July 21, 2016 (BBC Three) Writer: Phoebe Waller-Bridge Director: Tim Kirkby Runtime: ~26 minutes
The masterstroke of Fleabag 1x1 is its seamless integration of the "direct address" or breaking the fourth wall. The directors, Tim Kirkby and Harry Bradbeer, achieve a "careful management" of this device, allowing it to feel organic rather than gimmicky. Fleabag 1x1
In Episode 1, the camera is Fleabag’s safety valve. Whenever a situation becomes too vulnerable, too painful, or too boring, she turns to the viewer to deliver a punchline. This creates an exclusive intimacy. We see what the other characters cannot see: her true reactions. July 21, 2016 (BBC Three) Writer: Phoebe Waller-Bridge