Same Story, Different Font Colour

Very recently, I decided to finally watch the critically acclaimed series, Fleabag.

For many years I’d constantly see clips circulating, edits, Tik Tok audios, the same widely

adored scene of Fleabag walking with her mascara all smudged, reviews, discussions about

the plot, and after finishing the show, I can confidently say it lived up to my very high

expectations.

Phoebe Waller Bridge deserves her flowers for writing and starring in the show, and I’m sure

she’s absolutely received them, but what confused me was how a strikingly similar show, did

not see to garner the same level reception, Michalea Cole’s Chewing Gum.

I don’t want to pit the two shows against one another. They are equally amazing in their own

right, and arguably revolutionary for their time, both female led comedies. Unafraid to push

any sorts of boundaries with awkward and unstable, yet witty main characters. And bizarre plots, at times an uncomfortable, yet realistic. With the exploration of sex and of course the ever iconic fourth wall break.

If you like one, I’m positive you’ll like the other. It’s undeniable that they both deserve

endless amounts of praise, however it is baffling that Phoebe Waller Bridge is seen as a

pioneer in the genre, when Michalea Cole technically did it first. Chewing Gum was

released in 2015, Fleabag, a year after, both adapted from one woman plays, starring their

creators and debuting in 2013.

Of course neither were the true originators of the concept, they aren’t the first and they won’t

be the last. 

High Fidelity, an American series, had the same fourth wall-breaking, morally questionable female protagonist years later in 2020.

For all their similarities the two shows are also undoubtedly different. Chewing Gum takes

place on an East London council estate, whereas Fleabag takes place in a much wealthier,

middle class area within London. Community is a central theme to Chewing Gum, and grief

is central to Fleabag. 

Perhaps the most noticeable difference however, is the skin colour of the main characters. Fleabag is portrayed by a white woman whilst the protagonist of Chewing Gum, Tracey, is black.

Now, whilst the bias may very well be an unconscious one, it’s not out of the question to say

that race factors into the reason why only one of the shows reached stardom. It is the same words in a different font colour. Same story, different skin tone. It is not a crime to find Fleabag enjoyable, but there should be discourse around why Phoebe Waller Bridge is hailed as a creative genius, whilst the average person isn’t aware of Michalea Cole’s pure talent.

Perhaps it is because it is more palatable for a quirky character, constantly making bad

decisions to be a white woman, because there is no need to shift the public perception of white women. They are often not chained by the shackles of expectations and stereotypes, and so it becomes easier to relate to such a character. But that does not make it fair.

As a black female writer, and a fan of both shows, it saddens me that they are not equally

recognised. It reminds me of the reality that, if you are a person of colour, you will have to work ten times harder than your caucasian counterparts to be seen. That has to change. In the some ten years that have passed since the debut of the shows’ first seasons, a startling lack of representation is still prominent. We are getting better of course, with a rise in media that centres diverse casts, writers rooms that give space for creatives from all walks of life, directors of colour, and overall inclusivity that was once hard to come by, however, we still have so far to go.

The industry needs to accommodate the success of all of its creatives, rather than consistently cherry picking what is most desirable. I am hopeful that this change will one day be executed to its full extent, but until then, I urge you to seek out media and content that offers you perspectives that are less represented.

Ultimately, you should enjoy what you enjoy, because that is what truly matters, but it can be

rewarding to occasionally widen your perspective. Who knows, in ‘changing the font colour’,

you may uncover a hidden gem.

Written by, La'Keesha Stewart