After two series, Phoebe Waller-Bridge has (quite literally) waved farewell to her nameless heroine in a “perfect” final episode of BBC3’s Fleabag.
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The series two finale – centred around her father’s wedding to Olivia Colman’s wicked Godmother – ended in true bittersweet Fleabag fashion; sister Claire finally left abusive and alcoholic husband Martin to race to the airport for new love Klare, but Fleabag herself didn’t have quite the same happy ending.
Despite her passionate tryst with the hot priest (a fantastic Andrew Scott), her proclamation of love at a bus stop fell a little flat; while the priest said he loved her too, he ultimately chose to keep following God, telling her that her feelings for him “will pass.”
The final scenes saw her walk away from the camera she so often shot knowing glances to, with one last wave.
Fans heaped praise on Waller-Bridge on Twitter, with one willing to put quite a price on the series’ conclusion.
That was worth a year’s TV licence fee on its own. #Fleabag
— Tim Sapwell (@TimSapwell) April 8, 2019
Others described the heroine as one of TV’s greatest characters.
Make no mistake, tonight we said goodbye to one of the great TV characters. Fleabag expressed love and loss in a way that millions of people related to. Phoebe Waller-Bridge's writing made viewers laugh, cry and reflect #Fleabag❤️ pic.twitter.com/gr8jmtc7mQ
— Mark Jefferies (@mirrorjeffers) April 8, 2019
Farewell to one of the most relatable fictional characters of recent times #Fleabag. Perfect show. pic.twitter.com/i9d2KtwY3H
— Laura (@breakthelau) April 8, 2019
Just realized that I'm seeing #Fleabag trending for the last time in twitter. Hello sadness.. I will miss this amazing character but I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of Phoebe in the future, she deserves the world. pic.twitter.com/D0qZadSZoH
— H🌈 (@Chic_as_shitt) April 8, 2019
The priest’s poignant, passionate and damning wedding speech was also highly praised by fans…
“Love isn’t something that weak people do. Being a romantic takes a hell of a lot of hope” #Fleabag pic.twitter.com/Lcui2wzV53
— James Nash (@jamesanash101) April 8, 2019
the priests love speech ❤️… speaks for itself #Fleabag pic.twitter.com/mZsVBKpUoX
— Carlita Franco (@carlita_leoni) April 8, 2019
… as was this zinging line from Fleabag’s father:
“I think you know how to love better than any of us, that’s why you find it all so painful” ❤️ #Fleabag pic.twitter.com/aIQ5t2CUmv
— Cassie Young (@ModernCassie) April 8, 2019
"I think you know how to love better than any of us, that's why you find it all so painful" is, in my opinion, the line of the century. Sometimes television is elevated, sometimes in elevates. #Fleabag you will be missed.
— Jack Thorne (@jackthorne) April 8, 2019
But while she may have been hoping to elope with her priest, it was Fleabag’s relationship with sister Claire that viewers thought was the true love story of the series.
#Fleabag the most perfect love story between sisters. That Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s sister wrote the theme music and Claire was played by her best friend, who she has called a sister, makes it all the more poetic pic.twitter.com/OJLPPerShX
— Claire Cohen (@clairecohen) April 8, 2019
This relationship is everything. More real than any love for a man/priest/distant father. Sisterly love is the real deal!😭 #Fleabag #sisters pic.twitter.com/tSnm3WiXY9
— Hayley (@hayleyshireen) April 8, 2019
Also, it is so clear to me that the real love story was between Fleabag and Claire and honestly that line about running through airports really got me @SiansUniverse #Fleabag pic.twitter.com/MAFiHBfeGC
— Alex Campbell (@gingergirlalex) April 8, 2019
The second series is thought to be the show’s last ever, with Sian Clifford, who plays Claire, describing Fleabag as “complete”.
“There will not be a third series,” Clifford told BBC Breakfast presenters Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty. “This is it.”
“I think I’ve described it online as this beautiful, perfect ending and I think it is, but I think what it’s closer to is poetry,” she added.
“I think people will accept that this is the end when they see it, because I think it is complete. I think the story is complete.”
Fleabag is available to stream on BBC iPlayer
from Radio Times http://bit.ly/2U5O6of
