Normal People - BBC3 [SPOILER ALERT ADDED BY MNHQ]

[Lockdownlife]

Anyone watching the TV adaptation of Sally Rooney's 'Normal People' on iPlayer?

I've watched it again! You can tell we are on lockdown!

I am also on my second viewing of it.

Connels mother is amazing. The scene where she gets him to pull over was brilliantly done.

Yes I thought that too.

Urgh, Jamie. What a fucking prick.

Love the cover of Love Will Tear Us Apart at the end of episode 8.

While I get that Marianne had a terrible lack of self worth and which manifested in being dominated /mistreated by men, I didn’t get why she made no attempt to stop Jamies behaviour at the dinner table in Italy. She was very opinionated at school, part of the debating society at uni etc she even told Lucas when she’d had enough. The Italy ep really frustrates me.

I am loving it. Reminding me of my first boyfriend who I loved so much, and who was like Connell insofar as he mumbled and didn't say much but had beautiful blue eyes. I thought he was so deep, and would spend days imagining what he may have meant by each glance. OH the intensity of young love. It's bringing all of those feelings and emotions back to me after 35 years ago .
By the way, Marianne was interviewed on Women's Hour, she is English but her ma is Irish, so she said the accent was always in her. Also they had an intimacy coach, and her and Connell are great mates. Am up to episode 6, and trying not to rush it.

I didn’t get why she made no attempt to stop Jamies behaviour at the dinner table in Italy.

I presumed she was either scared of him or just didn't want to be confrontational, much like she didn't really confront her brother either despite him being horrid.

Littleshortcake because Connell is subject to peer pressure and he is emotionally immature. That's why he asked Rachel to the dance, to prove to his "mates" that there was nothing going on with Marianne. And he's not brave enough to tell them the truth. And now that haunts him. Suddenly he's out of his depth.

I think in Italy with Jamie they had by then established a Dom/sub relationship and she was always aware of his inferiority complex so she was playing a bit of a role and maybe even wanted to expose him by giving him enough rope with Connell playing the hero and saving her.

What do you think it is that we all like about it sooo much?

Where do I start?!

• Likeable main characters
• The intensity of first love

-The frustration and confusion brought about by miscommunication -The power of peer pressure -Difficulty 'growing up' and leaving home towns behind

• Not knowing what's path to take in life

-The sadness of loss/grief -Family conflict

• Class division

-Bewilderment and fear

I would add dysfunctional families and the effect of growing up in one
The effects of domestic abuse
The pain of being an outsider
The acting is fantastic and it’s beautifully shot
Social mobility and the role of education
The power of social conditioning to influence lives

I thought the scenes with Connell and the counsellor were so good

Me too Roses.
He's a brilliant actor.

Yes to everything on your list too Roses !

The list so far...can anyone add to it?

Likeable main characters

The intensity of first love

The frustration and confusion brought about by miscommunication

The power of peer pressure

Difficulty 'growing up' and leaving home towns behind

Not knowing what's path to take in life

The sadness of loss/grief

Family conflict

Class division

Bewilderment and fear

Dysfunctional families and the effect of growing up in one

The effects of domestic abuse

The pain of being an outsider

The acting is fantastic and it’s beautifully shot

Social mobility and the role of education

The power of social conditioning to influence lives

I would say not just first love but... love.
True love is represented very well between Connell and Marianne. That's the rub of their poor communication..they cant always talk very well but they get each other.

They keep coming back to it again and again... that thing where they keep saying "it's not like this with the others" when they are in bed. That isn't because it's first love. It's because they're supposed to truly get each other.

In my opinion.

Now. Where is my Connall?

Does the book explain why, when Connell tells Marianne he's lost his job so will have to go home for the summer, they both think the other is saying they want to see other people?

I've not read the book but I think in the series what he says and what she hears are 2 different things. So when they show it from his perspective he says something like I assume you'll want to see other people and when it's from her perspective he says we can see other people. Not exact wording but I remember thinking that's not what he said.*
*
It reminded me very much of the old classics like sense and sensibility where there's so much misunderstanding going on.

You'd think even if they struggle to talk sometimes that she'd have text him after he left and said "do you really want to see other people, you arsehole" but maybe that's just me 😁

I can only watch the first four episodes here and in keep watching clips on YouTube. I cant stop thinking about it. It's so touching. I loved my uni years but I never knew who I was either. Came from a very working class background and didn't fit in sometimes I felt. Also my heart breaks I never had that true love thing. I have a strong marriage but not of of the passion and depth they have. Blurting out my whole life story here but I think that's why I love it. It resonates (plus Connell is so so sexy)

What is the point if it ? Genuinely .. I watched the first two episodes but it seemed really dull.. is there a point to it ?

oohnicevase
I'm glad I'm not alone.
I don't know what the hype is all about. I just saw two episodes too.

I think it depends on whether you’ve ever had that sort of relationship yourself perhaps. For many of us it strikes a cord.

What sort of relationship though? What happens ? I can't work out where it's heading! 🤷‍♀️

Persevere, I watched 2 episodes and then gave up and watched something else, I then went back to it and week or so later and watched all the rest in 2 days, absolutely loved it.

Watch it ooh I wouldn’t know where most bbc dramas are ‘going’ a couple of eps in and we can’t really tell you on here incase we spoil this compelling story. If you don’t like it you only wasted 4 hours!

I've just read up on it , still sounds dull. I might go back to it though.

Give it a couple more episodes, it took me about 4 until I got into it. I'm glad I went back to it, I'm missing it now I've finished it, and I'm trying to get into The Last Kingdom but not convinced yet 😁