In 2024, Baby Reindeer hit Netflix, shocking audiences the world over.
A heartbreaking black comedy based on Richard Gadd’s one-man show, the series followed a comedian whose life was ruined by an obsessed stalker.
Now, though Gadd’s second TV series, Half Man, has dropped on BBC iPlayer and HBO Max, and it might be even more shocking than the first series.
Half Man follows estranged ‘brothers’ Reuben (Gadd) and Niall (Jamie Bell)across three decades, while exploring their volatile and intimate relationship.
The series has been met with rave reviews from critics, including Metro’s own Milo Pope.
In his four-star review, Milo wrote that the show was endlessly complex and wildly entertaining, promising fans their ‘eyes will be glued to the screen.’
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Milo wasn’t the only member of the press impressed by the show. Alex Flood from NME called it an ‘unpleasantly captivating drama’. While Chris Tilly at Dexerto branded it’ audacious and exhilarating six hours of television quite unlike anything out there’.
Indeed, the series has a respectable 72% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, not everyone’s impressed.
Emily Baker from ‘The i’ wrote that the show was even darker than Baby Reindeer and not in a good way.
‘Half Man is so bleak that it’s barely watchable,’ she opined. And it does seem like some people are switching off.
‘[I] stopped watching episode 1 of “Half Man” (HBO) at about the halfway point,’wrote @JoyceCarolOates on X.
‘Half Man is luridly entertaining in the sense that watching a boa constrictor devouring a helpless small creature might be “entertaining” — but not for everyone.’
@stbartz1 agreed writing: ‘Thank you joyce! I felt exactly the same way and stopped at the halfway point and said out loud as I was getting up, I don’t need to see any more of this.’
‘I’d heard how violent it was & chose not to watch it at all. Not regretting that decision,’ added @AnnieBannister.
Even those enjoying the series seem shocked by its content.
@GrantSRivers wrote: ‘Thoroughly enjoyed the first episode of #HalfMan tonight, it was incredible to watch & finally get stuck into something new. It’s a difficult watch at times, but also with a bit of humour too.’
On Reddit, b9ncountr said: ‘It’s very good. But I expect it will be a very tough watch all the way through.’
Meanwhile, TomatoChomper7 added: ‘It’s very interesting. Really uneasy and uncomfortable the entire time but so compelling. I’m hooked, I want to see the full history of these two play out.’
If you’re curious to find out more about Half Man, you can watch it now on BBC iPlayer and HBO Max.
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