From the Sally Rooney short story that gives us a glimpse into Marianne and Connell’s future, to the Normal People podcasts, costumes and more
If, like us, you’ve binge-watched the TV adaption of Sally Rooney’s Normal People already, then there might be a Marianne and Connell-sized hole in your life right about now. But worry not, thanks to the show’s incredible popularity (it generated 16.2 million views in its first week on the BBC iPlayer streaming service), there are lots of ways to get your Normal People fix.
1. For starters, if you were disappointed with the ambiguous (but heart-wrenching) ending of Normal People, and are wondering about the future of Marianne and Connell, you’re in luck because author Sally Rooney actually wrote a short story featuring the characters two years before the Normal People book was released. At the Clinic was published in literary magazine The White Review in 2016, and gives us a glimpse into their lives after the end of the show. In the story they’re aged 23 and Connell is taking Marianne to the dentist to have her tooth removed. True to their Normal People characters’ style, you can see their communication skills still aren’t the best, but their chemistry is just as raw as ever. Have a read of At The Clinic in full here.
2. Since the show’s success, there’s been lots of content dissecting the drama, which is praised for it’s realistic portrayal of young relationships and sex. Here are two podcasts discussing the show that we think you’ll enjoy:
- Bandwagons by Fionnuala Jones and Bríd Browne is a weekly podcast covering the topics everyone is talking about, so of course Normal People had to have its day. The co-hosts discuss the differences between the book and the TV show, the uniquely Irish touches and cover lots of behind the scenes bits. Listen here.
- BBC Sounds Obsessed With… has a full podcast series covering the show, and for their final episode on Normal People, hosts Evanna Lynch and Riyadh Khalaf spoke to the actors that play Marianne and Connell – Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal. Listen here.
3. With Connell’s chain getting its own Instagram page (which currently has over 140,000 followers), and lots of interest in Marianne’s stylish Trinity College wardrobe – a lot of which was sourced from vintage and charity shops – you might be interested in hearing from the costume designer on the show. Lorna Marie Mugan spoke to Grazia about how she created the characters’ wardrobes, especially Marianne’s notable style evolution. Read all about it here.
4. If the episode set in Marianne’s Italian villa has you lusting after your own romantic escape, the villa is actually available to rent on AirBnB. Unfortunately, travel restrictions mean it might be a while before we can visit but one can daydream – and have a good look around the villa in it’s profile, here.
5. The stars of the TV show, Daisy Edgar-Jones ad Paul Mescal, have done lots of interviews since the show came out. They’ve talked about the sex scenes, Daisy’s brilliant Irish accent, how they can relate to characters and more. This virtual panel discussion by Waterstones, however, has the show’s stars alongside author Sally Rooney, director Lenny Abrahamson. You can find their chat around the 20-minute mark.
6. And lastly, if you’re still looking to fill the void that Normal People has left, check out this list of the best box sets you can binge-watch next.
