Half Man: A Relentless Exploration of Despair
Richard Gadd’s follow-up to Baby Reindeer presents an unyielding and punishing portrayal of characters overwhelmed by the persistent horrors of their existence. At times, the show evokes the sensibilities of emotionally intense youth.
On Netflix, Half Man is categorized as a comedy series, a classification that may surprise viewers who perceive it as a terror-filled, continuous panic attack blending psychological thriller and horror elements.
This initial categorization has some basis. Richard Gadd is a comedian, and Baby Reindeer was based on his own experiences. Additionally, the title Baby Reindeer might suggest a lighter tone, leading to assumptions of comedic content.
However, no one has mistaken Half Man for a comedy. It is decidedly not comedic in any form. Instead, it is an unrelenting, bleak narrative that stands as one of the least humorous television offerings in recent memory. Half Man unfolds as a slow, flat, and bleak wound, with even its subplot involving a suicidal cancer patient ranking among the less depressing elements.
The show’s brutality is pervasive. Ruben, portrayed by Richard Gadd and by Stuart Campbell in flashbacks, is a violent and temperamental character whose rage intensifies as the series progresses. The graphic nature of his assaults is so frequent that the image of a stomped face becomes a recurring visual motif.
Violence is only one aspect of the show’s grim tone. None of the characters experience moments of relief or lightness. They are either crushed by the relentless suffering of their lives or seek escape through joyless hedonism. The series evokes the despair of Requiem for a Dream, albeit with less stylish appearances. The viewing experience is challenging and difficult to endure.
In terms of tone, Half Man is reminiscent of the more intense episodes of Black Mirror, such as "Shut Up and Dance," where successive miseries culminate in a character’s suicide attempt, followed by a revelation of their dark secret underscored by a Radiohead song. However, Black Mirror benefits from an anthology format that allows for tonal variation in subsequent episodes. Half Man, by contrast, remains trapped in its own bleakness throughout, compelling viewers to endure its oppressive atmosphere.
A more apt comparison might be The Leftovers. Its first season was unflinchingly bleak, featuring themes such as mass bereavement, death cults, animal cruelty, and intense personal anguish. Yet, The Leftovers alleviated its gloom in later seasons through irony and absurdism, ultimately achieving critical acclaim. Half Man does not employ such tonal shifts, maintaining its bottomless despair throughout.
Despite its harshness, there are aspects of Half Man that are commendable. The performances are appropriately intense, the narrative framing is inventive, and there are fleeting moments—albeit extremely brief—where the emotional tone lightens slightly. Notably, the show is perhaps the darkest to include a reference to Napoleon Dynamite.
One of the most compelling elements of Half Man is its meta-commentary on Baby Reindeer and the controversy surrounding its autobiographical inspiration. At the conclusion of Half Man, Jamie Bell’s character has become a successful author, largely due to a book recounting his painful experiences with Ruben. During a press conference promoting the book, he expresses frustration when journalists focus on identifying the real-life inspiration for the character. Given that Gadd was writing Half Man while journalists were investigating Baby Reindeer, the series can be interpreted as his response, adding a layer of self-reflection that enriches the work.
However, this introspective aspect is overshadowed by the show’s relentless depiction of suffering, which some might describe as "torture pornography." The series frequently makes it difficult to empathize with any character, including those ostensibly sympathetic, resulting in an experience akin to the bleakest imaginable screensaver. The show’s focus on weighty themes often comes at the expense of emotional nuance. At its worst, it resembles the work of a 14-year-old emo adolescent seeking attention.
Many have noted that Half Man shares thematic territory with Adolescence, another series exploring male rage. The distinction lies in perspective: Adolescence is a show about adolescence created by adults, whereas Half Man is a show about men that feels as though it was created by adolescents.
