(may contain spoilers)
Douban rating: 7.0
Director: Ella Jones
Starring: Ella Purnell, Jon Pointing, Nicôle Lecky, Calam Lynch
Douban Comments: “I binge-watched all 6 episodes in one go – definitely worth recommending. It’s not just a mindless action series, though it’s very exciting. At its core, it’s about women realizing their self-worth. The ending is epic with five kills, and there’s likely going to be a sequel.”
“This ending is just so overwhelming – it’s far darker than I expected. The direction is truly unique compared to other bullying-themed stories, with deep insights and a profound message. It feels like the show is conducting a psychological analysis of the protagonist. The most painful thing about being bullied is realizing that the person who hates you the most is actually yourself.
Even after taking revenge and thinking she had healed her wounds and turned her life around, she still couldn’t face her true self. She couldn’t bear to hear others call her a ‘monster’ because, deep down, she believed it to be true. Her trauma was never truly healed. Killing was just a release, a coping mechanism. As the officer said, she’d keep needing it, becoming dependent, even addicted.
The root of the issue is that she doesn’t love herself. Without that self-love, she can never fully stand on her own side or truly feel a sense of control over her life. A few harsh words from others can strip it all away in an instant. From the very beginning, her way of reclaiming power was flawed, and that’s why this story serves as a brilliant cautionary tale and legal reminder.”
“The female lead is completely protected by plot armor, always managing to escape danger no matter what. I really can’t stand how she kills so many others but goes soft on Julia, who bullied her. It looks like an action-packed show, but it’s not as satisfying as it could be!”
“The lead actress did an amazing job – you can really feel the depth of her emotions and empathize with her. Julia’s character is also portrayed with striking realism. When she bullied others as a young woman, it wasn’t for any concrete gain – it was just to make others feel miserable, as if proving to herself that she wasn’t as worthless as she feared. Later, as an adult, she seems to have achieved a picture-perfect life with marriage and success but is trapped in domestic abuse. Yet, she still keeps yearning for love from her abuser, showing how deeply ingrained these cycles of pain and self-worth issues can be.
The storyline avoids mindless twists and instead highlights the complexity of human nature. Julia’s liberation, while seemingly a ‘solution’ to her struggles, actually underscores the contradictions of humanity. Even though Julia is free now, as a self-centered and self-serving person, she’s unlikely to genuinely feel grateful to the protagonist. Instead, she’ll see her as terrifying and monstrous. She will probably never understand, on a fundamental level, why the protagonist became this way. Her disappearance with the credit card hints at further complications – maybe betrayal or another twist.
AJ, too, isn’t purely good. Taking advantage of connections to seize someone else’s opportunity shows another layer of ethical compromise. This series reveals women’s struggles at every level, from interpersonal to systemic, weaving them into the narrative in such a nuanced way.
I’m really looking forward to Season 2. That said, I still hope the protagonist can somehow catch a break and find a shred of luck amid all the chaos.”
