TV shows we love: Normal People

by Peter Michael

I discovered Irish mini-series Normal People one day this summer sitting at home channel flicking.

Although the show has an unassuming name, the story is excellent as you follow Marianne and Connell through their years at secondary school and later Trinity college. Love unites them and then they are divided as life constantly gets in the way and both have unresolved personal issues they only share with each other as the issues come to their climax.

It is great depiction of the way human relationships are generally formed, and how they flow throughout life, as the show’s theme involves a constant distancing and then returning to each other.

Moments in life bring people closer together even if they are far apart. Nothing says this more than when Marianne stays on Skype all night in Sweden, while Connell is processing the death of one of his secondary school mates in Sligo.

Their story is also a love story, but it is not the typical love story, as they start off just as friends with benefits, fall in love for a while at Trinity, break up again, date other people, and then ultimately end up together.

Although they ultimately end up together it is only to be pushed apart, as Connell travels abroad.

It is an emotional series, which takes you on a journey through the time line of these two people, and how they develop over their years at college, through their relationships with other people, be they friends, family members, or other lovers.

Normal People was one of my top shows for this year, even though it is a limited series, because it really captures the lives of these two people well.

If you have time to watch a mini-series, even binge watch it if you can, I highly recommend this show, as it will leave you wanting more, but also satisfy your needs.

 

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