Content & Trigger Warnings for Fleabag (2016)
16 content warnings identified across 2 seasons for this show.
Quick Summary
Yes, Fleabag (2016) contains 16 content warnings : Religious persecution, Stalking / harassment, Death of a parent, Grief / bereavement (major focus), Miscarriage / pregnancy loss / stillbirth, Suicide (discussed or ideation), Terminal illness, Gaslighting / emotional manipulation, Infidelity, Blood / medical gore, Needles / medical procedures, Explicit sexual content / nudity, Sexual coercion / non-consensual situations, Alcohol abuse (depicted), Self-harm / suicide (depicted), Sexual assault / rape.
The most severe warnings are for Death of a parent (severity 5/5), Grief / bereavement (major focus) (severity 4/5), Terminal illness (severity 4/5), Infidelity (severity 4/5), Explicit sexual content / nudity (severity 4/5).
Check the full breakdown below before you watch.
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Does It Get Worse?
14 series-wide warnings apply across all seasons.
| Warning | Season | Severity | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identity & Discrimination | ||||
| Religious persecution | S2 | 2/5 | Referenced | Internal conflict about Catholic faith and forbidden desire explored |
| Stalking / harassment | All | 2/5 | Depicted | A character exhibits obsessive and stalker-like behavior toward the protagonist. |
| Mental Health & Emotional | ||||
| Death of a parent | S1 | 3/5 | Referenced | The death of the protagonist's mother is a recurring source of pain |
| Death of a parent | S2 | 3/5 | Depicted | Motherless family dynamics and the father's new relationship cause friction |
| Death of a parent | All | 5/5 | Depicted | The death of the protagonist's mother is the central emotional core and is depicted on screen. |
| Grief / bereavement (major focus) | S1 | 4/5 | Depicted | The protagonist is consumed by guilt and grief over her best friend's death |
| Grief / bereavement (major focus) | S2 | 4/5 | Depicted | Grief continues to be the emotional core as past losses resurface |
| Grief / bereavement (major focus) | All | 4/5 | Depicted | The protagonist is deeply processing grief over her mother's death, which permeates the entire series. |
| Miscarriage / pregnancy loss / stillbirth | S1 | 2/5 | Referenced | Themes of loss are woven through the guinea pig cafe storyline as metaphor |
| Miscarriage / pregnancy loss / stillbirth | All | 3/5 | Depicted | A miscarriage is depicted and has significant emotional impact on the characters involved. |
| Suicide (discussed or ideation) | All | 3/5 | Depicted | The protagonist makes references to not wanting to continue and engages in self-destructive behavior. |
| Terminal illness | All | 4/5 | Depicted | A parent's terminal illness and decline is depicted with emotional weight in the second season. |
| Other | ||||
| Gaslighting / emotional manipulation | S1 | 2/5 | Depicted | Dysfunctional family dynamics include emotional manipulation |
| Gaslighting / emotional manipulation | S2 | 2/5 | Depicted | Family members emotionally manipulate each other in passive-aggressive ways |
| Gaslighting / emotional manipulation | All | 3/5 | Depicted | Emotionally manipulative relationships are depicted, particularly the protagonist's family dynamics. |
| Infidelity | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | Extramarital affairs and sexual betrayals feature in multiple storylines |
| Infidelity | S2 | 3/5 | Depicted | The central relationship involves a priest breaking his vows |
| Infidelity | All | 4/5 | Depicted | Multiple affairs and cheating are central plot elements involving several characters. |
| Phobias & Sensory | ||||
| Blood / medical gore | All | 2/5 | Depicted | Some scenes involve blood, particularly related to injury and a miscarriage scene. |
| Needles / medical procedures | All | 2/5 | Depicted | Hospital and medical scenes appear in connection with illness and the miscarriage storyline. |
| Sexual Content | ||||
| Explicit sexual content / nudity | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | Multiple sexual encounters depicted with partial nudity and frank dialogue |
| Explicit sexual content / nudity | S2 | 2/5 | Depicted | Sexual content present but less frequent than season one |
| Explicit sexual content / nudity | All | 4/5 | Depicted | Explicit sex scenes with nudity are shown throughout both seasons as part of character relationships. |
| Sexual coercion / non-consensual situations | S1 | 2/5 | Depicted | Some sexual encounters involve unhealthy power dynamics |
| Sexual coercion / non-consensual situations | All | 2/5 | Depicted | Some sexual encounters involve power dynamics and implicit pressure rather than enthusiastic consent. |
| Substance Use | ||||
| Alcohol abuse (depicted) | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | Heavy drinking used as a coping mechanism throughout the season |
| Alcohol abuse (depicted) | S2 | 3/5 | Depicted | Characters drink heavily in social and solitary settings |
| Alcohol abuse (depicted) | All | 3/5 | Depicted | The protagonist drinks heavily as a coping mechanism for her emotional pain. |
| Violence & Physical Harm | ||||
| Self-harm / suicide (depicted) | S1 | 3/5 | Depicted | Self-destructive behavior patterns including reckless sexual encounters and emotional sabotage |
| Self-harm / suicide (depicted) | S2 | 2/5 | Depicted | Protagonist continues patterns of emotional self-destruction |
| Sexual assault / rape | S1 | 2/5 | Referenced | References to a past traumatic sexual experience are subtly woven in |
| Sexual assault / rape | All | 2/5 | Referenced | References to unwanted sexual experiences and boundary violations in past relationships. |
Identity & Discrimination
Internal conflict about Catholic faith and forbidden desire explored
A character exhibits obsessive and stalker-like behavior toward the protagonist.
Mental Health & Emotional
The death of the protagonist's mother is a recurring source of pain
Motherless family dynamics and the father's new relationship cause friction
The death of the protagonist's mother is the central emotional core and is depicted on screen.
The protagonist is consumed by guilt and grief over her best friend's death
Grief continues to be the emotional core as past losses resurface
The protagonist is deeply processing grief over her mother's death, which permeates the entire series.
Themes of loss are woven through the guinea pig cafe storyline as metaphor
A miscarriage is depicted and has significant emotional impact on the characters involved.
The protagonist makes references to not wanting to continue and engages in self-destructive behavior.
A parent's terminal illness and decline is depicted with emotional weight in the second season.
Other
Dysfunctional family dynamics include emotional manipulation
Family members emotionally manipulate each other in passive-aggressive ways
Emotionally manipulative relationships are depicted, particularly the protagonist's family dynamics.
Extramarital affairs and sexual betrayals feature in multiple storylines
Multiple affairs and cheating are central plot elements involving several characters.
Phobias & Sensory
Some scenes involve blood, particularly related to injury and a miscarriage scene.
Hospital and medical scenes appear in connection with illness and the miscarriage storyline.
Sexual Content
Multiple sexual encounters depicted with partial nudity and frank dialogue
Sexual content present but less frequent than season one
Explicit sex scenes with nudity are shown throughout both seasons as part of character relationships.
Some sexual encounters involve unhealthy power dynamics
Some sexual encounters involve power dynamics and implicit pressure rather than enthusiastic consent.
Substance Use
Heavy drinking used as a coping mechanism throughout the season
Characters drink heavily in social and solitary settings
The protagonist drinks heavily as a coping mechanism for her emotional pain.
Violence & Physical Harm
Self-destructive behavior patterns including reckless sexual encounters and emotional sabotage
Protagonist continues patterns of emotional self-destruction
References to a past traumatic sexual experience are subtly woven in
References to unwanted sexual experiences and boundary violations in past relationships.
