Five ways Fleabag changed TV

One of the most striking elements of Fleabag was the fact she constantly broke the fourth wall, talking in asides to the audience and, alongside witty one-liners, expressing her dark innermost fears and desires. Since then, a number of shows have broken the fourth wall in a way that has evoked Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s creation – most recently Netflix university dramedy Vladimir, with Rachel Weisz. But this use of the device hasn’t always been a hit: the 2022 Netflix adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, was heavily derided for having its 18th Century heroine, played by Dakota Johnson, talk to the audience in what was seen as a Fleabag-esque “gimmick”. Indeed, O’Loughlin says that when pitching ideas to TV development execs now: “I’m always told, ‘Avoid the flashback and breaking the fourth wall as much as you possibly can'”.