A Normal Man’s Take On Normal People: A Review
(And Semi-conscious Projection)
I finally sat down this week to binge Normal People; the hit show that made Phoebe Bridgers eventually cheat on Paul Mescal. Entering with nothing more than an American romanticized ignorance to the quips and cultural differences of the Irish dating scene, I took away a common theme from my first surface-level watch through.
The first couple of episodes do little more than set up the tragic love story of Paul Mescal’s character, Connell Waldron, and Daisy Edgar-Jones’ character, Marianne Sheridan. Let’s be real. The show starts after they leave for Trinity. This point I think should be clearly and unequivocally stated up front.
That doesn’t mean that these episodes aren’t important! So, before you start bitching at me for not swooning over the beginning of each of the character’s arcs, just know I understand the importance of setting a scene to have the audience later relate (or cry in most instances) to the trials and tribulations that follow during the later episodes. I simply have no time for the attempt by the writers to have Paul and Daisy charm and seduce me, I need narrative and plot progression.
“So, what the fuck is this theme you took away from this great fucking show? I didn’t come here for a recap Jack; I came here for your expertise and revolutionary revelations on the topic of young love in Ireland!”
Well-articulated faithful reader! The theme I took away from the show was one that wasn’t fully developed until I finished the last episode. It was at this point that I began to think to myself, “Holy shit. Every conversation is just one more question or statement away from resolving so much heartbreak and pain.” “What if you just asked her to stay at her flat over the Summer?” “Why do you think this can’t work? you live three hours away from Trinity!” “Why are both of you so cool with talking about your current sex life with other partners?”
I carried this opinion until the very last episode, as both grow so much, exhibited by the little things. Connell touching her in public and the slow revelation as to why they suffer from their independent emotional deficiencies culminates when they confess their love to each other on New Year’s in Brennan’s pub. And you think to yourself. “There we go! Emotional growth! No way this ends badly!”
Then comes the very last scene where they sit opposite each other, hugging their own knees, and Connell promises that after his year abroad in New York, he’s coming right back for her. Her response changed my entire opinion of the lack of emotional communication throughout the series. “Don’t promise that. You don’t know where either of us will be. Or what will happen.” SHIT. DAMN. I can’t remember a time where in the last scene of a series, my entire mindset changed about something so quickly. The lack of emotional intelligence exhibited by Connell and Marianne is immediately justified, but not through fear of the unknown, but by the acceptance of it.
The payoff of this last scene cannot be understated. You go through a whole show just shaking your head and yelling at the TV at how so many situations could be solved with more open communication. And finally, just when you think they’ve finally figured it the fuck out and they will be open and honest with each other, they are! But, in doing so, we, the viewers, receive the complete opposite result that we hoped for.
Doesn’t that suck? I would argue not. The expected payoff of going through turmoil of any kind in one’s life is usually a reward of some kind. That’s why the theme of the growth of their communication is so special because you don’t get the payoff you want as a viewer; you get the exact opposite. That is why the show is so memorable. If they figured it all out and continued having sex every day for the rest of their lives, I think I would’ve missed true takeaway, chalked it up as “huh pretty good show,” never forced to confront the true unfairness of growth. Whether you felt disappointed or captured by a curiosity for the futures of our two lovers, one thing we know for certain is that these two finally resolved the fatal flaws that seemed to doom their romance.