Normal People Returns With a Satiric Clip Set 40 Years in the Future
Whether you read the book, watched the series, or both, many fans were frustrated by the ending of Sally Rooney's Normal People. (Just go to New York, Marianne! It's only one year!!) Regardless, the series and book captivated audiences around the world as it traced the coming-of-age love story of Marianne and Connell, two Irish students from different social classes whose relationship waxes and wanes from high school to university and beyond.
Now, Rooney-enthusiasts are able to find out what happens to this enthralling pair years after Normal People's end.
Stars Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones returned to their characters for two special episodes depicting what happened to Connell and Marianne 40 years after they graduated college. Here is all the info about the two bonus shorts.
You can watch a comedic clip, depicting the future couple, above.
The video, entitled Normal Older People, was released on Hulu's YouTube account. In the short clip, an aging Marianne and Connell speak about beans on toast in a dramatic fashion. The dialogue is not unlike how the two characters spoke throughout the series, with conversations filled with long pauses and sidelong glances. Given the subject matter of this discussion, however, the style of speaking brings some humor to the story.
The two episodes explored Connell and Marianne's relationship 40 years in the future.
At the end of Normal People, Connell is set to leave for an MFA program in New York City, and Marianne decides to stay in Dublin where she is a graduate student. The series leaves viewers in the dark about the couple's future—Does Connell ever return to Ireland? Do he and Marianne end up together? What becomes of this complex and enthralling relationship?
Now, we have some new insight into what happened to Marianne and Connell years after the series end, namely that the couple is still together, and continues to have emphatic, pause-filled discussions. The released short is entitled Normal Older People, reflecting the time jump.
The shorts aired as part of RTÉ Does Comic Relief on June 26.
Normal Older People was just one part of a large charity broadcast supporting causes related to the COVID-19 pandemic. RTÉ, an Irish public broadcasting network, collaborated with charity Comic Relief to raise funds for the Community Foundation of Ireland. This money will be distributed to more than 4,000 nonprofit organizations around the country.
Richard Curtis, the co-founder of Comic Relief, was excited to have Normal Older People as part of the broadcast. Before the special aired, he told RTÉ Radio 1, "I promise you, these are two very special bits. It’s so much better than anything we’ve ever made."
The original cast returned for the show's new episodes, alongside Fleabag's "Hot Priest".
Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones reprised their roles as Connell and Marianne for the new episodes. Additionally, the series director Lenny Abrahamson was at the helm of the new project. Abramhamson is also set to direct the upcoming series Conversations with Friends, based on Rooney's first best-selling novel.
One of the bonus clips included a comedic confessional with a special guest star: Fleabag's Hot Priest, as played by Andrew Scott.
It's unclear if more clips will be released.
While Irish viewers watched the special live on RTÉ this weekend, U.S. viewers only received two clips on Hulu's YouTube channel. Originally, RTÉ announced there would be two mini-episodes for Normal Older People, though only released one to U.S. audiences, in addition to the Fleabag crossover. Those may be the only two clips we'll receive, but perhaps we'll get more video later.
In the meantime, stream available full episodes of Normal People here.
Watch the other short, featuring an appearance by Fleabag's Hot Priest.
Another comedic short, released for RTÉ Does Comic Relief, depicts Marianne and Connell, as played by Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal, giving confession to none other than Fleabag's famed Hot Priest, played by Andrew Scott.
Watch the clip here:
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