I have always been impressed with the superb quality of British television. No, I am not a Whovian or part of the Sherlock Fandom. But nothing from British television has blew me away as much as My Mad Fat Diary has. That show hit me like the school bus hit Regina George; it hit me really damn hard.
My Mad Fat Diary is not new. It's based on an autobiography of the same title by Rae Earl. The first season premiered in January 2013, and its second season followed in February 2014. Its third and final season concluded just earlier this year in July. So in terms of that, I am quite behind. But so is everyone outside of Great Britain; I hadn’t even heard of the show until I found several gifs on Tumblr randomly.
The basic premise of the show is 16-year-old protagonist Rae Earl’s struggle to be ‘normal’ once again after being in a psychiatric ward for four months. Rae struggles with anxiety and depression, which is mostly related to her weight. Meanwhile, her friend Chloe from outside the ward believes she was in France, and wishes to bring Rae into her friend group. The show takes place in late '90s in England. The various incidents that occur and the unique relationships between the characters are the main focuses of the show.
What makes this show such a pleasure to watch is how accurately it portrays anxiety. The scenes where Rae has anxiety attacks are the most poignant – they zoom out of her conscious, and a whole other universe exists, with Rae’s thoughts racing. That’s how anxiety feels. When I see Rae having an anxiety attack, I see myself. And Rae’s body image issues are usually at the center of these attacks, which is something that I have struggled with as well.
Most of us know that body image issues and mental health are intersectional. However, we are only comfortable talking about this intersection when the focus is on a thin white girl who works in a world where looks are crucial for success – ballet, modeling, gymnastics, ice skating; everyone knows this tale. Yes, Rae is white, but she defies the body norms of the media-defined image of someone with mental illness and body image struggles by only being overweight, but also not being in an environment stereotyped for frequently perpetuating eating disorders. The truth is mental illness and body image issues do not discriminate. Anyone, despite the color of their skin, number on the scale, or gender, can have mental illness and body image issues. That is why this show is so important to not only see, but to discuss among our friends, family, and peers.
So, if you haven’t seen me all weekend, it’s because I’ve been binge-watching the show. Hopefully now you can join me.
