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

lainey_d_123

olestoepoke wrote: »

To me, no colour is not important and it made no difference to the show in my opinion. That said, I think that it's a pretty serious accusation to call someone a racist and that you were too quick to call the poster a racist based on their post. Did you ever consider that the poster had read the book and in their opinion would have liked the characters to be closer to how they were described in the book before you called them a racist. Honestly, you are looking for racists that aren't there.

Mod - I'm going to reply to this because it's a direct question which came after the warning and wasn't moderated. Yes, I think it's a bit racist, or at least race-obsessed, to repeatedly quibble about actors' colouring when there are other far more important details which aren't accurate.

I'd say the fact that Marianne is described as plain, if not actually ugly, in the book, and is gorgeous in the series, is a far bigger diversion from the book, and actually does make a difference. In comparison, the fact that her Swedish boyfriend has darker skin and black hair than in the book is laughably irrelevant.

Higgins5473

lainey_d_123 wrote: »

Mod - I'm going to reply to this because it's a direct question which came after the warning and wasn't moderated. Yes, I think it's a bit racist, or at least race-obsessed, to repeatedly quibble about actors' colouring when there are other far more important details which aren't accurate.

I'd say the fact that Marianne is described as plain, if not actually ugly, in the book, and is gorgeous in the series, is a far bigger diversion from the book, and actually does make a difference. In comparison, the fact that her Swedish boyfriend has darker skin and black hair than in the book is laughably irrelevant.

Was the original point being made not that the director was adamant about sticking to the narrative and detail of the book? Therefore casting a black actor as what is described as tall blonde blue eyed white man seemed to be an odd decision? your example of Marianne being described as gorgeous in the series yet plain in the book isn’t a very good one...some would see her as plain. I do. Eye of the beholder and all that.

Shelga

Please, please can we abandon the race topic. It’s beyond boring.

yerwanthere123

I actually preferred the pretend 17 year old niece conversation

lainey_d_123

Higgins5473 wrote: »

Was the original point being made not that the director was adamant about sticking to the narrative and detail of the book? Therefore casting a black actor as what is described as tall blonde blue eyed white man seemed to be an odd decision? your example of Marianne being described as gorgeous in the series yet plain in the book isn’t a very good one...some would see her as plain. I do. Eye of the beholder and all that.

If you honestly think Daisy Edgar-Jones is 'plain', I'd suggest you are very, very much in the minority.

I don't think it actually matters in that the main reason for Marianne's unpopularity is her attitude and not fitting in socially, so her exclusion by her peers still rings true, but it definitely isn't true to the book. In the book she is described as being physically unattractive, wearing unflattering clothes and flat sensible shoes. In the series, she's extremely pretty, well dressed and fashionable (in a chic way, not a fake tan and false nails way). That is quite a difference.

Muahahaha

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

I actually preferred the pretend 17 year old niece conversation

havent been on the thread in a week but reading back gave me some laughs, I was spitting out my tea at Better than Christ replies about this 17 year old niece

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Saw the ad on RTÉ for the final two episodes on Monday, they basically give away almost everything that happens! Same as the information on the Sky guide too, gives away way too much.

Yeah the RTE ads have been a joke, complete spoiler alerts and they've done it several times now revealing an important plot point, like next week

Marianne is going to get a bloody nose from a fight with her brother

. Its a joke that they show you the major plot line before the program airs

Anyway Im not a big movie watcher but if Paul Mescal were to end up in Hollywood what kind of movies would people expect to see him in?

EmptyTree

olestoepoke wrote: »

Heavy by Orla Gartland

Thank you for the suggestion, but it's not the one used in the RTE ad that is being aired at the moment.

Anyone any idea what song that being used with the ad for normal people on RTE for the final two episodes is?

Spon Farmer

I haven't read the book or seen the series yet but can someone tell me what is so "normal" about the characters?

Are the episodes about opening your first bank account or doing the shop in Dunnes?

Spon Farmer

Spon Farmer wrote: »

I haven't read the book or seen the series yet but can someone tell me what is so "normal" about the characters?

Are the episodes about opening your first bank account or doing the shop in Dunnes?

I think its an ironic term. People such as Connell, for example, have this belief that if they blend in and dont rock the boat, that they are normal when in fact that at the same time, he is willingly turning a blind eye to some of the obnoxious bullying behaviour of his group of friends

Connell is popular amongst his peers in spite of being quiet, and life goes smoothly for him. He is willing to comply with everything greater society demands of him. In actual reality, there is no such thing as 'normal'. There is extremely abnormal behaviour, which we are seeing more and more of with the rise of social media, but everyone to a certain degree has their own idiosyncranacies even if they suppress them. Connell is passionate about English literature, but doesnt shout it from the rooftops. Marianne's understanding of what makes Connell tick is what excites him and scares him at the same time.

yerwanthere123

Spon Farmer wrote: »

I haven't read the book or seen the series yet but can someone tell me what is so "normal" about the characters?

Are the episodes about opening your first bank account or doing the shop in Dunnes?

Yes.

Spon Farmer

Deleted User wrote: »

I think its an ironic term. People such as Connell, for example, have this belief that if they blend in and dont rock the boat, that they are normal when in fact that at the same time, he is willingly turning a blind eye to some of the obnoxious bullying behaviour of his group of friends

Connell is popular amongst his peers in spite of being quiet, and life goes smoothly for him. He is willing to comply with everything greater society demands of him. In actual reality, there is no such thing as 'normal'. There is extremely abnormal behaviour, which we are seeing more and more of with the rise of social media, but everyone to a certain degree has their own idiosyncranacies even if they suppress them. Connell is passionate about English literature, but doesnt shout it from the rooftops. Marianne's understanding of what makes Connell tick is what excites him and scares him at the same time.

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

Yes.

One of you is lying and I will find out who it is when this series turns up on a streaming service here.:p

olestoepoke

EmptyTree wrote: »

Thank you for the suggestion, but it's not the one used in the RTE ad that is being aired at the moment.

Anyone any idea what song that being used with the ad for normal people on RTE for the final two episodes is?

Oh sorry, Heavy was used for the BBC 3 one I presumed they used the same one. Is it Dogwood Blossom? I cant find the RTE trailer online. Is it just piano music?

Gadgetman496

EmptyTree wrote: »

Thank you for the suggestion, but it's not the one used in the RTE ad that is being aired at the moment.

Anyone any idea what song that being used with the ad for normal people on RTE for the final two episodes is?

EmptyTree

olestoepoke wrote: »

Oh sorry, Heavy was used for the BBC 3 one I presumed they used the same one. Is it Dogwood Blossom? I cant find the RTE trailer online. Is it just piano music?

Don't be sorry at all, thank you for all your efforts. No, it's not Dogwood Blossom. Ah I'll come back when I can get a copy of the trailer. I'm sure it's something blindingly obvious and everyone will know it when they hear it.... Just not me.

Rfrip

EmptyTree wrote: »

Don't be sorry at all, thank you for all your efforts. No, it's not Dogwood Blossom. Ah I'll come back when I can get a copy of the trailer. I'm sure it's something blindingly obvious and everyone will know it when they hear it.... Just not me.

Is it Freya ridings?

https://youtu.be/tDPpex1wvOc

Rfrip

Final two for me tonight on bbc

It was absolutely perfect

ednwireland

ugh what a crock

JoeExotic81

Been avoiding this as was watching on BBC each week, but yeah add me to the list of fans. Great production, fantastic acting. They were absolutely infuriating characters, but sher when I think back at my late teens and early twenties, yep!!

On a side note, I read Conversations with Friends due to how much I liked this, and it was a very average book, made even worse due to the striking (ahem) similarities between the two main characters. (Marianne in this, Frances in that)

As the same production team are working on the BBC adaptation, it'll be interesting to see how it goes.

Purple Mountain

JoeExotic81 wrote: »

Been avoiding this as was watching on BBC each week, but yeah add me to the list of fans. Great production, fantastic acting. They were absolutely infuriating characters, but sher when I think back at my late teens and early twenties, yep!!

On a side note, I read Conversations with Friends due to how much I liked this, and it was a very average book, made even worse due to the striking (ahem) similarities between the two main characters.

As the same production team are working on the BBC adaptation, it'll be interesting to see how it goes.

I just finished Conversations too.
Its very slack on characters, don't know how that'll translate to the screen.

Hrududu

I finished it last night. My one issue with the show is that 'the villains' just weren't fleshed out enough. Everyone else got a lovely nuanced character. We could see why they behaved how they behaved. But Jamie was just a dick, no explanation. Marianne's brother was almost cartoonish in how much of a dick he was.

Other than that, no complaints. I loved the show. Thought it was really well done and enjoyed (sometimes not enjoyed but suffered with) the characters.

At the end we have Connell confident enough to go after what he really wants. And we have Marianne, who went from telling him he could do anything to her, and letting men treat her like **** because that's what she felt she deserved. To being confident enough to let him go and do her own thing. She said something like "We've been so good for each other." Or something like that, and its so true.

The whole tone of the show reminded me of things like the Before... series, and the film Call me by your Name. I'd love to revisit the characters years down the line. But at the same time I almost don't want to. Like leave it as it is, without trying to recapture it.

Rfrip

Was going to start conversations with friends today! Was hoping it was going to be as good

Man Vs ManUre

I think they should have made a movie of this instead of the series. And I mean leave the content more or less the same. I guess it’s content is longer than 2.5hrs so cut out the crappy bits, which are mostly from the Sweden episode. With a name like Lenny Abrahamson directing it, and it being the type of arty farty emotional relationships drama that it is, I think it would have been up for all the main Oscars. Best film, director, actor and actress. That would have been some start to their careers for the 2 leads. This lad from Kildare might have even won the best actor Oscar!!

CassieManson

Man Vs ManUre wrote: »

I think they should have made a movie of this instead of the series. And I mean leave the content more or less the same. I guess it’s content is longer than 2.5hrs so cut out the crappy bits, which are mostly from the Sweden episode. With a name like Lenny Abrahamson directing it, and it being the type of arty farty emotional relationships drama that it is, I think it would have been up for all the main Oscars. Best film, director, actor and actress. That would have been some start to their careers for the 2 leads. This lad from Kildare might have even won the best actor Oscar!!

I agree - I thought the series felt a bit dragged out towards the end especially. I think it would have made an excellent movie

ednwireland

Connell losing touch with club championship is real tragedy of Normal People

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/connell-losing-touch-with-club-championship-is-real-tragedy-of-normal-people-1.4265805

Connell has run out of excuses for arsing around a villa in Tuscany with Marianne rather than heading across to Achill with the lads for a bonding weekend

oh and if he was that good at gaa he would be at ucd not trinity

this program is wrong on so many levels !

Thargor

That was a sh1te scene where he said he'd kill the brother, he should have hit him.

MintyMagnum

Why does the brother hate her?
And why is the mother horrible - just started watching tonite

Mad_maxx

Hrududu wrote: »

I finished it last night. My one issue with the show is that 'the villains' just weren't fleshed out enough. Everyone else got a lovely nuanced character. We could see why they behaved how they behaved. But Jamie was just a dick, no explanation. Marianne's brother was almost cartoonish in how much of a dick he was.

Other than that, no complaints. I loved the show. Thought it was really well done and enjoyed (sometimes not enjoyed but suffered with) the characters.

At the end we have Connell confident enough to go after what he really wants. And we have Marianne, who went from telling him he could do anything to her, and letting men treat her like **** because that's what she felt she deserved. To being confident enough to let him go and do her own thing. She said something like "We've been so good for each other." Or something like that, and its so true.

The whole tone of the show reminded me of things like the Before... series, and the film Call me by your Name. I'd love to revisit the characters years down the line. But at the same time I almost don't want to. Like leave it as it is, without trying to recapture it.

some people are just bad , there doesnt need to be a deep explanation , the world is full of these kind of born assh0les

Thargor

MintyMagnum wrote: »

Why does the brother hate her?
And why is the mother horrible - just started watching tonite

You started watching the final 2 episodes?

Mad_maxx

Man Vs ManUre wrote: »

I think they should have made a movie of this instead of the series. And I mean leave the content more or less the same. I guess it’s content is longer than 2.5hrs so cut out the crappy bits, which are mostly from the Sweden episode. With a name like Lenny Abrahamson directing it, and it being the type of arty farty emotional relationships drama that it is, I think it would have been up for all the main Oscars. Best film, director, actor and actress. That would have been some start to their careers for the 2 leads. This lad from Kildare might have even won the best actor Oscar!!

wouldnt work as a mainstream movie , would be like one of those sweedish ingmar bergman type deals and they dont gain any real broad exposure , pure arthouse in cinema form

Mad_maxx

Thargor wrote: »

That was a sh1te scene where he said he'd kill the brother, he should have hit him.

assaulting someone in their own house never ends well , did all he could