Drama TV-MA, Hulu
When a book adaptation is done well, you feel like you’re watching a book without having to carry the mental load of building all the images and reading all the intonations correctly. This was true of Big Little Lies. And this is true of Normal People. *Note – I have not read either book.
Hulu’s miniseries, Normal People, is adapted from Sally Rooney’s 2019 novel of the same name. In short, it’s about an on-again-off-again relationship between Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell (Paul Mescal). A wider brief would include that the two are from the same small town in northwest Ireland but are otherwise of very different circumstances. Their home lives and financial realities are worlds apart, and yet they share something that goes far beyond a physical relationship.
A Novel Approach
Maybe it was the state the world was in when the show released this April, maybe I just enjoy an Irish lilt – I don’t know. I do know the trailer for this show is magnetic. Romantic dramas that don’t play into the cliché of the genre, are hard to come by. Normal People uniquely sets itself apart by being about actual normal, regular, everyday people. This show is a nostalgia trip and yet it showcases the dynamics of contemporary relationships in a contemporary way. The CW could make a five-season teen drama out of the first 3 episodes alone. Instead, we get a show that spans five years in 12 short episodes.
On-again-off-again storylines can easily be dragged out over misunderstandings and miscommunication. Normal People is not exempt from these, but here we are given the psychology behind such transgressions. We see how anxiety and a low self-image can stop you from having a good life. Connell and Marianne make the same mistakes of any young, new couple. Why Marianne?! Why won’t you just tell him why you’re upset? What are you doing Connell?! Why can’t you tell her you’d like to stay? That’s the nostalgia of any relationship. The contemporary is witnessing these two have conversations my generation certainly was not having at 17. When Connell and Marianne have sex for the first time, the dialogue and movements leading up to the act are ideal.
An A-List Production
Behind the scenes, there is a collective of high-profile IMDb credits. Director and Producer Lenny Abrahamson directed Brie Larson in her Oscar-winning role in Room. Writer Alice Birch has also worked on HBO’s Succession. Executive Producer Tommy Bulfin counts Peaky Blinders and Dublin Murders amongst his many credits. The quality and aesthetic of the production meets the correlating expectations.
There is a very specific aesthetic lens on the whole production. Lots of blues and greens with greyish undertones with some browns and autumnal yellows for warmth. You might not give much thought to these browns and yellows until they are very noticeably absent in episode 9 where Marianne is spending a year abroad in Sweden. One of these things is not like the other, and it is episode 9, but more on that later.
Fresh Faces, Seasoned Acting
The show would be nothing without newcomers Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones as Connell and Marianne. Their chemistry is obvious, but it’s their characterizations that will gut you. Mescal’s portrayal of anxiety and despair is accurate, this isn’t Hollywood does Psych 101. You feel like a voyeur. He makes you realize that others before him, however meticulous, have allowed you to see they are acting. Mescal’s acting is immersive. You’ll want to console Connell. You’ll forget he’s not a real person in your life.
Edgar-Jones’ acting is similarly natural. She shows you a spectrum of emotions in mere seconds. Her facial expressions reflect Marianne’s thoughts in real-time. She doesn’t pause to make sure you’ve seen it. There is a scene in episode 3 where Paul comes to check on Marianne after a terrible incident at school. She answers the door agitated. As she walks down the hall, her back to Connell, we see her oscillate through her feelings. The hurt she feels that Connell did nothing at school. An uptick of her mouth – so quick you may miss it – she’s happy he’s turned up. Slight lines between her brows – not sure Connell is here to console her or end things.
Normal Lives of Normal People
The trajectory of self-awareness to self-actualization is a fancy way of saying this is a coming-of-age story. Superfluous, sure, but still true. Connell has been raised by Lorraine (Sarah Greene) who loves him and because of this, she has absolutely no difficulty telling him I think you’re a disgrace and I’m ashamed of you on his treatment of Marianne. Connell thinks she’s being extra, Lorraine is incredulous at his misogyny. She expects better of him. Audience take note, this is how to raise feminist boys. The two have a close and well-adjusted relationship. She cheekily reminds her son sweetheart you are the stupid teenage mistake I made when he asks how she would like it if he kept reminding her about a stupid teenage mistake she made.
Marianne comes from privilege but a homelife steeped in generational abuse. She struggles with self-worth. Repeatedly telling Connell she would do anything for him, going as far as to suggest things that Connell himself is uncomfortable with and would not ask of anyone. Connell helps her with this, reminding her she is loved, and that just because people treat her badly it doesn’t mean she is deserving of bad treatment. Marianne, in turn, helps Connell feel connected watching over him via Skype as he tries to sleep during his lowest point.
Their conversations, their pillow talk, in particular, is raw. There is one interaction in which Marianne shares her thoughts – which objectify Connell – and then asks is that really weird? It is awkward and actually quite funny. The writing is full of these endearing moments.
From Page To Screen
Alice Birch co-wrote the first six episodes with author Sally Rooney, she did the back half by herself. This is good, though the characters develop and change there is an invisible string that keeps the slight shift in tone from becoming a different show. The exception is the aforementioned episode 9. Although it has the shortest running time, it feels the length of eternity. The poor writing is why this episode has the lowest rating on IMDb. There is a disjointedness to all of it. Marianne is depressed, and once again putting herself in an unhealthy relationship. Marianne and Connell share no screen time. The best scenes are the ones with both leads together. The presence of other characters is welcome, Lorraine and Connell’s friend Niall (Desmond Eastwood) are standout characters and bring so much to every scene there are in, but Connell and Marianne are a must.
There are many sex scenes, there is a lot of nudity. None of it is gratuitous. They are nude because they are sharing an intimate moment, but we are asked to keep our gaze on their faces to witness the emotion of it all. The scenes that have the most overt nudity focus on their expressions. Furthermore, Normal People is an equal-opportunity production in the buff, neither Mescal nor Edgar-Jones is more exposed than the other.
Score 4/5
The show has become a pop culture phenomenon. This is worrisome because the ending is perfect. Please leave it as a limited series. If you feel pressured to tell us the whereabouts of Connell’s chain or the existence of Marianne’s bangs please wait ten years.
