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Season 1 – Normal People

Play trailer 1:36 Poster for Season 1 – Normal People Apr 2020 Drama Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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91% Tomatometer 91 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Marianne and Connell come from different backgrounds but the same small town in Ireland, weaving in and out of each other's romantic lives.

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Normal People — Season 1

Normal People — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

Anchored by Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal's vulnerable performances, Normal People is at once intimate and illuminating, beautifully translating the nuances of its source material.

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Critics Reviews

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Megan McCluskey TIME Magazine May 24, 2023
The 12-episode limited series powerfully captures the angst and intensity of young love as the pair each navigates their respective struggles with friendships, trauma, and mental health. Go to Full Review Shubhra Gupta The Indian Express Dec 30, 2020
From an adult, done-and-dusted perspective, it takes you back to your own time when youth stretched endlessly, and not talking to someone who mattered the most could be a silly choice of your own making. Go to Full Review Scott Bryan BBC.com Jul 15, 2020
It is just so brilliantly done in every single way: from the way it is formed and shot, to the acting and the chemistry. It feels as if you're watching a real relationship unfold on screen. Go to Full Review Serena Seghedoni Loud and Clear Reviews Oct 22, 2023
4.5/5
It's the authenticity of the relationship we watch grow on the screen that makes this unique love story so believable, with characters made even more relatable by the fragile balance of the world they live in. Go to Full Review Lorrie Moore The New York Review of Books Jan 20, 2022
These first-rate actors seamlessly, and with great chemistry and concentration, inhabit their characters, and the confident, hypnotic camerawork helps move the narrative along while also knowing when to linger. Go to Full Review Paul M. Bradshaw NME (New Musical Express) Apr 23, 2021
5/5
Expectations might be high, but no one needs to worry. If this really is the only BBC drama we get this year, at least it's a good one. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Olivia H @Livvy_h Sep 24, 2026 I loved this show! It's one of those rare adaptations that really captures the feeling of the book. Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones feel exactly right as Connell and Marianne, and their chemistry makes the whole thing feel incredibly real. Quiet, frustrating and heartbreaking in the best way. See more Brooke S @Brookespears Sep 23, 2026 One of the rawest, most intuitive, and intelligent depictions of a preserved love I’ve ever seen on screen. See more EM D @RT05204195 Sep 17, 2026 Such a refreshing cinematic experience compared to some of the love series being released lately. It is so captivating, you don’t want to miss one line. I can’t believe it took me 6 years to see it for the first time. Will definitely be rewatching. 10/10. See more Amelia B @amelia.bennet1 Aug 25, 2026 So utterly incredible! The acting, the pacing, the heartbreak and the immense love. I loved everything about this show. See more Logan R @RT30853336 Jul 25, 2026 Someone went into my brain and pulled every insecurity I have and put it into Marianne. I feel so connected to her. “I’d have done anything you’d wanted me to” hmmm I’ve unironically said that.  See more Yug J @RT58193026 Jul 14, 2026 It's one best shows I've ever seen. The Dialogues are so sharp and the entire story feels so personal. I'm not emotional person but this show had me feeling a lot of emotions. Hats off to the writers and the performers. See more Read all reviews
Normal People — Season 1

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Lenny Abrahamson

Director

Hettie MacDonald

Director

Daisy Edgar-Jones

Marianne

Paul Mescal

Connell

Eliot Salt

Joanna

India Mullen

Peggy

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Apr 26, 2020 Episode 1 An attraction sparks between Connell and Marianne when he comes to collect his mother who works at Marianne's house; a deep connection grows between the two teenagers, one they cannot stop but are determined to conceal from their peers. Details Episode 2 Aired Apr 26, 2020 Episode 2 Connell and Marianne's relationship continues in secret, and they sleep together for the first time; Connell makes excuses to his friends, while Marianne must find a way to explain her absences to her brother, Alan. Details Episode 3 Aired Apr 26, 2020 Episode 3 Connell offers Marianne a lift home from an event; Connell becomes anxious when his friends tease him about Marianne, suspecting they've guessed about their relationship and makes an unexpected decision that hurts her. Details Episode 4 Aired Apr 26, 2020 Episode 4 At Trinity College, Connell goes to a party, where he feels intimidated by the fashionable crowd; Connell's classmate, Gareth, offers to introduce him to someone else he knows from Sligo, and he comes face to face with an unexpected guest. Details Episode 5 Aired Apr 26, 2020 Episode 5 Connell and Marianne start socializing as friends in Dublin; Marianne is still dating Gareth, but her interest in him starts to fade; she eventually finishes things with Gareth and makes a drunken pass at Connell. Details Episode 6 Aired Apr 26, 2020 Episode 6 Connell and Marianne are back together; Connell is reluctant to show Marianne affection in front of her friends; things take a turn when Marianne argues with her brother, and Connell loses the part-time job that funds his life in Dublin. Details Episode 7 Aired Apr 26, 2020 Episode 7 Connell is mugged and goes to Marianne's house, where he sees he has interrupted a party, which includes Jamie; Connell reveals he's seeing someone new, and Marianne bursts into tears; they discuss the misunderstanding that led to their breakup. Details Episode 8 Aired Apr 26, 2020 Episode 8 Connell and Niall arrive at Marianne's family house in Italy; the chemistry between Connell and Marianne causes friction with Jamie; Connell and Marianne talk and almost kiss, but she puts a stop to it before it goes any further. Details Episode 9 Aired Apr 26, 2020 Episode 9 Marianne is on a student exchange program in Sweden; she is in a relationship with a photographer; word of Marianne's sex life makes its way back to Dublin; Connell is upset by the gossip and worries about Marianne being on her own in Sweden. Details Episode 10 Aired Apr 26, 2020 Episode 10 Struggling with the emotional fallout of Rob's death, Connell's mental health deteriorates, and he ends his relationship with Helen; through counseling and Marianne's friendship, Connell begins to see a way forward. Details Episode 11 Aired Apr 26, 2020 Episode 11 Marianne returns to Carricklea for the summer; she and Connell spend their weekends together; after Marianne and Connell end up in bed together, she makes a request of him that upsets him; he refuses, and she leaves, ashamed. Details Episode 12 Aired Apr 26, 2020 Episode 12 Marianne and Connell are back in Dublin and together as a couple; Connell receives news that he has been offered a place to study in New York; neither of them know how to process the news. Details

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Normal People — Season 1

Normal People: Season 1 Featurette - Bringing the Book to Life Normal People: Season 1 Featurette - Bringing the Book to Life 3:16 Now Playing Normal People: Season 1 Featurette - Creating Intimacy Normal People: Season 1 Featurette - Creating Intimacy 2:52 Now Playing Normal People: Season 1 Trailer Normal People: Season 1 Trailer 1:36 Now Playing Normal People: Season 1 Teaser Normal People: Season 1 Teaser 1:21 Now Playing View more videos
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Normal People — Season 1

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Season Info

Director
Lenny Abrahamson, Hettie MacDonald
Executive Producer
Emma Norton
Screenwriter
Alice Birch, Sally Rooney
Network
IPLAYER
Rating
TV-MA
Genre
Drama, Romance
Original Language
British English
Release Date
Apr 26, 2020
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