Review: A series of uneasy but vital conversations

In a world that works predominantly on narratives and “facts”, how do you genuinely reach out to people who are victims of assault or rape?

That’s the biggest question posed by I May Destroy You. Right from its beginning, the show takes you on a rollercoaster ride with Arabella, the protagonist, who is running short of time to finish her book, goes out to party at night and has a blackout.

Slowly, she realises that she was assaulted sexually sometime during the party. The impact this incident causes in her makes her question every relationship she has been through, every romantic unsettling encounter she has had and even her own friends.

With new people coming into her life with their versions and narratives, she realises that she has made mistakes in the past too. What forms the rest of the story opens a pandora’s box of questions and narratives. It’s a very unsettling show to watch but one that has questions everyone should ask themselves every once a while; be it about friendships, love, or even a rendezvous. The finale was exceptional and something that wasn’t expected of the show, which makes it so thrilling and surreal but also pensive.

The show was created by Michaela Coel, who also plays the protagonist. The show seeks to unmask the shallowness of social media activism, cancel culture and even colour politics. It shows the identity crisis that follows after you have been empowered by the crowd and cheered on for coming out and naming your assaulter. It’s really great to watch people have real, captivating yet confusing conversations.

The performance by Michaela Coel as Arabella is convincing and Paapa Essiedu is even more convincing as Kwame, a gay guy trying to find love in a sex-crazed city. There are several arcs that are explored and unexplored in this show, but altogether it comes out as a powerful mirror showing the way the world works. The real discussions about this show are yet to happen, but I am not sure if Indians are ready to have them just yet.