allowing someone to be human is actually _more_ empowering than the constant parade of Mary Sues
Insecure was that show. From the writing to the music, legendary. Not that award shows mean shit but they the Emmy’s fucked up by not giving Issa one award.
Insecure should have been nominated for the drama emmy as well. It was a Dramedy.
Yeah it would be cool if they didn’t have to pick one
i didn't feel like it rose to that level. it just reminded me of Living Single from back in the 90s. i loved that show, btw, but i wouldn't consider it a critical success.
@@jones2277 It is way more serious than any living single episode.
Insecure has certainly helped me with grappling adulthood and the concept of “where I should be” in life. I myself am 29, turning 30 this winter, and, according to how my peers have perceived me, I seem to have it together: I’m a certified and licensed professional pet sitter with my own business, making decent money, living on my own, and traveling a few times a year. But the way I’ve perceived myself is vastly different: I feel overworked and under-appreciated by my clients, I’m drowning in debt, I’m trying to care for my little sister, and the traveling is usually small weekend getaways I have to tightly budget for, that ends up causing stress when I was led to believe traveling/vacation helps with “burnout” when in actuality I’m dealing with depression and compassion fatigue. Over the last year or so, I’ve been slowly grappling with and learning to accept the difficulties and unexpected events that come with life. It’s a long process, and a reminder that no one truly has it together. The thing about life is we all have scars and insecurities we carry with us and have trouble confronting or processing. At the end of the day, it’s how we react and act on those thoughts and intentions: will we stay stuck in the cycle of avoidance and survival? Or will we reach out and face the discomfort to take a chance on forming connections with peers and do something meaningful?
Clearly, if my long-winded rant wasn’t obvious, I still have a long way to go. But it’s nice to know I’m not alone in this. That’s what Insecure helped me realize and more.
Same, Insecure made feel a lot better about life's uncertainties. I love how you phrased it, that at some point we should break the cycle of avoidance and try to face the discomfort. I hope things improve for you, wish you all the best ❤️
I like to refer to Millenials as the lost generation. Not lost as in they are skipped over, more lost in the sense that they feel lost.
Without Christianity to provide them a moral compass, without many connections for guidance and support and with a very strong individualist mindset of "figure it out yourself" they feel lost. They are supposed to do what they like but they don't know what that means and nobody is there to show them the way.
I think the defeatist or greedy attitude of millenials proves we might have gone too far with the "be yourself" attitude. People need guidance in things like virtues, self-discovery and even hobbies. That won't just happen by itself. I think where personal responsibility applies to is parents. You don't have to send your children to church if you don't want to be you should be aware that you yourself then have to take over those duties.
Having a child be "free to be themselves" is often just an excuse to be lazy and not do your parenting duties. Parenting is not easy and it never was and the perfect child doesn't exist. All children will have moments of being a brat, of being mean, of being dumb, of being obnoxious. The best way to deal with it is the most contradictionary way which is to allow these negative things to occur but then also punish them for it.
@@MrMarinus18 more christian children has attacked or bullies others than non-christian children.
Thank you for sharing ❤
How does one travel a few times a year while also drowning in debt? 🤔
I loved Insecure and the commentary afterwards. It felt very authentic. Thanks for pointing out how Issa spoke less and less into the mirror as she became more confident as I totally missed that!
Wow, these two shows looks very interesting. I’m in my early 20s, but struggles of figuring out life and place in it in these shows feels pretty relatable.
Both of these shows are really good! Coming from a fellow early 20s struggling with life 😊
I love fleabag so much. I love how she didn’t try to make a show about a perfect, well adjusted female protagonist. She’s crude, occasionally rude and not succeeding at life because of her selfishness. She’s actively ruining her life and relationships but just keeps marching on with an outwardly positive attitude
Chewing Gum by Michaela Coel predates fleabag and was obviously an inspiration.
Both women are geniuses.
Actually there’s another British Tv series back from 2000s which has Lucifer actor in it that predates the whole Chewing gum, Fleabag and Insecure ig
Fleabag is one of the best things i have seen on television, it is so funny, so well acted, so smart written and i kid you not, i watch it at least every 2 months, usually on one day.
PWB is just so charming, highly recommend Killing Eve as well btw.
Love from Berlin xx
Killing Eve is on my list! 😊
killing eve is just...incredible!
I loved these older millennial shows as well as New Girl as a younger millennial with more in common with older GenZ but I'm 28 now and still trying to figure it out lol its actually helpful to see people fail. It gives you optimism
I'm also 28. I totally agree. I especially like how these modern portrayals of "young-ish adulthood" capture the loneliness of it. It's not like F.R.I.E.N.D.S., it's more like "F.R.I.E.N.D...that I talk to once a month"
I love both of these shows! A lot of laughs and catharsis… both main characters are easy to relate too but also gave me insight as to how everyone my age is pretty much dealing with the same things
I May Destroy You is also quite good.
Oh my word yes! I was just thinking about it
For Insecure, the final episode's title relies on a phonetic understanding of AAVE (African American Vernacular English). The title is stating that everything will simply be, and we must be okay with that and move forward from whichever way life shapes itself. "Everything gonna be, Okay?!" the comma is meant to separate and the 'okay' is a rhetorical question. I truly love how Insecure made me not only feel seen but made me feel comfortable in the growing pains associated with being in your 20s. I'm in my early 20s and growing up with this show has helped me realize that I can make mistakes and still figure it out
"title relies on a phonetic understanding of AAVE"
what?
I understood the title just fine without knowing AAVE. I think you meant just "a phonetic understanding of English."
AAVE is a language with syntax and grammar.
Just because you don't know it, doesn't mean it's not real.
Here's an example: You tried it.
@@zucchinigreen never denied its existence, just saying in this case the knowledge of standard English is enough to understand the title of the episode and the double meaning =)
(just in case, "standard English" is a linguistic term and not meant to offend dialect speakers)
Both series are essential to understand that becoming a full-on grown adult, is a process. It doesn't happen overnight. We tend to compare ourselves to our parents and how they just seem, to us, so adult. But attaining the legal age has nothing to do with managing finances, overcoming grief, and navigating the workplace and relationships. I also like how both series, especially Insecure, talk about failing financially. Fleabag for me was perfect. I felt like I lost a great friend when the show was over. Weird!
Insecure's writing is sublime, it tapped into so many real life tensions without ever dragging, losing it's humor or heart.
I've been meaning to watch Fleabag, this comparison to Insecure is encouraging! Great analysis.
Insecure was literally life changing for me. Fleabag with the self deprecating, fourth wall breaking humour was amazing but i never thought to compare them to be honest. I wish they would have made one more season though. It didn't feel complete
For Insecure or Fleabag?
Oh, one more season for fleabag
I loved Insecure and Fleabag! When I saw this video pop up on my feed, showing the similarities of these two (very unique and great in their own ways) shows, I got so excited and it was a great video. Thanks!!
I will never forget how these shows left me feeling! the second season of fleabag and insecure's last two seasons (especially season 4) left me with an ache in my chest but also warmth, I've not felt from media like that before.
I'm super early into my adult years but they made me feel so less alone and left me with hope and comfort for what's ahead.
Its funny how most people here have either seen Insecure or Fleabag but not both.
I was a big fan of Insecure. I love to rewatch it with people who haven't seen it before.
When you spoke about Issa and Molly's relationship I
Im an avid re-watcher as well! Its like my comfort show
I think it's interesting too!! If I'm going to watch a show about what it's like to be in that awkward mid-20s early 30s part of my life, I'd wanna watch it from the POV of ppl who look like me. That's why insecure is my first choice, but I'm definitely gonna be watching fleabag too
@@CocaColeyyme too! I watched Insecure when it first came out. I even bought HBO just to continue it past my trial. I watched it when I was in my early 20’s. As an avid reader-watcher and nearing 30, Insecure teaches me a new thing every time I watch it and I feel a different way each time. A comfort show for sure. Issa Rae not only knows how to write and create incredible work, but also connect with her audience.
I have seen both❤
Amazing analysis! I only watched the first season of Fleabag, and Insecure never really entered my media bubble. Your social and cinematic commentary is pretty friendly for the non-viewers and seeing your essay really motivates to give these series a shot. Thank you for your hard work!!
i this year just turn 20 but i can say I've been watching Insecure since its release and loved its portrayal of issues that come with aging and going through life
Watched and loved both but I personally preferred Insecure since it was more realistic and easier to relate to out of the two, especially as a WOC. I especially loved how they portrayed friendships and romantic relationships. Can't believe it never won an Emmy and how underrated it is :(
Your videos are always STELLAR. and this!!! I appreciate you talking about these series and themes so much. thank you so much! I'm so excited to see what you tackle next
insecure was life changing
I appreciate you making this. There’s hardly (if any) analysis on insecure.
insecure deserves more awards because so many black adults can relate to it and it was written so well
Woah. I actually teared up on the relationship section of fleabag. I’ve never seen the show but I can relate. I’m going through that. I’m going to watch the show tonight.
I heard about Fleabag, bc it was on Obama's recommended watch list, but I didn't get around to watching it till a few years later. It is truthfully one of the best shows I've ever seen, and upon conclusion I immediately rewatched the whole thing. I haven't heard much about Insecure, but if it's anything like or on par with Fleabag, it should be phenomenal. I will start it now.
This is a very stupid response to your anecdote but I never put together that Obama had Fleabag on his watchlist given that joke about her watching him in like the 1st episode 😂
Omg Obama recommended Fleabag?😂 probably just wanted people to watch that scene
@@SaikolaM I think Fleabag and Obama recommended each other. 😅
Yea I wonder what he thought about that scene 😂
Best video essay I've seen this year because you talk about two of the best shows of these past few years. THANK YOU SO MUCH !
I am a fan of both! Fleabag was so unique to me and Insecure was a breath of fresh air and relatable as a awkward black millennial girl.
Insecure is perfect
does anyone else ever feel like they are at extreme risk of falling into a domestic violence relationship or joining a cult?
I was 100% positive when I first watched that fleabag was using the 4th wall breaks to represent her talking to her dead friend. I was shocked to read that that wasn’t (necessarily) the case. It seemed so clear to me and reinforced by the priests recognition of it. Also under this interpretation it somewhat legitimized his often questionable status as a priest by showing that he has some connection to the divine/other-side
loved seing these gems analyzed alongside each other, great video!!
I’ve never seen Fleabag but Insecure is the best black show of the last decade. Insecure came during a time in my life where I was going through A LOT. Issa is amazing.
thanks so much for this channel! beautifully presented and well researched, loving the content :)
The video was really insightful. Loved it.
This was some excellent analysis of two brilliant and complex shows.
Wow what a masterpiece of a video essay on 2 INCREDIBLE shows‼️
WOW! So deep! What an incredible commentary on two shows that are so emotionally resonate that it sometimes feels impossible to verbalize. Plus, it was all like uplifting at the end too. Shut up, I’m not crying…you’re crying! There’s a part of me that wants to see this channel break down Atlanta, maybe you have…I’ll have to check. Such a great commentary and breakdown of two phenomenally well written, acted, and executed shows 👌🏼
Thank you! Maybe we'll do Atlanta sometime :) Excited for season 4 premiere tonight!
While I was watching your video essay on Miyazaki, you released another masterpiece 🫢🥹
WOW this video is amazing i will probably watch it again, thank you for this amazing explanation you said everything I thought of while watching the two shows
I’m so glad I found this video
Beautifully spoken, thank you for breaking it down ☻
Wow, I have seen fleabag but not insecure. I really want to watch insecure now :) thank you
You should! Hope you enjoy it :)
I feel just the opposite lol I loved insecure! now I have to watch Fleabag
Great video. I really love these two TV shows.
I don't know if you guys have any social media presence, but I tried to tag you to recommend your channel to others but couldn't find anything. Your content is exemplary.
I love these shows so so much 😭😭😭😭🫶🫶 thanks for this essay
Insecure is one of the best show I've ever seen.❤️👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 I've watched a few episodes of Flebag but found it to the same kind of shows I've seen many times in the UK its ok, speaking as someone from the UK.
These series were and still epic, shall I say bingeworthy. The soundtrack for Insecure stays on "shuffle" in my car/phone.
help why am I crying now
I love fleabag and also your video. It left me wanted more of those characters
Scrolling through my RUclips and clicking this🙌 thank you... The reminder I needed😘
Two of my favourite shows with my favourite women
The video essay I didn't know I needed
this video essay hit every beat
Enjoyed this video a lot 😊 great shows
Thanks for this video! As a POC, I would always perfer insecure. But it pains me that its so underrated.
On the other hand, people watch fleabag because how much its talked about and somewhere it occupies all the space. I watched fleabag and felt left out because certainly its not for everybody.
But, insecure did it for me! And I am glad that I took a chance and watched it!!!
This video made me cry 😭 because I’m on this journey
Now I wanna rewatch both shows 😊
Beautifully made.
Brilliant video thank you
Amazing video! ❤️
SUCH A GOOD VIDEO!!
This video inspired me to watch both shows!
Yesss! Hope you like 😊
I love both of these shows.
Only modern women need characters to be THIS relatable.
Ah we're a kind of coping mechanism like a mental illness for Fleabag, cause i was thinking about it - the start of the second season was midway through the family dinner, and she was getting her life back on track away from her family and i think she tried to get through the family dinner on her own but then she must have been triggered and brought us back to comfort herself. Then after the relationship with the priest ends i think she realizes she needs to get rid of us to be better. We're a problem in her life and we dont see her at her best, only when shes going through shit. damn
Shout out to shows with depressed women at their late 20s 🤞🏾(Insecure, Fleabag, High Fidelity, I May Destroy You)
gotta be one of my favorite genders
I'm not a millenial but as a woman I feel like these shows understood me in a way I can't explain.
I loved the comparisons to two of my favorite shows - I didn’t realize these similarities. I covered Issa as an example of the Sage archetype - even when she does NOT appear wise on the surface lol - in the feminine archetypes on-screen video on my channel.
This made me want to watch Fleabag, never heard about it before.
Great, now I gotta go and reeatch insecure again, im not ready to let it go yet 😭 at least now I can splice in sone episodes of fleabag as its completely new to me!
16:50 I could be wrong but I think Lawrence was unemployed for 2 weeks in season 1 when we were following his job search. Overall I think his work history had a lot of gaps though.
I related more to fleabag than insecure. Never really grouped them as the same in my mind.
I love fleabag, gonna have to check out insecure.
I would maybe accept the comparison for season of 1 of Fleabag. Season 2 is a whole different beast though. Close to perfect start to end. I hate saying this bc of how people love to dunk on "chick" stuff, but Fleabag season 2 is a masterclass in writing, acting, and directing romantic comedies. And that ending. So fucking good.
7:48 =I don't know... They say that yet when I admit and tell the mirror in my mind what I am they (my counsellors) say it bounds me...
I love both of these shows so much. Fleabag ripped me to shreds tho. Her family dynamic hit too close to home. And that ending!! 💔 Issa Rae is so funny and smart. I can’t wait to see what she creates next.
I love both
As a 33 year old stay at home mom trying to figure out what to do with my life when my lo goes to school…. This video resonates with me so much. 😢 I literally feel so pressured to figure out what I want to do with my life that’ll make myself and my family proud.
PLEASEEE watch Youre The Worst, its basically the predecessor to both of these shows and im almost positive influenced them. Another unapologetic and painfully relatable representation of real people, kinda-sorta doing their best, when they can.
Fleabag is a masterpiece ❤️❤️ truly chef's 😘
God, I think I love you. Please discuss everything I like lmao
2 of my favorites
Wtf I'm literally binging through fleabag right now.
I could never get into Fleabag. I might try it later.
My favorite video
OMFG! Eventually, I'll be able to watch even the briefest clip version of "I love you. It'll pass." and not become an emotional wreck. This is not that time! 😢
Season 2 of Fleabag owes a lot to the film "Léon Morin: Priest" from 1961. It's a very sweet film. Andrew Scott even looks a lot like Jean-Paul Belmondo, the priest in the movie
Insecure was fantastic 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
What do you think Fleabag's name is?
If they cameo in each others shows...
Anyone know of the song playing at 5:25?
While I enjoyed this video, I honestly cannot watch shows like these (or Chewing Gum). I can't relate to the main characters, so I end up feeling annoyed by their insecurities and their horrible, even reckless choices. That's not fun viewing for me; it's an endurance test.
While I do know people like this exist, of course, and exploration of their journey is valid, I'm gonna keep it a buck: I avoid such people. Now, some might get angry that I say so, but after decades of carrying the emotional weight of someone in my family who was abusing me, I carefully curate who I let in my life. And I don't have patience for persistent weakness/heavy flaws because I know that I'll eventually suffer as a result. Sounds selfish, but no. I put everyone else first for the majority of my life, so much so that it nearly _took_ my life more than once. So, I can't do it anymore, nor can I enjoy such media. I'd still "pull up" for my friends at any time, but it's because I know I'm not gonna have to pull up on some stupid ish that could have been avoided.
Still, I watched this whole video and found it interesting, and I think it's important and good that media like this exists. It's just not my bag.
מדויק, איזו שנה נהדרת זו הייתה