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A nod to the reality of fiction.
(Another title possibility wasThis Story is Not Based on True Events.)
After all this time, all this waiting, what does she do?
The first scene is pure revenge fantasy: three women doling out justice like vigilante crime fighters.
The second is another twist: David has a breakdown in the bathroom stall.
He becomes more metaphorical, a manifestation of her trauma rather than a real person.
In the final beat, Arabella decides not to return to the bar.
She chooses, instead, to spend time with her friend and housemate Ben.
(I had only watched six episodes at that point.)
I, Michaela, have had to let it go, she said.
I could let go of the trauma and I would still be here.
Okay, so lets talk about the ending!
Sally, how about this?
Heres a way where no one has to die but theres still justice.
And I would see her reaction.
I realized what I thought was much more interesting was exploring every single one of these scenarios.
I mean, I had so many versions.
In my original version, Arabella and David sat on a park bench about to communicate.
So then she calls the police up and says, Hes on the way!
Ive got him in an Uber!
Then I was imagining the police officer receiving this call, thinking,Arabellas crazy!
Im going to have sex with David!
It still seems crazy, doesnt it?
David?David is the rapist of Arabella, and she makes love to him.
But his name is sometimes Patrick?Yes, its sometimes Patrick [laughs].
Yes, his name is David, so lets go with David.
This caused contention in the drafting and the postproduction process.
I was like, Guys, what do we do with the name?
And I was like, Wait, oh my God.
She just lets it go.
And it felt like … that was the moment I also let go.
I began to cry.
Im getting emotional talking about it, because it was like, Oh my God.
Shes done it all.
Youre in the present.
That would have been so cool.
And then that didnt happen.
So the scenarios werent from my reality.
And I dont know what that does to the well-being of the watcher, the person experiencing it.
I dont know if it serves us.
Do I leave you terrified?
Do I leave you outraged?
Do I leave you a mess?
Or do I leave you feeling this thing that, for some reason, isnt bad?
You didnt have a bad feeling when you finished it, didnt you?
No.Even though bad things happen.
Its interesting because the first scenario is a revenge fantasy were familiar with.
Even the outfit, the wig, it really feeds into the fantasy.Yeah.
She slowly works her way toward being that kind of person, doesnt she?
It probably begins around episode seven, when she locks Kwame in the room.
There are these offshoots and possibilities of the kind of person Arabella may become.
She has no regard or real empathy for him.
Shes self-centered; she is the only victim in the world.
Then she talks about Bob in episode eight.
She talks about violation, crossing the line.
And what does she do?
She breaks into Biagios house, unannounced, to make her way into his life.
And then she has to decide what kind of person she wants to be.
What are you doing?
And then the second scenario …What is that again?
What is the second scenario?
David has a breakdown.Yes, yes.
What was the goal there?Its interesting, isnt it?
Children are dying and everyone has a smartphone.
There will always be this version where Well, you dont know how it feels for David.
This is actually how this scenario came about.
And a guy walked by with a beanbag in his hand and said, Youre dancing on the street?
And I said, Oh, yes.
He said, Londons crazy.
It turned out he had just gotten out of prison.
And I was like, Oh, wow!
He said, Yeah, they moved me to this area.
Ive never lived here.
I was like, Well, I live here!
Heres my number if you want to hang out!
You want to come over and say hi?
So he came over, and my friends were actually reading my scripts.
He said a lot of the things that David said.
He said, People dont normally let me into their homes.
This is all a bit weird for me.
This is like God for me.
Because my friends are quite worried.
I could tell youre really, really worried.
And he said, Oh my God, Im so sorry.
Ive been shot three times!
And he was showing me his wounds, and I was like, Oh my God!
And he was like, Youre crazy!
I go, Youre crazy too!
And he goes, Youre a bit androgynous!
And I was like, Am I?
And he goes, Yeah, you are a bit androgynous!
He just kept saying that.
And then he left.
And then he came the next day and left me a T-shirt and some apples.
I never saw him again!
I think that did something [laughs].
Its a mental trauma in her head, and shes almost devouring it to master it.
She devours it because its a part of her.
I just really wanted that [laughs].
And Lewis [Reeves], who plays David, was really excited about that.
He was like, Yeah, okay!
Why did I want to do that?
I dont think its about flipping the gender roles.
Did you see the thing on the toilet?
This is all in the mind, of course.
Im not saying Do this in your own life.
And thats what she does so that she can understand it and temper it.
Find the link to what?David is a nightmare for Arabella.
The more we avoid it, the more we go Ugh, the more grotesque it becomes.
I wonder if its something to do with empathy in there because it empowers her.
It empowers Arabella todareto empathize with David.
Its empowering, and it gives her power.
This area feels very delicate.
For me, this is the thing that needs a trigger warning, empathy, because its uncomfortable.
I think its a really uncomfortable arena.
I spent a lot of my life asking, pleading, hoping for empathy.
Im saying Empathize with me.
Im saying How would you like it if you felt like this and put your feet in my shoes?
I think this is radical empathy, isnt it?
Arabella buys David a drink.
Shes helping, and it makes her feel better.
Im not saying Go and buy a local rapist a beer.
Its metaphorical [laughs].
Radical empathy feels sadly taboo, which is odd, isnt it?
I think youre right that this needs a trigger warning.Yes!
I dont know what its going to take to get us to a healthier place mentally.
But I think what youre saying too is …Ive changed my mind.
I do want it to resonate with everybody!
Its about sleeping better at night.
What else can I really say?
And when you have a good nights sleep, youre also more effective as a human being.
It doesnt matter that Nilufer thinks that he is basically a rapist; he has to let it go.
He has to let it go.
But I, Michaela, have had to let it go.
Ive had to let it go.
I could let go of the trauma, and I would still be here.
And so its like jumping off a cliff.
But you know what that was also like for me?
It was like deleting my Instagram.Thatslike jumping off a cliff and then still here.
Here I am [laughs].
I know its a huge thing.
Maybe its not about letting it go; its just allowing your trauma to sit there.
Its scary to let go of.
Its very hard to convince anybody to jump off a cliff, isnt it?
