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

lainey_d_123

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Ive just watched the fourth episode and he looks years younger than most of the so called Trinity students ,most of whom look in their thirties.
They are supposed to be freshers ,18-19 ,that Gareth guy looks more like a Professor than a student .

Marianne has completely reinvented herself after a couple of months in college and confidently moved on with a new man ,people are sitting around pontificting about gravity ,and having wine parties ,its like they are trying to play grown ups .
The whole thing is completely unrealistic compared to the previous episodes.

Have you no experience of what college (especially Trinity is like)? That's exactly what it's like.

lainey_d_123

Hamachi wrote: »

Yes, pretty much. It’s implied in the TV series, but is more explicit in the book. Only a couple of her friends remain in contact when she moves to Sweden for the Erasmus year. It feeds into the theme of discovering your true friends over time.

This is pretty realistic. Anybody who studies at a university for 4 or 5 years often has a pretty different set of friends when graduating vs. the wider, more superficial social circle in the first year or two.

And Peggy is a bit of a knob, to be fair. Another great characterisation there - I'm sure we've all been captivated in our first year in college (especially coming from a rural or conservative environment) by one of those cool party girls who seemed glamorous and exciting only to realise they're really not a very nice person at all and have no substance to them.

Hamachi

lainey_d_123 wrote: »

And Peggy is a bit of a knob, to be fair. Another great characterisation there - I'm sure we've all been captivated in our first year in college (especially coming from a rural or conservative environment) by one of those cool party girls who seemed glamorous and exciting only to realise they're really not a very nice person at all and have no substance to them.

Absolutely. Although a relatively minor role, the actress who played Peggy did a great job. I went to UCD, not Trinity, but definitely encountered more than a few of these girls during my college days. They were a new phenomenon for me, coming from outside Dublin. Strangely, I’ve rarely met women like this outside the university environment.

MisterAnarchy

lainey_d_123 wrote: »

Have you no experience of what college (especially Trinity is like)? That's exactly what it's like.

Yes, I went to college for 7 years and I worked there for many more .
I even lectured and no I didn't find it remotely like that.

In saying that Ive not been to Trinity but if its like its portrayed in the the show them I'm glad Ive not as it seems to be full of pretentious toss pots.

lainey_d_123

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Yes, I went to college for 7 years and I worked there for many more .
I even lectured and no I didn't find it remotely like that.

There's definitely a 'set' who act like that. Especially on certain courses, and especially the upper middle class kind of people Marianne hung around with. That wouldn't have been my crowd, but I lived on campus one year and one of my flatmates was forever having gatherings with wine and talking about stuff they thought made them seem intellectual.

What subject did you study/teach?

Hamachi

lainey_d_123 wrote: »

There's definitely a 'set' who act like that. Especially on certain courses, and especially the upper middle class kind of people Marianne hung around with. That wouldn't have been my crowd, but I lived on campus one year and one of my flatmates was forever having gatherings with wine and talking about stuff they thought made them seem intellectual.

What subject did you study/teach?

This behavior is definitely subject- / course-dependent. My degree spanned STEM (computing) and Arts (languages).

Not to stereotype, but the personality types depicted in ‘Normal People’, were more prevalent amongst Arts students. Frankly, the STEM students were too busy for endless, pseudo intellectual conversations about nothing.

olestoepoke

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Yes, I went to college for 7 years and I worked there for many more .
I even lectured and no I didn't find it remotely like that.

In saying that Ive not been to Trinity but if its like its portrayed in the the show them I'm glad Ive not as it seems to be full of pretentious toss pots.

pretentious toss pots :D:D:D

Better Than Christ

Hamachi wrote: »

- Helen Brophy, Connell's girlfriend in college. In the book, she is clearly a middle-class Dublin girl studying medicine. This character is played by an actress of East Asian ethnicity in the TV series.

The actress is Irish though. Her father (Ciaran Hinds) is Irish and I think her mother is Vietnamese.

Hamachi wrote:

I know this may seem like nit-picking, but I don't understand the need to 'internationalize' the uniquely Irish milieu of the novel. What's the purpose of this? To make the TV series appeal to a wider, global audience? To display liberal or progressive values?

If they had limited the casting to the relatively tiny pool of actors from this island, the quality would have suffered and we'd all be playing "spot the Fair City actor".

MisterAnarchy

Hamachi wrote: »

This behavior is definitely subject- / course-dependent. My degree spanned STEM (computing) and Arts (languages).

Not to stereotype, but the personality types depicted in ‘Normal People’, were more prevalent amongst Arts students. Frankly, the STEM students were too busy for endless, pseudo intellectual conversations about nothing.

Thats probaby true ,my area is a scientific discipline and as you said as undergraduates we were too busy to arse about like the Arts students with their 12 hours a week of classes.

lainey_d_123

Hamachi wrote: »

Absolutely. Although a relatively minor role, the actress who played Peggy did a great job. I went to UCD, not Trinity, but definitely encountered more than a few of these girls during my college days. They were a new phenomenon for me, coming from outside Dublin. Strangely, I’ve rarely met women like this outside the university environment.

I'd say they cop themselves on once everyone around them sees through their 'I'm sooo cool and edgy' act. Even by the 3rd or 4th year of college most people are tired of that kind of carry on.

All that fandango

Hamachi wrote:

Absolutely. Although a relatively minor role, the actress who played Peggy did a great job. I went to UCD, not Trinity, but definitely encountered more than a few of these girls during my college days. They were a new phenomenon for me, coming from outside Dublin. Strangely, I’ve rarely met women like this outside the university environment.

Yeah India Mullen (Peggy) played the part really well. She was a regular in Red Rock and didnt even recognise her in Normal People til I seen the credits.

cian68

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

They are supposed to be freshers ,18-19 ,that Gareth guy looks more like a Professor than a student .

He was in Skins about 10 years ago which took me out of believing he was a fresher.

MisterAnarchy

The ending of the sixth episode seems a bit strange and out of the blue.
One minute they are the ideal couple ,and the next

Connell seems to lose the plot about having to go back to Sligo for the summer and they just break up over nothing .
He makes no effort to subsequently patch things up and Marianne shacks up literally overnight with a gimp like Jamie .

It all seemed a bit contrived .

lainey_d_123

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

The ending of the sixth episode seems a bit strange and out of the blue.
One minute they are the ideal couple ,and the next

Connell seems to lose the plot about having to go back to Sligo for the summer and they just break up over nothing .
He makes no effort to subsequently patch things up and Marianne shacks up literally overnight with a gimp like Jamie .

It all seemed a bit contrived .

I think the point there is about their terrible communication which leads to this misunderstanding.

Connell feels too proud to ask Marianne if he can stay with her and he's hoping she'll tell him he can, but because he's trying to play it cool and not look desperate, he makes it sound as if he wants to break up, and Marianne takes him at his word that he wants to see other people while back home for the summer and agrees to break up. We can see that Jamie is a gimp but Marianne is good friends with him and he's been after her for a while so it's not overly weird that they end up together once Connell is out of the picture.

wakka12

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

The ending of the sixth episode seems a bit strange and out of the blue.
One minute they are the ideal couple ,and the next

Connell seems to lose the plot about having to go back to Sligo for the summer and they just break up over nothing .
He makes no effort to subsequently patch things up and Marianne shacks up literally overnight with a gimp like Jamie .

It all seemed a bit contrived .

Yeh it seemed a bit random in the show. I cant remember exactly what happens in the book but what the misunderstanding was about is better explained

ooter

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

I felt Connell was hiding a lot of aggression underneath his exterior. I can't imagine the couple surviving a relationship long term. Both were too messed up.

had no problem releasing it on the brother.

Everything Italian

Its interesting reading this thread and there are some good insights to the plot lines. I totally get it that some people dont get this story, either book or TV show, to be anything other than a slightly-less-than-simple love story but for a lot of others on here and reading Twitter responses especially, the story really had a very deep impact.

Why is this? Why does it stay with people in a really intense way in the week or two after finishing the book (or show)? I see words like haunted, overpowered, wrecked, shattered, drained, profound and can see my own reaction in these, but I'm still unsure why?

Is it the sex? I dont think so, though the book is definitely more edgy in referencing masturbation, oral sex and doggy sex than is covered in the TV show but it is still very.......normal.....stuff, albeit at a stage in life that is probably early compared to many.
Is it sympathy for the Marianne character and all that - unspoken - stuff she has apparently been through and then how she is failed again and again?
Is it the nostalgic longing for those intoxicating times of young lust ? perhaps, but I doubt that too, as this is a weak premise which wouldnt really grab people like this story has.
Is it the chemistry and performances between the two leads? Definitely a factor - would reactions be different with different actors?
More likely it is writers style in the novel and the portrayal of that intensity in the show? It engages you so early and drags you in. I read first, then watched, and the emotion after finishing the book was intense, the TV show less so, but still amazing.
Is it because it is relatable to all of our Irish experiences, school, debs, pub scene, actual locations, Trinity etc ?
Is it because of lockdown and we are all suffering cabin-fever with not a lot else to occupy our heads!

So it is presumably a little of all of the above plus some others stuff, but I really dont know

I'm getting over it - slowly. But it has messed with my head for two weeks since I finished the book and I'd definitely caution anyone who was going to read/watch it to prepare themselves for the roller-coaster period afterwards....

Then there is those that dont like the whole story and wonder what the fuss is about.

MisterAnarchy

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Yes, I went to college for 7 years and I worked there for many more .
I even lectured and no I didn't find it remotely like that.

In saying that Ive not been to Trinity but if its like its portrayed in the the show them I'm glad Ive not as it seems to be full of pretentious toss pots.

....well if you can't be pretentious in your first year in college, then when can you?

pixelburp

mod: going forward, as episode have been broadcast at different times, please put any plot related discussion in spoiler-tags.

All that fandango

Thought that scene could have been a lot better imo. Was expecting him to completely deck the brother and rightfully so. He only held his collar and told him never to hurt Marianne again. Bit of an anti climax. Felt Alan didn't get the commeuppance he righlty deserved to get.

wakka12

Everything Italian wrote: »

Its interesting reading this thread and there are some good insights to the plot lines. I totally get it that some people dont get this story, either book or TV show, to be anything other than a slightly-less-than-simple love story but for a lot of others on here and reading Twitter responses especially, the story really had a very deep impact.

Why is this? Why does it stay with people in a really intense way in the week or two after finishing the book (or show)? I see words like haunted, overpowered, wrecked, shattered, drained, profound and can see my own reaction in these, but I'm still unsure why?

Is it the sex? I dont think so, though the book is definitely more edgy in referencing masturbation, oral sex and doggy sex than is covered in the TV show but it is still very.......normal.....stuff, albeit at a stage in life that is probably early compared to many.
Is it sympathy for the Marianne character and all that - unspoken - stuff she has apparently been through and then how she is failed again and again?
Is it the nostalgic longing for those intoxicating times of young lust ? perhaps, but I doubt that too, as this is a weak premise which wouldnt really grab people like this story has.
Is it the chemistry and performances between the two leads? Definitely a factor - would reactions be different with different actors?
More likely it is writers style in the novel and the portrayal of that intensity in the show? It engages you so early and drags you in. I read first, then watched, and the emotion after finishing the book was intense, the TV show less so, but still amazing.
Is it because it is relatable to all of our Irish experiences, school, debs, pub scene, actual locations, Trinity etc ?
Is it because of lockdown and we are all suffering cabin-fever with not a lot else to occupy our heads!

So it is presumably a little of all of the above plus some others stuff, but I really dont know

I'm getting over it - slowly. But it has messed with my head for two weeks since I finished the book and I'd definitely caution anyone who was going to read/watch it to prepare themselves for the roller-coaster period afterwards....

Then there is those that dont like the whole story and wonder what the fuss is about.

For me it was just the beautiful portrayal of what looks like from the outside view such unremerkable lives and relationships .For that reason it just feels so reletable compared to most other shows and movies, where relationships have to have some unique story or selling point that most of us will never experience in our lives . Theres beauty in the mundane everyday, waking up in the morning, sitting watching tv, and the show especially catches this aspect perfectly. I think the Irish setting is what contributes most after that, and in the case of the tv show the chemistry of the leads is what really brought the adaption to life

bitofabind

Everything Italian wrote: »

Why is this? Why does it stay with people in a really intense way in the week or two after finishing the book (or show)? I see words like haunted, overpowered, wrecked, shattered, drained, profound and can see my own reaction in these, but I'm still unsure why?
mably a little of all of the above plus some others stuff, but I really dont know

I've been asking myself this since I watched it a few weeks ago. The show has made me feel both understood and lonely in a weird way.

I think it's the humanity of it. How inherently human it is to have these weaknesses and make these mistakes in life based on low self-esteem, anxiety, past trauma, inability to communicate effectively with those closest to you. That really strikes a chord, and it feels almost like a mirror has been held up to my teens and twenties and the way that I handled things and blamed myself for so many things that really are just a part of being young and not knowing any better.

All of these internal struggles and life events are massively exacerbated in the show in a similar way to how you feel them in your own life when you're that age. I think that was the beauty but also the pain of the show. It's so much a part of the human condition to deal with mental health issues, to run from vulnerability and to let opportunities pass you by and to not really understand why. In the show, it was like "here's why" and that's quite a frustrating and painful thing to reflect on ultimately. Most of us don't look our past and who we are in the eye like that.

wakka12

All that fandango wrote: »

Thought that scene could have been a lot better imo. Was expecting him to completely deck the brother and rightfully so. He only held his collar and told him never to hurt Marianne again. Bit of an anti climax. Felt Alan didn't get the commeuppance he righlty deserved to get.

I agree, I think it would have been more impactful if he had at least broken the glass door he pushed him up against. IN the book you really get the sense he completely lost his head, and it really shakes/scares Alan. In the show it was just a lot flatter,which was disappointing as Alan seems even more unlikable in the show than in the book.

splinter65

It all depends what stage you’re at in life. I’m 55 and my daughter is nearly 23. She found it totally “relatable”.
I’m watching it and all I can think of is that there is huge potential for enormous and long lasting emotional pain if you have sex with someone you don’t know very well and haven’t known very long.
So don’t do it even though every cell in your body is telling you to.
The male lead was the single least attractive fella (in every single way) I’ve encountered on screen or in real life for a very long time. Not one single redeeming feature.
Do girls really have such low expectations now?
The depiction of the pretentiousness of the Trinity students was totally cliched, and the student accommodation and the parties was so unrealistic as to be laughable.

wakka12

splinter65 wrote: »

It all depends what stage you’re at in life. I’m 55 and my daughter is nearly 23. She found it totally “relatable”.
I’m watching it and all I can think of is that there is huge potential for enormous and long lasting emotional pain if you have sex with someone you don’t know very well and haven’t known very long.
So don’t do it even though every cell in your body is telling you to.
The male lead was the single least attractive fella (in every single way) I’ve encountered on screen or in real life for a very long time. Not one single redeeming feature.
Do girls really have such low expectations now?
The depiction of the pretentiousness of the Trinity students was totally cliched, and the student accommodation and the parties was so unrealistic as to be laughable.

Oh harsh! I think I would like him in real life not just because of how he looks(some bod) but he just seems like a gentle soul. I guess with tv personalities sometimes their fame leads to an inflated public opinion of how attractive they are in a way that wouldnt be recognised under normal circumstances..but as they go I dont think Mescal is bad looking at all. He has a more unique look about him that the typical good looking male lead as did MArianne though which I think is what helped the show go even further.

My father who is the same age as yourself also thought it was a load of ****e though :P

bitofabind

splinter65 wrote: »

It all depends what stage you’re at in life. I’m 55 and my daughter is nearly 23. She found it totally “relatable”.
I’m watching it and all I can think of is that there is huge potential for enormous and long lasting emotional pain if you have sex with someone you don’t know very well and haven’t known very long.
So don’t do it even though every cell in your body is telling you to.
The male lead was the single least attractive fella (in every single way) I’ve encountered on screen or in real life for a very long time. Not one single redeeming feature.
Do girls really have such low expectations now?
The depiction of the pretentiousness of the Trinity students was totally cliched, and the student accommodation and the parties was so unrealistic as to be laughable.

Hahaha. It's actually kind of refreshing to hear this (though I entirely disagree!). It kind of helps to draw yourself out of the Normal People rabbit hole.

I think with Connell, there's nothing 'exceptional' about him initially, but the insights you get into him and his vulnerabilities builds on how attractive he becomes throughout the series. As someone who grew up in Ireland I find many of his behaviours deeply familiar. I've certainly been with my fair share of Irish guys who treated me a certain way that I internalised and in hindsight I can see how there was probably a lot more going on for them at the time. Things that are unmentionable, especially when you're a male in rural Ireland. They were unavailable and inaccessible for their own reasons and I thought it was all about me.

Most of us can probably relate to that one I think. And the reality is that it doesn't make anyone 'good' or 'bad' to make these mistakes, it's just so deeply human but equally, quite painful to experience at the same time.

SusieBlue

I for one think Paul Mescal, who plays Connell, is absolutely gorgeous :pac:
I think it’s more to do with him looking familiar, he looks & dresses like the kind of guy I might run into at the pub of a Saturday night.

He doesn’t have the super dark tan, sculpted hair, white veneers & plucked eyebrows that every other ‘heart throb’ these days seem to have.
It’s refreshing to see a guy like that on tv compared to the Love Island types that usually play parts like that.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of Love Island too but the fact that he looks so normal just makes him all the more attractive.

TheBlaaMan

splinter65 wrote: »

It all depends what stage you’re at in life. I’m 55 and my daughter is nearly 23. She found it totally “relatable”.
I’m watching it and all I can think of is that there is huge potential for enormous and long lasting emotional pain if you have sex with someone you don’t know very well and haven’t known very long.
So don’t do it even though every cell in your body is telling you to.
The male lead was the single least attractive fella (in every single way) I’ve encountered on screen or in real life for a very long time. Not one single redeeming feature.
Do girls really have such low expectations now?
The depiction of the pretentiousness of the Trinity students was totally cliched, and the student accommodation and the parties was so unrealistic as to be laughable.

wakka12 wrote: »

Oh harsh! I think I would like him in real life not just because of how he looks(some bod) but he just seems like a gentle soul. I guess with tv personalities sometimes their fame leads to an inflated public opinion of how attractive they are in a way that wouldnt be recognised under normal circumstances..but as they go I dont think Mescal is bad looking at all. He has a more unique look about him that the typical good looking male lead as did MArianne though which I think is what helped the show go even further.

My father who is the same age as yourself also thought it was a load of ****e though :P

Male of 55, daughters of 29 and 21, son of 24. I found it very relatable and impactful. But there you go, horses for courses.

As for "So don’t do it even though every cell in your body is telling you to. " ...? Best of luck in hoping that is going to keep away a heartbreak!

Sardonicat

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

As for "So don’t do it even though every cell in your body is telling you to. " ...? Best of luck in hoping that is going to keep away a heartbreak!

Indeed. All denying yourself does is add to the sense of loss and regret. ..

ooter

i think paul mescal looks very like the actor who plays gavin from gavin and Stacey?