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

Tork

She's waif thin and flat chested - not that I am criticising her for either. I'm just stating a fact. She will continue to have the so-called body of a developing teenager for years to come if she stays at her current weight. Some people really are reading too much into the actors' ages and looks. On the one hand, we've got people who think it's borderline paedophilia and other think the male lead is the same age as his on-screen mother. The programme makers can't win, it would appear. The series spans a few years of the characters' lives and after a while, those secondary school episodes feel like they're a long way away. Would having inexperienced, baby-faced 17 year olds work then? We should be glad that the people who made this series cast two very talented young actors who had already gained acting experience in their chosen profession.

gp1990

Going to go against the grain (it seems) and actually praise the casting

Every character in the series is truly believable imo and very well portrayed.

Even though they're minor enough roles, Aislin McGuckin plays the role of the rich and pompous mother really well and the actor playing Alan really portrays the dark nature of his character excellently. Sarah Greene is excellent as his mother also

Jamie's actor is brilliant also - he really makes the character so unlikable,

I'm surprised the actor playing Niall didn't just get up and punch him himself in the Italian episode!!

In fact every character from Trinity is portrayed really well, it really is like actually being a student there.

RocketRaccoon

I can't wait to read the ridiculous opinions when people in this thread see all the episodes, the teacher scene especially.

take everything

Watched the second episode there.
Apart from the later sex scenes being unnecessary, i thought it was really good.
But it did establish a real intimacy.
It's very realistic if nothing else.

The CAO, the mates in the car etc, the school banter etc.

The relationship between Marianne and her mother is really interesting.
I thought the mother was just a bitch in the first episode, but there's obviously more to it than that.
The way Marianne's brother walked out when he saw any change in dynamic between them was very well done.
These kinds of subtleties are great.

Enjoying it so far.

AndrewJRenko

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

The Ken Russell TV series Lady Chatterley, with Sean Bean and Joely Richardson, was much more raunchy and risque than this show, and that was shown on the BBC over 25 years ago. It baffles me how even an older demographic could be bothered about what they've seen on this programme. If you're in your seventies today, then you would have been in your forties when that was shown. Maybe people just naturally become prudes as they get older.

I'd guess a big part of the current controversy relates to the age of the characters, being literally schoolkids at the outset at least.

Welcome to the real world, caller.

Andrew00 wrote: »

All young lads have in their mind is getting their micky sucked behind the bins at school

That's all this show is. Tripe

Don't assume everyone else operates at your own level.

Sardonicat

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

I'd guess a big part of the current controversy relates to the age of the characters, being literally schoolkids at the outset at least.

Welcome to the real world, caller.



Don't assume everyone else operates at your own level.

That are at school. They are not kids, though.
Perhaps the show highlights how long overdue it is to stop treating LC students like babies.

Muahahaha

Watched about 15 minutes of Ep1 when it was on last Tuesday and switched off as I didnt think it was for me. Then it was on repeat again at the weekend and I watched it and Ep2, glad I did because I thought then it was very good and beautifully filmed. Looking forward to tonights two episodes.

RobertKK

So it is basically about a boy who treats a girl badly because he is embarrassed by her, despite sleeping together a number of times and saying he has feelings for her.

Zeek12

wakka12 wrote: »

Theyre 21 and 24 and look every year of it both of them, wouldn't believe either was under 18. The boy especially looks closer to 30 and 18

Was just thinking the same last night about the Connell character.

The actress playing his Mum also looks waay too young. The Mother/Son scenes between them look a bit odd, even though both actors are very good.

Purple Mountain

RobertKK wrote: »

So it is basically about a boy who treats a girl badly because he is embarrassed by her, despite sleeping together a number of times and saying he has feelings for her.

In a nut shell but there's much more than that explored. Class division, peer pressure, social isolation, mental health, identity etc.
Give it a go

Tork

RobertKK wrote: »

So it is basically about a boy who treats a girl badly because he is embarrassed by her, despite sleeping together a number of times and saying he has feelings for her.

That's like someone listening to two tracks on an album and declaring they know what the entire record sounds like.

RobertKK

Tork wrote: »

That's like someone listening to two tracks on an album and declaring they know what the entire record sounds like.

After I had posted that, the mother of the boy summed it up the exact same way.

Beechwoodspark

The connel guy looks ludicrous in the school uniform.


There's a Kildare saying -as auld as the hills

He is 24 apparently but could pass for 30.

Tork

RobertKK wrote: »

After I had posted that, the mother of the boy summed it up the exact same way.

The mother of what boy?

Yellow_Fern

This show is so boring.

RobertKK

Tork wrote: »

The mother of what boy?

Connell.

Beechwoodspark

Connel mother is mis cast. Too young by about twenty years. The show loses so much credibility due to stuff like this.

Tork

RobertKK wrote: »

Connell.

I see.

RobertKK

Purple Mountain wrote: »

In a nut shell but there's much more than that explored. Class division, peer pressure, social isolation, mental health, identity etc.
Give it a go

I was summing up what I had seen so far.

take everything

The Berkley!

Beechwoodspark

bcklschaps wrote: »

Connell (Paul Mescal) looks old enough to be dating the character that plays his mom in the series. How come he is soo old/she is soo young?.

Its like watching American high school dramas like Beverly Hills 90210 .... Where Jason Priestly and Luke Perry were clearly over 30 ...but were still in high school.

This is it.

When I first saw it I assumed he was infiltrating the school as an older man in his late 20s for plot reasons then I realized that no, we are supposed to suspend all judgement and pretend he is 17 or something

take everything

Mam's got herself a new man herself.
Plottwist!

Pythagorean

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

The Ken Russell TV series Lady Chatterley, with Sean Bean and Joely Richardson, was much more raunchy and risque than this show, and that was shown on the BBC over 25 years ago. It baffles me how even an older demographic could be bothered about what they've seen on this programme. If you're in your seventies today, then you would have been in your forties when that was shown. Maybe people just naturally become prudes as they get older.

Yes, and I remember Casanova, a BBC series in the 70s, that had Mary Whitehouse all worked up. BBC Play for today back in the 60s was fairly explicit at times, too. How come there have been no complaints about the smoking/drinking/bad language on Normal People yet ? I'm waiting to hear a gripe about social distancing from the perpetually offended next. :rolleyes:

olestoepoke

"The world is full of whingers and moaners" Roy Keane

This is an excellent show. Music is great, camera work is excellent and the acting is really good. The story although a bit soppy felt like a trip down memory lane a very nostalgic experience that I think Irish people would appreciate more so. Stop nitpicking and enjoy or just turn it off and move on.

2ndcoming

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Connel mother is mis cast. Too young by about twenty years. The show loses so much credibility due to stuff like this.

Her performance is good but she is about 12 years older than Conal in real life.

I've no issue with the ages of the other two. Theyre young adults, playing young adults. It's hardly Dylan McKay in high school at 30

Purple Mountain

2ndcoming wrote: »

Her performance is good but she is about 12 years older than Conal in real life.

I've no issue with the ages of the other two. Theyre young adults, playing young adults. It's hardly Dylan McKay in high school at 30

I don't agree about Sarah Greenes casting.
The point is she acts the part of a mom to a teenager.
It's realistic she could be a young looking mom, after all, she supposedly had Connell as a teenager herself.
But the chemistry between them, you would easily believe she is his mother.

Beechwoodspark

Clichéd pretentious tripe

take everything

Hope Sandoval
Cool

Sebastian Dangerfield

I dont think Sarah Greene even looked especially young in it, she looked a tired and old 35. She hardly looked like she did in Dublin Murders; they aged her and she looked like a woman who worked hard and struggled all her life as a single parent. I dont see any issue with it at all.

As for Mescal, he would be 22/23 at the end of the story, and he's 24 IRL. Not sure why people are getting so annoyed about this.

Thargor

Cant believe the amount of whingers in here, this is the most realistic drama about young Irish people ever filmed, pity the secondary school stuff was only 2 eps long, I had a lump in my throat watching it it was so close to the bone for someone who went to secondary school out Wesht, could have watched a whole series of that. She's too good looking as an actress though, its not faithful to the book and causes issues, same as the Maid of Tarth in Game of Thrones books vs the show.