Fleabag's perfect 10-minute sequence

  • 4 years ago
Usually, the main character of the show in "Fleabag" is able to speak to or look directly at the camera without other characters noticing. However, once Fleabag (played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge) gets close to the Hot Priest (Andrew Scott), all the normal rules of the show fall apart in a 10-minute sequence, revealing that these devices are even more powerful when they’re taken away. There are three main devices that make this sequence different from the eight and half episodes that lead up to it: breaking the fourth wall, the editing, and the music. The Priest is able to see Fleabag breaking the fourth wall, which forces Fleabag to change her connection to the audience. Fleabag's new connection to the Priest also affects how the show is edited. While "Fleabag" is normally edited in a jarring fashion, as Fleabag deepens her connection to the Priest, the pace of the editing is slowed down and the editor uses traditional shot coverage. Additionally, the title card theme music that plays during this sequence is different from that of all of the preceding episodes — a romantic-sounding song instead of the Greek chorus. During this perfect sequence in Amazon Studio’s "Fleabag," the filmmaking language reflects why her relationship with the audience has to end.

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