HBO's 'I May Destroy You' hits close to home for sexual assault survivors
Created, written, co-directed, and executive produced by Michaela Coel, HBO's new British comedy-drama series, I May Destroy You is getting a lot of buzz on social media after airing its second episode, "Someone is Lying," Sunday night. Inspired by her own true story, Coel stars as the main character, Arabella, who struggles to remember what happened to her after a night of drinking, which led to blacking out entirely. After waking up with a smashed phone and a gash on her head, Arabella begins to have short flashbacks from the night before – thumping sounds as a man hovers over her and a blurry ATM withdrawal – before realizing that she was drugged and sexually assaulted. Following Sunday's episode, viewers took to social media to praise how brilliant the show is due to its very realistic portrayal of drug-induced sexual assault and its emotional and traumatic aftermath. While I May Destroy You is not the first television show to tackle sexual assault, Coel's action of penning a series with a very realistic depiction of how sexual assault survivors process their encounter is not only inspiring viewers who are survivors themselves, but it's also opening a larger conversation. Only two episodes of I May Destroy You have aired, but the show is already shaping up to be one of the must-watch shows of the summer.
Video Transcript
- Because now you know you're calling it something I never have said.
- Do you see anyone else?
- Where?
- In his memory.
- You can't call it a memory.
KYLIE MAR: Written by and starring Michaela Coel, HBO'S new British comedy drama series "I May Destroy You" is getting a lot of buzz on social media after airing its second episode Sunday night.
- I [? didn't ?] [? draw ?] him.
- You can see his eyes.
- Yeah.
- Who's he looking at?
[ARABELLA CRYING]
KYLIE MAR: Inspired by her own true story, Coel's character Arabella struggles to remember what happened to her after a night of drinking, which led to blacking out entirely. And following Sunday's episode, viewers took to social media to praise how brilliant the show is due to its very realistic portrayal of drug induced sexual assault and its emotional and traumatic aftermath.
One person tweeted, "I May Destroy You" is going to be the show that unapologetically rips the lid off how we treat sexual assault. Those affected, guilty and complicit, our gender biases, definitions of consent, and self-preservation won't save us, and just maybe we deserve what's coming."
While another viewer pointed out, "I May Destroy You" is written really well, but it's hard to watch. Not just because it's about sexual assault, but also how realistic it is. Watching Arabella have flashbacks, disassociate, go into denial, and her realization that she was drugged and raped is heavy."
"I May Destroy You" airs Sunday nights on HBO and is definitely worth the watch.
- Mad, in'it? How everything's beautiful and nothing hurts.
