It's been five years since Michaela Coel landed on our radar with her offbeat comedy Chewing Gum. Since then, Coel has popped up on TV (Black Mirror, Black Earth Rising), a movie musical (Been So Long), and, briefly, in a major movie franchise (Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi). Coel returns back to television in a major way with the confrontational, crackling, and very timely HBO drama I May Destroy You.
I May Destroy You marks Coel's second TV outing where she is wearing numerous hats. This time around, those hats are: Creator, executive producer, writer, and series star. I May Destroy You, which tells the story of a Millennial author, Arabella (Coel), whose life is irrevocably changed after a night out with a close friend and some mutuals ends with her stumbling home, blacking out, and forced to confront flashbacks of the night the next day. Over the course of the 12 episodes which make up I May Destroy You's first season, we watch as Arabella is utterly transformed by the trauma she's endured, attempting to heal in therapy and support groups, seeking comfort from lifelong friends Terry (Weruche Opia) and Kwame (Paapa Essiedu), beginning a police investigation into her rape, and speaking out about what happened to her and the culture which allows for rape and sexual assault to be perpetuated.
What I May Destroy You nails extremely well is the messiness of recovering from rape and sexual assault. As a survivor watching this series, I immediately understood and felt aligned with the chaotic journey Arabella is thrust into, as she attempts to re-ground herself in the wake of her attack. Whether it's moving from anger to tears to jokes within the span of a few minutes — be it in conversation or in the privacy of your bedroom — or processing what happened on social media or doing literally anything to distract yourself from memories bubbling up as you try to go about your day, Coel unflinchingly captures the survivor's life in an honest and understandable manner. Some of the aspects of that life she explores: Going to therapy, investing time in a new hobby, spending time with loved ones, going to support groups, or, in an extremely timely and uniquely Millennial move, finding ways to monetize your trauma in an effort to keep your head above water and raise awareness as you try to get back to work after losing so much time to your pain.
I May Destroy You may be focused mostly on Arabella's narrative, but it is also very much a story about Terry, Kwame, and other supporting characters in Arabella's circle. Things get interesting when the show expands its focus to follow these characters, both to its benefit and its detriment. We get a look into the everyday lives of Terry and Kwame as well as their romantic endeavors, both to very different and enlightening results. The performances from Opia and Essiedu are stellar as they breathe life into their respective characters, helping to express the pain, power, and pleasure experienced as they move between various (and sometimes tenuous) sexual encounters, hangout sessions, and existing while Black in a post-Brexit London.
By Arabella's side, Terry and Kwame help form a warm and engaging central trio of characters. You love them instantly, want to support them unconditionally, and are easily drawn into their world. I May Destroy You sings when we get to listen in on the rapid-fire, familiar back-and-forth banter between Arabella and her BFFs. There is so much history and pathos baked into these scripts and it's so easily transmitted that it dawns on you early on the voice of I May Destroy You is a singular and enjoyably unique one.
Despite the strengths of I May Destroy You in both the performances and depiction of some extremely timely subject matter, it can be a bit of a disjointed, frenetic affair. One jarring aspect is the structure of the season, which begins with a main focus on Arabella, before switching to a flashback episode, before thrusting us forward in time several months in the next episode. There are also some stylistic elements, like showing text messages in graphics bubbles, and chaotic cuts from one character to another which do, to the show's credit, help express emotional elements of the story. It's clear I May Destroy You deploys flashier stylings in an effort to say what is on the show's mind about modern dating, race, the current culture around sexual assault, and even the push-pull of the Millennial hustle mentality and slackerdom. But, too often these elements leave you feeling a few paces behind and racing to catch up.
Overall, I May Destroy You is very much a must-watch show you need to keep on your radar. This show is fearless in its attitude towards the modern world in which it exists, with Coel's creative voice bursting through to make some necessary commentary. It's good to have Coel back and it's certainly good to have I May Destroy You to look forward to.
Grade: B+
I May Destroy You debuts on HBO on Sunday, June 7, at 10:30/9:30c.