Top 10 Reasons You Should Watch I May Destroy You

Do a quick Google search of “I May Destroy You” and one thing almost immediately becomes clear: critics love it. The number of 5 star reviews is downright overwhelming. And as much as we like to collectively pretend that we don’t let Rotten Tomatoes influence what we do or do not watch… the almighty tomatometer has major sway. Well, any score in the 90s makes for a pretty strong endorsement. Guardian tv critic, Lucy Mangan, who suggested that it may be “the best drama of the year”, also called the series “extraordinary” and “breathtaking”. Other words used to describe it include “riveting”, “jolting”, “exhilarating” and “gasp-makingly brilliant”. Now how can you possibly ignore a series that’s garnered such praise?

“I May Destroy You” is described as a “comedy-drama” series, but it is so much more. The show moves deftly between the two, often in a split second. Even in the darkest moments, there are elements of levity that leave you, as a viewer at a loss for how to respond. Scenes in which the term “comedy-drama” feels adequate, however, are few and far between. It’s about trauma, consent and sexual assault, but its also a lush depiction of European nightlife (xref). Between its challenging themes, quick pace, unique approach to storytelling and the complex and real human emotions packed into every episode, it often makes for an exhausting viewing experience. Nothing about this show is simple, and that’s part of the appeal.

There’s no shortage of great television out there to use as a form of escapism. Even when watching a series supposedly set in the “real world”, however, characters and events often have a certain artificial quality to them that feels larger than life; you’re reminded that it’s scripted. The fact that “I May Destroy You” can join a shortlist of shows that are an exception to this rule is amongst its greatest achievements. The world inhabited by these characters feels real and recognizable, especially for millennial viewers living in a major city and embracing everything that that entails. From the nights out that the characters embark on and the conversations they have, to their most private moments, it all feels authentic to the millennial experience.

Again, though this series might be billed as a comedy-drama, it blends numerous genres. And one of the most compelling styles that it incorporates is that of the mystery genre. Rather than solving a local crime or the murder of someone close to her however, our protagonist is trying to unravel something far more personal: the mystery of what happened to her on a night out that she cannot remember. The show plays fairly fast and loose with the chronology of events from one episode to the next, jumping forward and into flashbacks to suit the needs of the story. It also takes us into the perspective of different characters, which makes the viewing experience even more dynamic. The resulting narrative structure is absolutely enthralling.

Creator Michaela Coel is the star of “I May Destroy You” and she commands the spotlight; her performance is utterly arresting. But perhaps even more remarkable is the fact that, despite her character, Arabella, being at the center of the narrative, Coel makes every single person in the supporting cast feel equally well-developed. Arabella’s friends aren’t just plot points or caricatures for her to play off of. They have their own problems, concerns, wants and needs. And the lengths to which Coel went in fleshing-out these supporting characters shows in each and every conversation. The exchanges don’t feel like dialogue, but rather real conversations between actual friends. Speaking of which, the depiction of friendship, as a whole, feels very true to life.

As we spend more time with our protagonist -both before and after the fateful night at the center of the series- it becomes increasingly clear that Arabella has been changed by what happened to her that night. Despite the gaps in her memory and the many ways in which she is seemingly just continuing to go on with her life, it has affected her at the very core of her being. But a big part of what makes this depiction so remarkable is that it doesn’t portray her trauma as static. It’s not a switch that’s been flipped but rather a long, drawn out and ever-evolving process as Arabella comes to grips with not only what happened to her, but also how it's affecting her.

“I May Destroy You” incorporates elements of mystery into its narrative, but it’s no secret that Arabella is the victim of sexual assault. Popular media continues to use rape as a plot device, but “I May Destroy You” tackles the subject head on and really engages with the lived experience of the victim. Writing for the Boston Globe, Matthew Gilbert described it as “a groundbreaking model of how to honor the complexities of sexual trauma on TV without succumbing to lecture or exploitation.” The series is actually inspired by Coel’s own personal experience, and has been described as “the culmination of her attempt to make sense of the senseless”. What Coel has given us feels, quite frankly, unprecedented.

Considering just how in depth this show goes with its exploration of sexual assault and trauma, it very well could have kept its thematic focus limited to those subjects. And yet, on top of that, “I May Destroy You” also finds space to discuss questions of race and sex. As previously mentioned, the world that creator Michaela Coel has created feels true to life, and just like in the real world, her characters deal with multiple injustices simultaneously. The show feels timely not only in its representation of Black people but also how they are treated within the story. Gender and sex are also placed under the microscope, hammering home the fact that exploitation takes many forms.

“Volcanically talented” is quite the compliment, but Michaela Coel earns it. Still in her early 30s, Coel already has a successful sitcom under her belt, “Chewing Gum,” which she created, wrote and starred in, and for which she won a BAFTA Television Award. With “I May Destroy You”, Coel also adds a co-director and executive producer to the list. Born and raised in London, Coel is best described as a creative juggernaut, who, in addition to her television work is also a singer-songwriter, poet and playwright. “I May Destroy You” is a testament to her many talents, but none more so than her acting ability. Coel plays Arabella with nuance to deliver one of 2020’s best performances and a character not soon forgotten.

Of the many labels that have been given to“I May Destroy You”, “consent drama” is one of the more accurate, but it still fails to do the series justice. There is perhaps no show that has engaged with the current dialogue surrounding consent with more insight than “I May Destroy You”. The encounter at the center of the narrative is unquestionably an assault, but even Arabella is hesitant to call it that, plagued by the same self-doubt all too common amongst survivors. The show also deals with “stealthing”, the non-consensual removal of a condom during sex. In short, it’s exactly the sort of content we need right now, a timely series that hammers home the simplicity of consent by forcing tough conversations about its intricacies.