Normal People [BBC - RTE] - [SPOILERS]

IamtheWalrus · 03-05-2020 4:51pm

Enjoyed this very much. Connell was the star; that therapy scene was amazing acting. I left quite empty when it was over, that scene, of wondering what happens next.

JP Liz V1 · 03-05-2020 6:33pm

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Maybe I'm too old or something, but I don't really get this. Your man looks about 35 though in fairness.

Is Sarah Greene playing his mam?

wakka12 · 03-05-2020 7:06pm

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Is Sarah Greene playing his mam?

Yep. Though they look more like brother and sister in age difference

She's fantastic as the mother though, a fairly minor but important role. Love that scene where she tells him off in the car for how he was treating Marianne.

Sebastian Dangerfield · 03-05-2020 7:17pm

wakka12 wrote: »

Yep. Though they look more like brother and sister in age difference

She's fantastic as the mother though, a fairly minor but important role. Love that scene where she tells him off in the car for how he was treating Marianne.

Shes 35 in the story, so playing her real age. Hes 18-22ish in it and really 24, so not too big a stretch.

Wombatman · 03-05-2020 7:43pm

The ending...

Didn't read the book so only commenting on the TV series.

The more I think about the ending the more I love it.

Half way though the series I was hoping they would get over their difficulties, maybe get married and live happily ever after. When this didn't happen in the end, my first instinct was like drat, pity about that.

But isn't it really a personal triumph for both. To be confident and sure of their love for each other. To accept they want to go in different directions. To believe that they will see each other again, if that's what they both want, not out of obligation, or a shared history, but because it is a necessity for both. To face into an uncertain future happy in themselves, a happiness created by their coming together.

Brave and beautiful.

Purple Mountain · 03-05-2020 8:22pm

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Enjoyed this very much. Connell was the star; that therapy scene was amazing acting. I left quite empty when it was over, that scene, of wondering what happens next.

I absolutely cried my eyes watching that.
Outstanding scene by both in it and absolutely bang on accurate.

Tork · 03-05-2020 8:46pm

I thought the ending was really good too. It was enough to give us hope that this pair will end up getting back together again. And if it doesn't happen, that's something they can sort out in the future too. Marianne was wise beyond her years here. First by telling Connell to park his decision not to go to New York, then by encouraging him to go later on when he starts to question his initial doubts. Is it the right decision? Nobody knows but he might find himself looking back at that moment and wondering "What if?" if he didn't take a chance. If New York doesn't work out, he can always come back. I can see him and Marianne having more of those "Fall asleep on Skype" video calls.

Unlike Connell, Marianne no longer has a home to go back to. Even if her mother reaches out to her at some point, that relationship is gone. She is going to need to build for herself a circle of friends who can be her family instead. She has already done the year abroad and see how that turned out. She is now in a happier place and maybe it's a case of "If it isn't broken, why fix it?". Connell is the one who ended up with a therapist but it could just as easily have been her.

She also may be wondering herself if she and Connell can last the distance. They made heavy work of it up to that point. Long term, the connection they have might not be enough. That is a question that remains to be answered. She was right to have both of them carve out their own lives and not throw everything away on a relationship that might not work out.

gp1990 · 04-05-2020 9:54am

The last episode is just classic television

After all their ups and downs and the on/off element of their relationship throughout school and college, they finally reach a stage where he can bring her over to his family for Christmas and they can go down and visit the local pub on New Year's eve as a proper couple, without worrying about any judgment and anxiety free

I really loved the pub scene - the popular group from school all meeting up together again and they now all welcome her as one of their own.

monsoonMike1 · 04-05-2020 10:00am

About 2/3rds of the way through (show, not book) and have enjoyed it.

A few misgivings:

- Connell doesn't seem to fit in really well with his mates, being quiet and not so obnoxious. Then the slagging he gets when they "suspect" he's with Marianne seems a bit mild. His worry over loss of "social standing" doesn't really come through in a major way (he's very quiet/insular). Initially, when he tells Marianne they should keep things under wraps because it might "cause problems", I thought he was more concerned about her mam getting angry about the relationship, and sacking his mam (who eventually echoes the viewers' frustrations at her son in an brilliant way).

- With the exception of one incident, the bullying Marianne endures seems light. Perhaps there's no reason to draw it out, but maybe we should have been introduced to the characters a little earlier on.

- I'm no prudish Joe Duffy caller (though his show reminded me to watch Normal People earlier than I might have otherwise -- right before my VPN sub would've had to be renewed too), but it seems like if these two could convert just 20% of their sex time into verbal communication, they'd be all right. Seems like the making out and sex always starts up just as a conversation about uncomfortable subjects trails off. It's literally the only way they communicate their emotions, and a lot gets lost.

- Connell, jesus... how many times does Marianne have to use some form of that 'I'd let you do anything to me' line before you point out how f**ked up it is and ask her what's behind it? If she doesn't talk, it's up to you to open up a bit about yourself so she might feel safer.

gp1990 · 04-05-2020 10:14am

monsoonMike1 wrote: »

About 2/3rds of the way through (show, not book) and have enjoyed it.

A few misgivings:

- Connell doesn't seem to fit in really well with his mates, being quiet and not so obnoxious. Then the slagging he gets when they "suspect" he's with Marianne seems a bit mild.

That's the point though, popular cliques in school are often based on superficial relationships rather than actual real friendships

he's popular because he's the good GAA player and photogenic, Rachel is popular because she's blond and beautiful, the other guys mainly by association and they're loud and regularly in the local pub. That's how deep it goes in rural schools

The slagging is meant to be mild though - they don't actually truly care, but as an anxious teenager he magnifies everything x1000 in his head.

Don't think its implied Marianne gets heavily bullied regularly, I think its a case that no-one really bothers with her at all. Calum from Fair City says nasty things to her but he also slags off Rachel's less photogenic best friend - he's just a nob in general. Rachel only gets nasty when she gets jealous of her and Connell

OU812 · 04-05-2020 10:38am

The series lends itself to (& I'm hoping will) a second series with original content as there's no second book that I'm aware of.

They did it with Handmaids Tale & because there's Hulu involved, it may get the go-ahead. D not think I'd like it to go further though.

Sebastian Dangerfield · 04-05-2020 10:48am

OU812 wrote: »

The series lends itself to (& I'm hoping will) a second series with original content as there's no second book that I'm aware of.

They did it with Handmaids Tale & because there's Hulu involved, it may get the go-ahead. D not think I'd like it to go further though.

Unlike The Handmaids Tale though, I think the ending brings the story pretty much to a conclusion here.

People may want answers about what happens to the characters next but I feel like beyond the obvious "do they" question (too lazy to write out in full with spoilers), pretty much everything about the characters from a personal perspective is resolved by the end of ep 12 - though its a little more explicitly explained in the book.

amusicalfrog · 04-05-2020 10:48am

OU812 wrote: »

The series lends itself to (& I'm hoping will) a second series with original content as there's no second book that I'm aware of.

They did it with Handmaids Tale & because there's Hulu involved, it may get the go-ahead. D not think I'd like it to go further though.

I think a second season focusing on connell and marianne would completely undermine the really quite great ending of the show

Tork · 04-05-2020 10:56am

I don't want to see a second series either, even though I loved this one. How many TV shows out there were ruined by going on too long? I don't want to see this turned into a cash cow or jumping the shark.

wakka12 · 04-05-2020 11:00am

gp1990 wrote: »

That's the point though, popular cliques in school are often based on superficial relationships rather than actual real friendships

he's popular because he's the good GAA player and photogenic, Rachel is popular because she's blond and beautiful, the other guys mainly by association and they're loud and regularly in the local pub. That's how deep it goes in rural schools

The slagging is meant to be mild though - they don't actually truly care, but as an anxious teenager he magnifies everything x1000 in his head.

Don't think its implied Marianne gets heavily bullied regularly, I think its a case that no-one really bothers with her at all. Calum from Fair City says nasty things to her but he also slags off Rachel's less photogenic best friend - he's just a nob in general. Rachel only gets nasty when she gets jealous of her and Connell

Yeh I took the bullying of Marianna more of as an insecurity/or feeling of offense on their part because she kind of looks down on them. Like at the nightclub scene, they seemed willing to be friends with her if she would have allowed that to happen

wakka12 · 04-05-2020 11:03am

OU812 wrote: »

The series lends itself to (& I'm hoping will) a second series with original content as there's no second book that I'm aware of.

They did it with Handmaids Tale & because there's Hulu involved, it may get the go-ahead. D not think I'd like it to go further though.

I think the ending for Normal people works so well because their relationship never really comes to satisfying conclusions and the feeling of a loss or what could have been continues right on to the end of the story. I havnt watched the last episode, but in the book I felt a real sense of emptiness in the end, like I imagined the two characters to feel, like life can be great but it's **** at times too, and it will never be perfect or what you really want and I think the book did a great job to show that at the ending

olestoepoke · 04-05-2020 1:29pm

I never heard of or read the book. I suffer from insomnia the odd time and last week couldn't sleep so was on my laptop looking for something to watch on BBC Iplayer and found this show by complete mistake, had never heard of it or seen a trailer. So put it on to see what it was like and wow. I thought it was brilliant, brought back so many memories that I had completely forgotten. The scene where he's walking into Trinity for the first time really captured the anxiety of a country person going up to Dublin for college for the first day absolutely terrified clinging onto the backpack. Any person's first day in college can be like that but coming from sligo to Trinity has to be one of the scariest most intimidating experiences. The inner sabateur telling you that you don't belong here carried on throughout his early months and beyond. All emotions that I and many others felt in college. Amazing show and I think it's going to win a lot of awards.

olestoepoke · 04-05-2020 1:40pm

Purple Mountain wrote: »

I loved it. It was like a trip down nostalgia lane, the peer pressure, the first crush, finding your identity and independence.
I did find it hard to get over the fact that most of the cast were twenty somethings supposed to be doing Leaving Cert but after a while, I got used to it.
Beautiful sound track and camera work.

You couldn't have explained it better

olestoepoke · 04-05-2020 2:03pm

Bigbagofcans wrote: »

She did a very decent Irish accent with just the very odd slip of English accent. If I hadn't known she was English prior to watching I probably wouldn't have noticed.

The acting was excellent and it was so beautifully awkward and relatable at times. Unlike any other romance drama that's for sure. Very nostalgic too.

It did feel a bit dragged out at times though and could have done without that Swedish saga.

I genuinely thought she was Irish. So I guess she did a good job of the accent.

wakka12 · 04-05-2020 2:28pm

olestoepoke wrote: »

I genuinely thought she was Irish. So I guess she did a good job of the accent.

It's funny when she speaks to her friend the chubby blonde one with the English accent I think she lets her English accent slip actually

gp1990 · 04-05-2020 4:59pm

wakka12 wrote: »

Yep. Though they look more like brother and sister in age difference

She's fantastic as the mother though, a fairly minor but important role. Love that scene where she tells him off in the car for how he was treating Marianne.

Yeah - she's the best supporting person in the series imo (Niall is a legend too though!)

As you say a very important role also

Connell leads a life which is the envy of many teenagers, he excels academically and on the sports field, is used to being loved by teachers and students alike - its easy enough for him to dismiss his own treatment of Marianne or to attempt to brush it off, even though its obvious he clearly knows that its wrong

His mother however firmly puts him in his place and this clearly has an impact on him so much so that on the night itself he doesn't even want to attend the Debs.

I love how she encourages him to go and enjoy himself though, the obvious thing would be for her to chastise him again, but instead its clear that as a young mother while she is disappointed in his actions, she can somewhat relate to his predicament, and is now happy enough that he is fully facing up to his poor behaviour

olestoepoke · 04-05-2020 8:17pm

lcstress2012 wrote: »

The girl is nothing but unattractive? I don’t see anything sexy in her at all. She wouldn’t be one for me.

I thought she was very attractive, maybe not by the standards set in magazines or Hollywood but in a real authentic kind of beauty, especially when she goes to Trinity and starts to come out of her shell. There's also a vunerability to her that is very attractive.

gmisk · 04-05-2020 9:07pm

I am taking my time with the show, but really enjoying it....was ep8 filmed in the same place as call me by your name?

Its a good while since I read the book but

I thought in it Alan spat on Marianne after the meal at her house? Rather than dumping dishwater over her..not sure why that was changed. Glad to see Jamie is as much of a tosser on the show!

oh and one small criticism some of the music choices are a little too on the nose...I could have done without the love will tear us apart cover

JP Liz V1 · 04-05-2020 9:52pm

Strazdas wrote: »

'Carricklea', County Sligo (a fictional town).

Dots1982 wrote: »

I got to ask what is so shocking about the sex in this show? I haven’t watched past the first episode.
The nudity? Frequency Or length of scenes? Candidness of the visual or sound? Realism?

freak scence wrote: »

probably that a dick is shown .
Binged the 12 eps , very enjoyable and emotional , great soundtrack .

freak scence wrote: »

yep you see Lady bits more often than cocks though , think that why Joes listeners are having mickey fits
.

50 Shades of Slidicko

50 Shades of Ireland, Anastasia Irish adventures, student exchange

Wombatman · 05-05-2020 9:56am

One hallmarks of good TV is it creeps into your thoughts when you're day dreaming.

Our introduction to Marianne, is of her "talking back" to a teacher, which appears a little OTT out of context.
Given what we learn afterwards, about her home life and her relationship with her brother, it tells us at this point she hasn't yet lost the will to fight back against men, trying to control every aspect of her life and existence.

I think this all feeds into one of the main themes of the series, that one can think they know someone and still not have a clue what goes on in their minds or what provokes their thoughts and actions.

Marianne asks "How do people in the village see my mother?".

gp1990 · 05-05-2020 10:13am

gmisk wrote: »

I am taking my time with the show, but really enjoying it....was ep8 filmed in the same place as call me by your name?

Its a good while since I read the book but
I thought in it Alan spat on Marianne after the meal at her house? Rather than dumping dishwater over her..not sure why that was changed. Glad to see Jamie is as much of a tosser on the show!
oh and one small criticism some of the music choices are a little too on the nose...I could have done without the love will tear us apart cover

There's a great piece here on the differences between the book and the series

Obviously spoilers aplenty for those who haven't seen the full series or read the full book yet https://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a32337090/normal-people-show-book-differences-changes/

Hangdogroad · 05-05-2020 11:00am

I know Trinity has a reputation for being posh but are there really that many English people there? If they hadnt shown the gates and the bit where Connal is asked what he thinks of Dublin (episode 3)I'd have assumed theyd both gone to college in Britain.

sabat · 05-05-2020 11:04am

Hangdogroad wrote: »

I know Trinity has a reputation for being posh but are there really that many English people there? If they hadnt shown the gates and the bit where Connal is asked what he thinks of Dublin (episode 3)I'd have assumed theyd both gone to college in Britain.

There was loads when I was there- it was traditionally a third choice for those who didn't get into Oxbridge.

Mick McGraw · 05-05-2020 11:26am

I'm currently reading the book only about 40 pages in but why is there such an obsession in the media about the sex scenes in this show it's 2020 is there really anything that could be shown these days that could be consider shocking and worthy of having so much talk about.It seems bizarre there's so much talk about them. Honestly unless there's a donkey involved some of the sex scene scenes in the book I'm going to be severely disappointed.

gmisk · 05-05-2020 11:38am

Mick McGraw wrote: »

I'm currently reading the book only about 40 pages in but why is there such an obsession in the media about the sex scenes in this show it's 2020 is there really anything that could be shown these days that could be consider shocking and worthy of having so much talk about.It seems bizarre there's so much talk about them. Honestly unless there's a donkey involved some of the sex scene scenes in the book I'm going to be severely disappointed.

The reaction to the really normal sex scenes from some people has been bizarre imo. But I think it's from a certain age and demographic (not to mention religious angle).
It's clear these people haven't seen a lot of recent US shows like say....Euphoria....I am not sure where I would even start with that show!

Normal People [BBC - RTE] - [**SPOILERS**]

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Normal People [BBC - RTE] - [SPOILERS]