AIBU to think ‘Normal People’ is just a bit....shit?

[Returnofangeldelight]

Honestly, everyone has been raving about it, especially during lockdown so last week I thought I’d give it a go.

I’m now watching episode 9 and in all honesty, I’m just sat here bored of Marianne’s sulky, miserable face and bored of all the drama and angst about absolutely nothing?!

I know there’s a few episodes left so I’m really hoping something actually HAPPENS, otherwise it really is 12 episodes of hardly anything happening?

AIBU? What am I missing? (No spoilers please)

I was very much in two minds about it; in some ways as a 40 something mum of two, thought it was a bit over hyped, and not much happened, although some of the characters were clearly a bit dickish, and clearly added that up the dynamic, but on the other hand, put myself back 20 years ago to my late teens and early 20s, uni years, and could identify with it much more.

@Mrhodgeymaheg

I really liked it and didn't expect to. I do tend to like more gentler plodding programmes though. I'm not really into action, murder and depressing crap, so for me it was different in a good way, but I guess if you like something fast paced with a battle thrown in somewhere, it would have been a bit frustrating.

I think the point of the show is young love being confusing and not communicating with each other, or knowing what you want at that age, so it does get annoying with them being so on and off.

I'm not bothered about there being a battle but I do tend to want to like a character or two or even, you know, ANYTHING to happen

And that RTE sketch is 👌😂

Watch the little youtube clip I posted @Returnofangeldelight
They really nailed it

@blinkandumissit

I haven't watched it yet but heard good things.

This sounds like Skins though, but set at uni instead of college years?

Christ no. Skins is far more exciting. Skins was out when I was the same age of the characters and it makes me nostalgic now to watch it.

This is just introspective, pretentious and wanky. The main characters need their heads knocking together.

Oh crossed posts. Yep it really captured them perfectly

Loved loved loved it. You are very wrong, OP, but I won't hold it against you.

Thank god I've found my people. Book = boring, boring, poorly written drivel and did zI mention, very, very boring. Finished it (I read a lot, I love reading, I'll read anything) and thought "there's x hours of my life I will never get back"

Read all the excitement and glowing reviews of the TV show. Watched a few episodes and thought what the actual fuck have I just watched? Paint dry? It's even worse than the book.

Thank you mumsnet for restoring my faith in (a bit of) humanity. It's utter shite and drivel.

Loved it, have watched it twice and would watch it over again. I’m mid-30s if that means anything but was quite prone to that melodramatic relationship in my late teens/early 20s. Even did the falling asleep with the webcam thing on cringe Connell’s description of how he felt university life would be vs the reality was so close to the bone that I found it painful to watch.

Watched it vicariously as OH loved it and I could have merrily shot the pair of them.

Amazing by the way that the magic sheet that covered up the men bits never reached her chest. You'd have thought that one day the magic sheet would learn to do this.

Yanbu I watched it all but it was... meh.

Yep. I watched it and was underwhelmed!

@Marriedtoapenguin there was at least one scene where his limp, spent penis was in view for easily long enough to think, “goodness, are they actually showing his penis this time? Yes, yes they are. Well there’s a change.”

You’re right that the tit time was far greater though!

I found it a bit uncomfortable too. I didn't like her take on life and relationships. Last couple of episodes were the worst. But it was something to watch I guess.

I don't know. Marianne initiated the relationship after watching him play sport, she made it clear that it was a physical thing, and iirc, it was she that suggested no one should find out. I think he took her at face value, she wanted a sexual relationship with him, i am not sure he realised she developed feelings for him, not in the early days anyway. Yes he was popular, but she was smarter than him and better off financially. He was very unsure of himself, always afraid that he would lose his popularity, while she always seemed sure of herself. (Which of course was a facade). He often told her that he loved her, i don't think she ever said it back. Even though she often said she would do anything for him, he couldn't ask her if he could stay with her when he needed lodgings for the summer. He never really knew how she felt. Just my thoughts.

I thought his crying with the counsellor was moving, and well acted.

The bit where her brother squeezed the sponge over her head and her mother just ignored it... that I found powerful. My brother (and mother 🙄) were similar, and the humiliation of such an act - just a bit of water - is very accurate, and made uncomfortable but therefore fascinating viewing for me.

So there were moments.

But as I said above: enough with the sex already. I even get them putting a lot of sex in as important to the pull between the characters. So have sex a lot. But don’t show it for minutes on end, all the time.

Late 30s. Friend of mine raved about it. Then I started seeing it raved about in the media, so thought I better watch it so I didn't miss out. Basically, I thought it was utterly shite and felt robbed of hours of my life. Literally nothing of any note actually happened. I kept watching until the end, as I assumed it must get better, or something important must happen. Nope.

Despite my complaints about there being too much sex and just too many unlikely misunderstandings, I did really like the ending!

They couldn’t just live happily ever after, that would have been crap. I’m glad that they were shown to have been strong enough to do healthy things on their own. Enough of a possibility they’d end up together if you really like there kind of twee ending, but perfect demonstration that someone who is so important at that age can actually just fade out of your life through circumstances. I did find that very real, and although in the moment I thought, “seriously - that’s it?!”, as I started to think, “but they should have ended it like...” I realised that actually, I didn’t have a better ending for it.

I couldn't get over the fact that he was doing English and a writer but barely said a thing of meaning to her?! Just tell her something to make her realise you give a shit!!!! Argh!

But...Connell though 😍

My 80 year old Mum recommended it and said she binge watched it. I thought she was crazy until I finally watched it - all 12 episodes in a row.

It was amazing and Paul Mescal is LUSH (but younger than my kids )

Hated the book. Watched one episode of the series and hated it too.

The quote below is pinched from a comment on The Guardian's television review and applies equally to the book.

Haven't felt so crushingly bored waiting for something to happen to some teenagers I couldn't care less about since the Blair Witch Project

Connor and Marianne are tedious beyond words. Connor looks like an Easter Island stone head but with less personality.

@Midsommar

But...Connell though 😍

Is deeply, deeply unattractive, both in looks and personality

I absolutely agree, was bored stiff by it especially after everyone around me was raving about it. Snoozeville

I think Paul Mescal is very ordinary looking, he looks just like some of my son's friends. Seems a nice fella though.