Fleabag series 2, thread 2 No Finale Spoilers [Title edited by MNHQ at OP's request]

[HoraceCope]

here we are

Just binge watched series one and what’s been of two.
I may have totally completely and utterly missed the whole point somewhere along the line so sorry for asking but.. why is she called fleabag? I’ve never heard it mentioned...

ducks for cover

I thought the same about the lesbian line being a reference to 4 weddings

As i was falling asleep last night i was making a mental list of all the ways Fleabag subverts Miranda:

Boo and Fleabag both have a passing physical resemblance and sound similar to Stevie and Miranda respectively.

Both sets of women run a business together.

Stevie and Miranda have a love/hate relationship. Boo and Fleabag had a love/love relationship.

The competing for the attentions of men thing that gets so annoying in Miranda is subverted in Fleabag so that it becomes the 'smoking gun' upon which all the drama hinges.

Miranda's mum and Stevie are the two most important people in her life - they never leave her alone - but they piss her off no end. Fleabag loved both her mum and Boo deeply but they're both dead.

Fleabag is a sex addict. Miranda is sort of sex-phobic although she still thinks about it constantly.

If Fleabag thinks Romantic love will 'save' her she's kept it very quiet so far and focussed on the sex. Whereas Miranda rejects the sex but is obsessed with finding romantic love.

Miranda has friends made out of fruit. Fleabag has friends in her head.

Both Miranda's shop and Fleabag's cafe serve as the site for many a 'meet cute'. Except for Fleabag it's not so cute and it's usually people she doesn't want to see and already knows.

why is she called fleabag? I’ve never heard it mentioned

Don't worry, it's because it's not been mentioned.

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0003w3d/breakfast-05042019

Not sure how long BBC breakfast stays on player, but here is Sian Clifford talking about Fleabag from 2.46.

"why is she called fleabag? I’ve never heard it mentioned"

I think it relates to the title of her one woman show, and I also read that 'Flea' was a nickname for 'Phoebe'.

However, nobody ever calls her Fleabag and I think most of the characters have titles rather than names (e.g. Godmother, Bank Manager). Not sure how much this is intentional (they represent archetypes), and how much she just couldn't be arsed to think up names.

There doesn't seem to be a pattern. Claire and Boo have names, but so do Harry and Martin.

Apart from Fleabag being PWB's childhood nickname, the implication is that she's called "Fleabag" along the lines of "a fleabag hotel", ie she and specifically her body are dirty and disreputable.

Enjoyed that interview thanks merrymouse!

Sian Clifford says the cast are enjoying reading the theories online, I wonder if they're here?

Sorry to be pedantic but 'Hot Priest', 'Fleabag', 'Rodent Man' and so on aren't archetypes (as in The Joker, The Mentor, The Lovable Rogue) they are more just nicknames.

I'm loving the series so so much. The writing and acting is phenomenal. PWB (who I've met!!!) is an incredible talent.

Really enjoying reading this thread too.

If any of the Fleabag cast are on here, can i say how much i have enjoyed both series and hope there is a third on its way soon.

Sian C has confirmed no more....

www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-47825572

ASmallMovie you met PWB? Is she one of those people who is overwhelming in brilliance?

thats a shame, but sometimes people do this as another one might be a series too far maybe? Or she will come back with something else. i imagine she is in demand now ( this and killing eve are both fab)

Rosa - she was down to earth and lovely

I think Pam from the church will feature in the last episode. She seemed protective of HP.

I hope the Banker shows up again , dad tells future step mum where to go and Claire ends up with Klare.
Not sure about the priest - would he have to give up being a priest?

PWB said in an interview there isn' t going to be a series 3. But she did concede she said there wasn't going to be a series 2 - until she thought of the idea for it.

So, it's not impossible that she might think of a brilliant idea that she wants Fleabag to tell, one day. But given she has no plans to force a series 3 out, it sounds like the ending has a resolution, if it does ever happen, I can't see it being any time in the next 5 or maybe even 10 years!

But as Fleabag is such an important character for PWB - because of the show as well as the series - and also considering she doesn't have to worry about the diary of the star role - she is the star! - I'm hopeful maybe one day Fleabag may come back and entertain us with how brilliantly transgressive she still is in her 40s or 50s.

Predictions -

The priest will be a huge part of the story.
He'll give up the Catholic church as he'll realise he was using it to hide from his past (maybe he'll turn to the Quakers?).

The wedding will be a glorious farce.

The god mother will be pushed to the point of showing her true colours, she'll go too far in her hatred of Fleabag

The dad will find his voice and finish a sentence by telling the God mother to bog off

Clare will leave the wedding to get on the plane with Klare. Her husband will beg and wheedle but she'll be straight about how they don't get on and she's not happy. Jake will have something to do with this happening.

There will be a surprise guest, no idea who.

FB and HP will achieve some kind of resolution but I have no idea what!!

Still don't know how she's going to wrap it all up in 23 minutes!!

ASmallMovie I agree archetype is the wrong word (what is an archetypal 'Bus Rodent'?), but while 'Boo' is a nickname, 'Bank Manager' is a job title. I can see why a writer would give characters shorthand names when they are developing a script, but if you never give a major character a proper name and only use a descriptive nickname, that seems to be a deliberate decision that affects perceptions of the character and their relationships.

I wonder if we will learn Fleabag's name in the last episode?

My prediction is that Kristin Scott Thomas will appear in the final episode, because they made quite a big thing about her giving FB her card.

Ooh yes, good point merrymouse!

You can find the cast list online at IMDB for the final episode if you're desperate to know who'll be at the wedding of the year (and who won't be).

I am loving fb and this thread too!

It is brilliant, clever and funny. I have a crush on fwb now so I am also watching Crashing now. She is good in that and there are some laugh out loud moments too

Merrymouse - yes you're absolutely right - it's certainly a curious, and I'm sure deliberate, decision re the names.

I love the level of analysis on this thread!

I think the Bus Rodent is an archetype of the person you sleep with to try and make yourself feel better - but it just ends up making you both feel shit because you're in different leagues and there's a real asymmetry.