I May Destroy You

[TW: Sexual assault. Reader discretion is advised.]

Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You is a masterful mix of playfulness and a heartbreakingly raw exploration of pain and trauma. Based on her own experience of sexual assault, Coel entwines several forms of sexual assault into her plot – to the point where not a single sexual act that the audience see can be defined as fully consensual. These scenes are highly uncomfortable for the viewer, and this discomfort is largely left unresolved as little closure is offered to the circumstances that unfold other than a gradual emotional distancing as time passes and life continues – a poignant and often distressing detail that furthers the realistic nature of the show.

A defining feature of I May Destroy You is that it largely does not provide definitive answers to the questions it raises – on sexism, assault, racism, classism, mental health, and trauma – but instead deliberately provokes an emotional reaction in the audience, and then leaves them to dwell on what they have seen and come to their own conclusions. Coel artfully weaves in both overt prejudice and violence, and more subtle micro-aggressions and inequality, to a plot that is unwaveringly engaging and gripping throughout. This, combined with the imperfect and multi-layered nature of all of the characters, is a credit to Coel’s powerful writing and storytelling ability. I May Destroy You, particularly the final episode, will stay with you long after you finish watching.

This is a fantastic TV series, and arguably the best of the year. I would recommend I May Destroy You to all adult viewers with an interest in TV dramas that explore social issues.

Rating: 5/5