Back in 2024, Scottish writer and comedian Richard Gadd rocketed to fame with his Netflix drama, “Baby Reindeer.” It exploded onto the scene, winning praises and heaps of awards, and ended up becoming one of the streamer’s most-watched shows of all time (though it has since slipped from that list).
Tom’s Guide Verdict: “Half Man”
- Rating: 2/5 stars
- Verdict: “Half Man” is an unrelenting drama that I think requires real perseverance to work through. A combination of unlikeable characters and layers of trauma and an inevitable central story render it a chore to get through.”
- Premiere date/time: 9 p.m. ET, April 23 / April 24 (UK)
- Where to watch: HBO Max (US) / BBC iPlayer (UK)
Having streamed the series in advance of its release, I am reticent to recommend it, as I do not believe “Half Man” is a compelling follow-up to Gadd’s breakout hit — you can read my “Half Bad” review below to find out why.
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What is ‘Half Man’ about?
Half Man | Official Trailer | HBO Max – YouTube
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— Half Man | Official Trailer | HBO Max
“Half Man” centers on Niall and Ruben, two polar opposite men who form a tight bond. Niall (Jamie Bell/Mitchell Robertson) is reserved and quiet; Ruben (Richard Gadd/Stuart Campbell) is loyal and fierce.
In the present day, Ruben arrives at Niall’s wedding, and after an explosion of violence on what should be the happiest day of the latter’s life, we’re taken back through their lives, from their meeting in the eighties through to now, as the series captures everything that they’ve gone through and what brought them to this point.
In addition to the above names, “Half Man” also stars Neve McIntosh, Marianne McIvor, Charlie De Melo, Bilal Hasna, Julie Cullen, Anjli Mohindra, and Tim Downie (among others).
‘Half Man’ is unrelenting and mired in misery
(Image credit: BBC/Mam Tor Productions/Anne Binckebanck)
I want to stress that I’m not averse to art exploring difficult topics, but I really struggled with “Half Man.” That isn’t just because it confronts topics like toxic masculinity, male violence, sexuality and shame head-on, though; it’s just that the show is concerned only with ruminating on these things and piling up more and more traumatic moments and events.
In the pursuit of examining the brothers’ tumultuous lives and bond, it subjects us to six hours’ worth of discomfort. It is relentlessly bleak, violent and brutal. We’re just watching their woes unfold across the decades, running up to the confrontation at Niall’s wedding. Across the series, the pair are wrung out and spiral, and we are simply along for the ride. It feels designed to aim for provocation, but the drama just isn’t compelling; I didn’t want to learn more about them, I just wanted their story to be over.
The actors at the center of it all do turn in powerful performances — Jamie Bell impresses, and Gadd’s Ruben is certainly an intimidating presence — but they’re let down by unsubtle dialogue (an on-the-nose musing on their “Jekyll and Hyde” nature and some of the most dramatic exchanges between our brothers stood out to me) and the fact that most of the characters we spend a meaningful amount of time with are just so unpleasant to be around.
(Image credit: Anne Binckebanck/HBO)
While I concede that my reaction to the show is at least proof that “Half Man” is provocative in one sense, the labored route we take to the show’s inevitable ending — the present-day saga forecasts what will happen, and then we just have six hours of drama to sit through to get there — and the ceaseless misery of it all just makes “Half Man” difficult to recommend. It may be affecting, but it’s anything but compelling.
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I feel it’s important to note that “Half Man” has been divisive; some felt similar to me, but the show has found some fans (it earned a rave review from The Guardian, for example). Evidently, there are viewers out there who found the “Half Man” viewing experience enriching — I’m just not one of them.
Had I not been watching the show for review, I’m confident I wouldn’t have continued to watch till the very end, and by the time I saw where the story ends, I really wasn’t convinced that persevering was truly worth it. Thus, I wouldn’t feel comfortable recommending it to others, either.
“Half Man” premieres on HBO Max at 9 p.m. ET on April 23. New episodes premiere Thursdays through to the series finale on May 28. Viewers in the UK can watch the series on BBC iPlayer.
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