Review: Normal People by Sally Rooney (TV Series)

BY BRIAN.T

A couple a weeks ago I stumbled upon a show by the name of "Normal People", and after watching the first couple episodes I was hooked. I am known for loving sappy romances, it's just what I enjoy; and have been since as long as I can remember. But I don't remember the last time a show left me feeling so empty and attached to the character.

Normal People revolves around two characters living in the West of Ireland, Connell and Marianne. The show depicts 4 years of their lives, spanning over 12 episodes each about 25-30 minutes. The two have a "will-they-won't-they" relationship and portray a modern romance through the eyes of imperfect and authentic characters.

I understand some of the criticisms of the show, being that it's meant to portray a realistic relationship. The characters definitely have problems with communication and self-love. But I don't view their relationship as something ideal and replicable, rather I think the appeal of their relationship is the tenderness of their love, how inexperienced they are, yet feel such real emotions.

The show also doesn't fail to recognise that young people can have these emotions. They don't bash the characters for making mistakes solely because they live in a modern generation. They don't depict the characters as millennials glued to their phones unable to leave their rooms, they acknowledge their youth but also doesn't let it hinder them as characters.

Connell and Marianne feel like real characters with real lives, Rooney takes great care in sharing the intricacies of their lives. They have real obstacles in their lives that the two of them end up having to face throughout the show. From Mariannes family issues and self hatred to Connell's middle-class money issues and anxiety. They share so much in-common yet face entirely different issues, making them feel more authentic and vulnerable characters.

I personally enjoyed every bit of this show, from the cinematography to the dialogue, every single part of the show was carefully planned out and it paid off for sure. There is a level of intimacy to the show that I have never seen been replicated even remotely close. The characters are so loveable and complex that you end up tearing up for the finale.

I definitely didn't expect to have such an emotional response to the show. Certainly not from a BBC mini series that was released amidst the pandemic. But nevertheless, it has definitely been my favourite show to date.

My biggest takeaway from the show is that people are imperfect, Connell and Marianne do not have anything close to a perfect relationship. In fact, they are far from it. But it doesn't mean that they don't love each other. The characters weren't made to have an ideal relationship with a happy ending. They both make countless mistakes, date other people, struggle to love themselves but in the end, the love and intimacy they share is real.

I plan to finish the physical book and re-watch the shows a couple of more times.

10/10.