Half Man Is Disturbing, Hypnotic TV — And I Can’t Shake It

In an industry bursting at the seams with content, Half Man never really crossed my radar when it premiered.

I may be the outlier, but I wasn’t a fan of Baby Reindeer. But living in Glasgow meant I was at least aware of Half Man because it was filmed there.

The media attention was everywhere, with outlets following the cast across many locations.

But because I didn’t know anything about the show beyond that it filmed in Glasgow and was Richard Gadd’s follow-up to Baby Reindeer, I just wasn’t interested off the bat.

I go into every TV show with a critical lens, which detracts from my enjoyment. It’s difficult to switch off and enjoy something for what it is after spending so long delving into plot points and what they mean for the rest of the story.

When I sat down to watch Half Man Season 1 Episode 1, I was flabbergasted by how disturbing it actually was.

It’s all thanks to Ruben Pallister, a teenager who invades Niall Kennedy’s life. And so begins a devastating story spanning 30 years.

The one thing I’ll say about the series is that Ruben is one of the most terrifying characters I’ve watched on TV.

In his younger years, it’s clear that, although he’s violent and downright terrifying, he does believe in the “brother from another lover” bond with Niall.

Half Man Features a Genuinely Scary Villain

But the terrifying thing is that Ruben is so unpredictable. I always expect the worst of him, so when he shows any semblance of warmth, I’m taken aback.

Sadly, that warmth is few and far between because he flies off the handle without a second thought.

In those scenes from when Ruben and Niall were teenagers into their early twenties, Niall barely gets any time to find out who he is because Ruben rules everything.

Even when Niall tries to make a go of university, he invites Ruben along, and that’s when things go completely awry.

Ruben acts first and thinks later, as evidenced by how he put Alby in a coma for six months. I had to look away several times during Half Man Season 1 Episode 2.

It was such an uncomfortable watch because I knew that somehow, Niall’s university life was going to be defined by something Ruben did.

But at the same time, Niall should never have tried to bring Ruben into that lifestyle, because he should have known it was a recipe for disaster.

Bringing someone like Ruben into that setting was idiotic. Believing it is a good idea is one thing, but doubling down and defending Ruben on Half Man Season 1 Episode 3 is pure treacherous.

I get that Niall was coerced by Ruben, his mother, and even Niall’s own mother. Still, the entire storyline was deeply upsetting because the person who had been in a coma for 6 months was portrayed as a villain.

Joanna Becomes the MVP of Half Man

I didn’t think too much of Joanna during her first episode on the series. Still, she totally won me over when she became the voice of reason after realizing the truth about Niall’s sexuality and what really happened the day Ruben attacked Alby.

The show put a lot of emphasis on Niall’s shock at Alby’s appearance following the attack. Still, Joanna’s powerful storming out of the courtroom was even more effective because of the disappointment she felt at Niall lying to save Ruben.

There has been so much unsaid about what happened between Alby and Niall in the years between Ruben being sent down and their wedding, but my best guess is that they bonded over their shared trauma of Ruben’s actions.

The only question now is whether they’ll ever truly be rid of Ruben. Then there’s Lori, who has a lot to answer for by not shutting down Ruben’s appearance at the wedding.

In what world did she think it was okay for him to attend the wedding of a man he put in a coma? And honestly, in what world should she think it’s okay to attend, either, considering she wanted Niall to lie that Alby sexually assaulted Ruben?

If she managed to win over Niall for her actions in his younger years, she’s single-handedly destroyed that good grace with these actions.

We already know that Ruben wants to hurt Niall for turning on him in the courtroom, but is there a way in which they can make peace and go their separate ways?

On a show from the mind of Richard Gadd, I doubt it.

Away from the writing, Gadd is terrifying in the role of the aged-up Ruben. Despite my struggle to watch because the subject matter is so damn dark, I want to see how it ends.

What are your thoughts on Half Man’s tone, subject matter, and everything else?

Do you find it as unsettling as I do?

Let’s keep the conversation going — it’s the only way the good stuff survives.
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