Released: 26th April 2020
Number of Episodes: 12
Where to Watch: BBC iPlayer
Created by: Lenny Abrahamson and Hettie Macdonald
As someone relatively new to the writing scene, Irish author Sally Rooney has focused on smaller scale stories that focus on the relationships between characters. Her most recent novel, “Normal People” serves the source material for an excellent and maturely produced TV series.
We follow two young people; Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell (Paul Mescal) as they share a close attraction through a solid portion of higher education in rural and urban Ireland. From secondary school all the way to the end of university, we follow these individuals as they experience the ups and downs of life, relationships and studies, encountering both happiness and hardship along the way. Yet as the years roll by, they find themselves yearning for each other and this on-and-off back and forth generates the winding turns of the narrative. Through their social and personal lives, the plot proceeds at a calm and steady pace, allowing each event to deliver its emotional punch. The journey Marianne and Connell embark on is a simple yet affecting one, grounded by realistic portrayals of peer pressure and socialising that will pull any audience in. The adult nature of the tale is emphasised through its many themes; loneliness, travel and distance, dealing with loss and depression and the pressures of family. All of these moments are conveyed with a considerate framing, allowing the audience to empathise with the story.
Of course, the story wouldn’t be as engaging as it is if the two leads weren’t well fleshed out and the performances from Daisy Edgar Jones and Paul Mescal are both phenomenal. Normal People draws a laser focus on the couple from square one and their characteristics form the backbone of the series. Marianne is more introverted, her underlying insecurities often dampening her self-esteem, while Connell mostly gets along well with others, but sometimes makes mistakes. They are incredibly detailed characters, influenced by their upbringing and past experiences in school and by integrating these mannerisms into the story, the weight of events always lands with a deeply resonating impact. Their interactions with each-other are delicate, carefully paced and intimate; the sexual content being handled very sensitively throughout, adding to their close bond rather than becoming gratuitous. Much of the series draws a contrast between Connell and Marianne’s bond placed against friends in their social circles and family members, who are also incredibly well-realised and authentic. More than anything else; Normal People’s emotionally gutting performances, which take place almost entirely face-to-face, are laced with an unfiltered, soulful level of connection.
At a time when many adaptations are slapdash, lacklustre or basic in their execution, Normal People creates something that few of its contemporaries possess; something that feels distinctively human. It takes its two main leads, allows us to share in their hopes and struggles and creates a deeply moving and emotive chain of events that will pull at the heartstrings of everyone who watches it. It’s a rare achievement that I wholly recommend to everyone in the difficult times we live in.
Rating: 5/5 Stars (Exceptional)
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