Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Normal People’ on Hulu, An Alluring Love Story About Two Magnetic Young Adults in Ireland

Normal People is the new Hulu series, adapted from the bestselling novel of the same name by author Sally Rooney, about Marianne and Connell, two young adults in Ireland. The story follows the ups and downs of their relationship over the course of their high school and college years as they are on/off friends and lovers continually drawn towards each other. Room director Lenny Abrahamson serves as director of the first six episodes with Hettie Macdonald taking the back half of the 12-episode half-hour drama series. 

Normal People: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: We see the back of high school student Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) as she walks quickly down the hallway at school, her hair in a tight french braid. She’s serious and quiet, and has likely been described as “mousey” before, as she opens her locker. Connell (Paul Mescal) and his football-loving bros stand nearby talking sports. They pay attention to a pretty blonde girl named Rachel, but don’t even register that Marianne is in their vicinity. The hierarchy of this school is very clear already and we are just about one minute into the show.

The Gist: Marianne is sassy and smart and comes from a family with money, so when she’s sent to the principal’s office, she decides to bypass that step altogether and head home for the day. Connell is an affable jock who is not-so-secretly also very smart but not a show-off, and his mother happens to be the housekeeper for Marianne’s family. So when he stops by to pick his mom up from work, he gets to chatting with Marianne in the study of her home. The two have so far been acquaintances at best, but moving forward, the two begin to act on the inexplicable draw they feel towards each other, and the story follows them through the intense, heartbreaking, sexy, and emotional beats of their relationship, throughout high school and college. From keeping it a secret to some personality role reversals to triumphs and losses along the way, the bond between these two average people remains extraordinary.

Our Take: It would be wise to watch this show now as it’s sure to end up on a lot of Best Of lists by the end of the year. There’s a reason the book was so popular: this story will connect with any heart in comes in contact with. Edgar-Jones and Mescal are perfect in the leading roles here, doing more than justice to the characters so many people have already fallen in love with in their heads.

But the show brings a new dimension to this story, making it even more intimate. The way the series is shot, with an abundance of closeups (on faces, expressions, hands, and various other body parts) makes you feel as though you are IN this story with these two people. Not only is the love story beautiful, but so is the way it’s presented on screen, and is done so in a fashion that only allows viewers to feel all the feelings with more intensity.

Sex and Skin: Yes! Well, almost. I suppose this is a light yet expected spoiler for those that haven’t read the book, but when Connell stops by Marianne’s house one day to pick up his mom, they totally kiss. It’s very sweet and seems to surprise them even though they both wanted it to happen. So much so that he comes back another day, when his mom isn’t even there and with no excuse except for that he simply needs to get at those lips yet again. This one is much more charged, and even has Marianne asking, “Can we take our clothes off?” He tells her, “No, not here,” and even though they kiss some more and he again tells her they cannot get naked at this time. Instead, he invites her over on Saturday when he’ll be home alone. Before he leaves he confirms, “So you’ll come on Saturday,” and like, yeah she will! Without giving too much away, if you’re looking for a show with incredibly romantic sex and skin and maybe even a little full-frontal action, keep watching.

Parting Shot: The last scene of the episodes is what happens above, as Connell leaves his classmate’s home and has both her and us VERY eagerly awaiting their next interaction. Oohwee, give us more of these steamy make-out sessions, please!

Sleeper Star: While Mescal is one of the leads here, he’s going to be a fun surprise new crush for millions of viewers. Most of his professional acting experience so far comes from theater productions and Normal People serves as his first major TV role but most certainly not his last. He is incredible the way he gives into this role, and it’s one that will certainly launch him onto just as many Hollywood lists as it does phone screen wallpapers.

Most Pilot-y Line: Much of the dialogue is drawn right from the novel, but just as it establishes the characters in the book, it’s also effective here. In a quiet hallway at school, Marianne tells Connell, “I know you probably hate me but you’re the only person that actually talks to me.”

“I never said that I hated you,” he replies, and she then tells him, “Well, I like you.” You go girl, sharing those feelings!

Later, during their first exchange at her house after she compliments him on his match, she tells him, “I can be nice.”

“I know you can,” he responds. “You know, the way you are in school, I don’t think you’re like that really,” he says, which lays the groundwork for these two to move past the small talk.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Few shows have given me the feelings this one has, and even if you don’t fall quite as deep as I have, it’s a brilliant love story told with beautiful filmmaking and I’d bet you’re just as drawn to this story as Connell and Marianne are to each other.

Where to stream Normal People