User Reviews

Amazing, Show of the year. Rochard Gadd did it again. Level of acting is brilliant.

A load of unbelievable nonsense. Ridiculous plotline. Utterly unlikely behaviours. Impossible to swallow the illogical reactions of the supposedly genius main character. Nothing made sense. Avoid.

Richard Gadd parece ter encontrado um talento muito específico: fazer o espectador passar horas completamente desconfortável e ainda agradecer pela experiência no final.É uma série que entende que o verdadeiro impacto não está necessariamente em descobrir o que aconteceu, mas em acompanhar como tudo chegou até aquele ponto. E quanto mais a história avança, mais fica claro que ninguém sairá emocionalmente ileso dessa jornada.Existe algo quase sufocante na maneira como a série aborda masculinidade, trauma e repressão emocional. Em vários momentos, parece que Gadd está apertando lentamente um parafuso, aumentando a tensão sem nunca oferecer muito alívio.Não é uma experiência fácil e certamente não será para todo mundo. Mas quando uma série consegue transformar desconforto em ferramenta narrativa com tanta confiança, fica difícil não reconhecer o talento por trás dela. Richard Gadd continua se consolidando como uma das vozes mais interessantes da televisão atual.

Richard Gadd has done it again. 'Half Man" immerses the viewer in a twisted story about a toxic relationship between two stepbrothers who are seriously fixated on their perception of manhood. A very interesting exploration of masculinity that reveals several nuances. The protagonists are fascinating and complex; Gadd does a great job creating characters you can both hate and pity. This deserves several Emmys.

Finally finished Half Man and much like the shows main characters, it took til the end for me to finally figure them out. For most of this limited series, I found it hard to root for anyone. There are no heroes here, but that is the point. Both Rueben and Niall are half men. Given the damage done to them, mostly at their own hands, they both become irredeemable and deserve their fates. I like this. Too many writers would have given them a sappy or at least meh ending. Gas does not. And much like Baby Reindeer, makes it hard to truly love or hate, or even sympathize with the characters. He really makes you work for thr payoff. I cant wait to see what he does next.

Richard Gadd established himself with his series “Baby Reindeer” (my review). For this role in his new series he gained 50+ pounds of muscle to play the older step brother whose bully relationship with his younger step brother forms the core of this series. The brother is played by Jamie Bell as the adult and Mitchell Robertson as a teen, while Stuart Campbell takes on Gadd’s younger self. The series spans 4 decades, examining the physically and emotionally violent complexity of their bond. A portion of my review from “Reindeer” applies here, “All of the performances are impressive and director Gadd tells the story bravely and sometimes disturbingly. It’s certainly challenging and frustrating…but it’s a unique and unforgettable story of mental health and how it can affect relationships.” Gadd has let almost every scene go on too long, which stresses the viewer’s endurance while dragging down the pace. This aspect, plus the vicious brutal relationship, makes for a difficult watch that only partially pays off. (Six 45-60 minute eps)

I stumbled onto Half Man blind - no prior knowledge of Richard Gadd, Baby Reindeer, or the hype - and walked away baffled by who this show is even for. From the first episode, it's a relentless, uncritical platform for toxic masculinity, dressed up as "raw drama." The brothers' relationship isn't complex; it's a parade of coercion, violence, and emotional manipulation, framed with an almost admiring lens, as if the show expects us to find depth in their abuse. The acting? Jamie Bell and Richard Gadd commit, but the flashback casting is jarring - the young actors bear zero resemblance to their adult counterparts, breaking immersion instantly. The writing? A slog of misery porn, offering no insight, no redemption, just a grim parade of male rage.I can't fathom recommending this to anyone, let alone someone I know. Rarely do I rate a show this low, but Half Man earns every bit of that 2/10. Avoid.

The negative reviews made by people who are either unwilling or unable to judge this show on its quality are unfortunate. People with no experience living in or with this type of relationship simply aren't able to judge this show on its merits and are stuck adertising their distaste at what is a very real look into the power dynamics of the physically strong and the weak. This show is a masterpiece. That doesn't mean we love the subject matter. That doesn't mean we condone the violence or toxic relationships displayed. Its means those things are well acted, well directed, interesting and a mirror of real life situations. Its a tough watch, but sometimes that makes a meaningful watch to someone with similar experience, or someone who appreciates high quality television.

Some excellent performances from the actors don't redeem this show from incredibly stupid plot points, responses from characters that don't make sense beyond serving to advance the show's underlying masochism.

Baby Reindeer was so original and from the heart, it’s disappointing to see this show full of fear, bullying and toxic masculinity that even if there is a story in there, it’s just not worth telling. What is the relationship between these two people? All of it seems artificial and disgusting.