Someone Please, for the Love of God, Tell Me When ‘Normal People’ Takes Place
Hulu’s Normal People, based on the Sally Rooney novel, is an incredibly addicting show. It follows two high schoolers, Marianne and Connell, who fall in love but spend the next few years of their life in an on-again, off-again romantic situation. If it sounds exactly like how you spent your high school and college years, same! But there’s one thing about Normal People that’s been bugging me since the beginning. When, exactly, does this show take place? Like Marianne when Connell decides to be all weird about asking to move in with her, I’m getting mixed messages here. Let’s investigate, shall we?
The timing of the book
Let’s start off with what we know. The book takes place in a “post-2008 Irish economic downturn,” according to what I’m sure is a totally factual post on Wikipedia. But the show feels at certain points more modern than that and at other times like it could have taken place even before 2008. What is the truth?
The music
The soundtrack to the show is equally as confusing. One of the pivotal moments in the series is paired with Imogen Heap’s “Hide and Seek,” which is from 2005. But! The show also features Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Too Much” and Selena Gomez’s “Rare,” which are both songs from 2019. Tons of shows mix old and new songs to make a soundtrack, though, so this isn’t definitive proof. Let’s keep going.
The clothes
Even within the same scene, the clothes look like they’re from different eras. Like, in one of the beach scenes, Marianne’s look is very 2020 Urban Outfitters, while Connell is rocking a track suit that looks like your high school boyfriend would have worn it in 2012.
But then this outfit on Marianne looks like it really could be from, like…the 1970s.
Marianne’s bangs
Let me start by saying that I find Marianne’s bangs to be incredibly flattering on her…
But they do remind of Zooey Deschanel’s bangs circa 2011.
And that’s all I’ll say on that.
The technology
Okay, this is where things get really tricky, because the phones in the show look totally modern. Like, 2018 or 2019. It’s hard to see in this screenshot (sorry) but that is definitely a large phone with a large screen. Could even be one of those huge-ass iPhones. For the record, in 2008, when the book theoretically takes place, I was rocking a pink Motorola Razr.
Connell also uses this laptop, which almost looks like it could be a modern Macbook with the apple covered up? Hard to tell. Again, apologies for the crappy screenshot.
The lack of social media
Okay, this is another weird one. From my recollection, there is literally no mention of any social media platform in the entire series. You’re trying to tell me that two high school kids, who eventually become college kids, don’t interact at least somewhat over social media? [Editor’s note: Okay, there is a scene where she mentions Facebook and all their friends writing on someone’s wall. S/O to Twitter for reminding us.] But still, I find it really hard to believe that Connell and Marianne don’t use Find My Friends. I can’t imagine a 2019 college friendship or relationship without it.
Also! They use Skype in the show, which is odd considering FaceTime and WhatsApp exist. Isn’t that what most kids their age would prefer? And what about those emails?! What 18-year-0ld in 2019 prefers email as their primary mode of communication? Seriously, this makes no sense.
In conclusion
I’m still confused.
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