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“Pure, Unyielding Torture Pornography”: Is Half Man Too Unpleasant to Be Good TV?
Richard Gadd’s follow-up to Baby Reindeer is a relentlessly punishing look at characters being crushed by the unending horror of their lives. At times, it feels like it was made by emo teens
TL;DR
- Half Man, Richard Gadd's follow-up to Baby Reindeer, is described as relentlessly punishing and bleak, with no comedic elements.
- The series focuses on characters enduring unending horror, with violence and despair as central themes.
- Comparisons are drawn to Black Mirror and The Leftovers for their heavy-handed misery, but Half Man lacks their ability to alleviate gloom.
- The show's narrative is also seen as a response to the intense media scrutiny Gadd faced regarding the real-life inspirations for Baby Reindeer.
- Despite its difficult nature, the performances and framing are noted as strong, though the overall tone is compared to that of emo teens.
- The article questions whether Half Man's extreme unpleasantness prevents it from being considered good television.