Your first love. There’s nothing quite like it. It’s the first time you get truly vulnerable with another human being. The first time you experience true intimacy that you’ve never felt before. You learn to accept the other person with all of their flaws. But you also, very often, get hurt for the first time.
You can’t really describe first love in only one word. Yes, it’s intense, but it’s also emotional, raw, scary, immature, innocent, and so much more. As much as we try to put it into words, we will inevitably fail because first love is indescribable.
But if there’s one show that makes you feel all the feels of first love, it’s definitely Normal People.
Credit: Normal People
Normal People is a romantic psychological drama mini-series based on the book by Sally Rooney. It follows two teenagers – Marianne Sheridan and Connell Waldron – who fall in love for the first time, then develop a complex relationship through time, and weave in and out of each other’s romantic lives.
The show does a phenomenal job of showing the formative impact of first love. It reminds you of that special emotion and makes you relive your first romance as you follow these unique characters whose lives intertwine in so many ways.
Here’s everything that the show Normal People gets right about first love.
Normal People Shows That First Love Is Intense and Raw
Credit: Normal People
You never forget your first love. And Normal People depicts that very well. Just like Marianne and Connell (played by Daisy Edgar Jones and Paul Mescal) in the show, you probably also experienced that intensity of emotions when you first opened your heart to someone.
As you watch these two characters fall in and out of love throughout the years, you can’t help but remember those raw and intense moments that made your heart melt and ache.
One of the reasons this drama will have our hearts forever is that it captures both the intimacy and the pain of first love. You’ll tap into your core memories and remember what it felt like to be emotionally naked in front of another person for the first time.
It Shows Us the Importance of Communication
Communication is such an essential skill, yet we all fail to perfect it. Now try to remember your teenage years. It’s an understatement to say that you lack communication skills when you’re a teenager.
This is another reason why first love almost always fails. You struggle to put your feelings into words. When there’s something bothering you, you can’t describe it without hurting the other person. And Normal People depicts this so perfectly that you find yourself on the edge of your seat because these two characters don’t know how to communicate.
It Captures the Complexity of Mental Health
Credit: Normal People
Mental health plays a critical role in the Normal People show. Both characters are so complex and relatable that you’ll connect with them right from the start. The show does this even better than the Normal People book. It pulls you into their lives and touches your soul.
For instance, in episode ten, we watch Connell struggle with depression. As he suffers through a mental breakdown and copes with his mental health issues, we get to observe how a young man can break free from his gender stereotypes and manage to show tenderness in a relationship. It’s so touching to watch and groundbreaking for a mini-series, to say the least.
Normal People Shows That First Love Has a Life-Changing Impact
Every love shapes you, but there’s nothing quite your first love. There are so many reasons why your first love will always have a special place in your heart. Some people describe love as an addiction, where your first love is the first dose. If we consider this analogy, then Normal People does a great job of capturing the addictive and overwhelming aspect of first love.
Marianne and Connell go their separate ways but always return to each other one way or the other. Even if they’re not together romantically, they’re together emotionally. They understand each other best. They can’t let go of each other as much as they try. They’re so profoundly connected that they’re always a part of each other lives.
Your first love, just like Marianne and Connell’s, will always be a part of you. It will always hold a special place in your heart and remind you of the most innocent years of your life. Normal People is a true ode to first loves.
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