Yahoo News Michaela Coel's new drama I May Destroy You is essential viewing, say first reviews
I May Destroy You might seem worlds away from the bright and quirky Chewing Gum, but Michaela Coel's new drama series is just as real and just as brilliant, according to reviews.
Ahead of I May Destroy You's premiere on BBC One in the UK and HBO in the US, reviews for Coel's 12-part series are streaming in – and it appears critics are in agreement that the BAFTA-winning writer, director, and actor has created another amazing show.
I May Destroy You tells the story of Arabella, a young writer who found fame on social media. Based on Coel's own experience, the drama navigates the sticky issues of consent, dating, and casual sex, as Arabella tries to get her head around being sexually assaulted after her drink is spiked.
Unsurprisingly caustic and sometimes uncomfortable, critics are praising I May Destroy You for its authentic and resonant portrayal of consent in modern life, as well as Coel's deft handling of offbeat humour.
"Many of the scenarios that the characters find themselves in will be familiar and personal to viewers at home, whether or not they believe they have ever been sexually assaulted or a victim of drinks spiking. And many critics will likely praise Coel for her bravery and openness in tackling this very personal story – but, if you take away the autobiographical link, the show still stands up as a biting and witty drama that dismantles and rebuilds everything we think we know about casual dating, and our own consent."
"At just about every step, [I May Destroy You] is touching and quietly hilarious. Coel gets away with things that would be dicey for other writer-directors, and she does it with consistency. Scenes that would normally be heavy have odd, almost subterranean comic edges, without shading over into obvious satire."
Related: Chewing Gum series 3 won't happen
"[Michaela] Coel lets her characters grapple with knotty questions of consent and responsibility without ever judging their actions or promoting answers that don't actually exist. Her mind, I suspect, will be dazzling us for years to come."
"[Coel is] also stunningly adept at weaving textured stories, where a survivor is not singularly defined by their own trauma. This is an authentic portrayal of her character's experience, not only as a woman but as a Black woman and artist and fully-dimensional human, against an expansive backdrop, and yes, humour tiptoes into the space."
[I May Destroy You is] a weighty, ambitious attempt to wade through incredibly difficult subject matter, but one that also seeks to balance with earnest optimism and a desire for healing. There are many, many scenes of the friends just having fun, of getting annoyed with one another, of professing their undying love. That movement back and forth, to the past and present (to an imagined future), between feelings and experiences and traumas and desires, covers some of the series' other uncertainties in ways that are both compelling and true.
"But more than anything, it's a thought-provoking work that should make us consider our own relationship to trauma, experienced by ourselves or others, as well as hopefully this new cultural awakening to the many, many different kinds of sexual assault."
I May Destroy You starts Monday, June 8 at 10.45pm on BBC One.
Rape Crisis England and Wales works towards the elimination of all forms of sexual violence and sexual misconduct. If you’ve been affected by the issues raised in this story, you can access more information on their website or by calling the National Rape Crisis Helpline on 0808 802 9999. Rape Crisis Scotland’s helpline number is 08088 01 03 02.
Readers in the US are encouraged to contact RAINN, or the National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800-656-4673.
Digital Spy now has a newsletter – sign up to get it sent straight to your inbox.
Looking for more TV recommendations and discussion? Head over to our Facebook Group to see new picks every day, and chat with other readers about what they're watching right now.
You Might Also Like
