Half Man review: After Baby Reindeer, Richard Gadd faces a difficult second album

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A star rating of 3 out of 5.

Just as trauma thrives when shared, Richard Gadd’s new album, ‘Half Man,’ is packed with potentially upsetting content. It’s a challenging follow-up to his hit Netflix series ‘Baby Reindeer,’ and contains many triggers – including harsh language, violence, depictions of sexual abuse, and even unsettling references to 1990s fashion. It’s a risky move after his unexpected success.

Half Man tells the heartbreaking story of Niall and Ruben, who develop a damaging and all-consuming co-dependency over three decades. Their relationship, like something out of a Tennessee Williams or Emily Brontë novel, is intensely toxic and ultimately tragic, despite being stepbrothers in all but name.

Like horror films and shows, “Half Man” creates a thrilling experience of fear and anxiety, offering a rush of excitement in a secure setting. However, I’m initially skeptical. In typical horror, the danger disappears when the monster is defeated. But here, the threat – powerfully portrayed by both creator Daniel Gadd and young actor Stuart Campbell – doesn’t truly vanish; it simply lies dormant.

It lurks like a crocodile – ancient and still – waiting for the right moment to act. With almost six hours of footage, that moment always feels close. In the second episode, we see a young and insecure Niall (played by Mitchell Robertson and later Jamie Bell) start university, while Ruben completely loses his temper – a full-blown rage, as people in Scotland might say.

He portrays incredibly disturbing and intense violence, and this is often the point where viewers decide they can no longer watch Half Man.

While Ruben causes destruction around him, Niall from Bell’s carries the weight of his past experiences like a burdensome, worn-out coat – something he can’t seem to shake off. He constantly appears tense, as if preparing for another blow, another fight, another disaster.

Half Man explores both a love story and the complexities of masculinity, focusing on two men who struggle to express their emotions. While different from Gadd’s more personal work, Baby Reindeer, he insists Half Man is a completely made-up story. However, the intense feelings experienced by the characters are very real.

At times, Half Man feels more like something to be analyzed than simply watched, inviting deep thought. At other times, it’s a raw and powerful experience, almost chaotic, as if even the filmmaker couldn’t fully predict where it would go.

The show’s underlying conflict becomes clear in its more symbolic scenes. For example, a classroom discussion of Romeo and Juliet is immediately followed by a night scene that mirrors the famous balcony scene, but with a much darker and more disturbing tone. Instead of romantic longing, we see Ruben’s father pleading with his son from outside his bedroom window.

The problem with Half Man is that it feels unfinished. Compared to Baby Reindeer – a show that was thoroughly workshopped at the Edinburgh Festival and carefully developed over years – it understandably falls short. This is partly because Richard Gadd was still developing as a writer; before Baby Reindeer, he’d mainly worked on episodes of other shows, like Sex Education. In contrast, Jack Thorne, the writer of the hit series Adolescence, had already written over 20 series before his show gained popularity on Netflix.

The unexpected success of ‘Baby Reindeer’ has brought Richard Gadd a lot of attention, establishing him as a unique talent in television. However, it also highlights his relative inexperience. A prime example is the scene where Ruben arrives at Niall’s wedding on a motorbike. Instead of appearing threatening, his dramatic entrance – removing his helmet to confront Niall – felt unintentionally silly, more like a strange commercial than a genuinely intimidating moment. It’s doubtful that was the effect the creators were aiming for.

Despite its strengths, Half Man ultimately leaves you feeling disconnected. It’s a common issue with shows that deal with the complexities of PTSD.

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Half Man will arrive on BBC iPlayer at 6am on Friday 24 April.

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Authors

Gareth McLean

Gareth McLean is a veteran television writer with almost three decades of experience. He’s reviewed countless programs as a critic and interviewed hundreds of notable figures, ranging from Liza Minnelli to Jimmy Savile. He’s also worked as a writer creating content for television.

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2026-04-24 08:35