In the mood for a heartbreaking love story? Disney+ has quietly dropped a "gut-wrenching" classic to its roster of British shows – and with a 91% Rotten Tomatoes score, this critically acclaimed drama is perfect for your next binge-watch.
Normal People, starring Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones, charts the intense, on-and-off-again relationship between Marianne Sheridan (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and Connell Waldron (Paul Mescal), whose undeniable chemistry keeps pulling them back to each other over the years.
The 12-part drama set in Ireland is based on Sally Rooney's bestselling novel, and received over 50 nominations for its stellar writing and performances.
Originally released on BBC Three in April 2020, all episodes are now available to stream on Disney+. If you missed it the first time around (or just want to relive the heartbreak), now's the perfect time to give it a watch.
Before finding out everything you need to know about the show, here's what Acting TV Editor Nicky Morris said: "I was absolutely obsessed with Normal People following its release during lockdown and am thrilled to be able to stream the show on Disney+. This heartrending romance drama has become a modern classic!"
What is Normal People about?
Set in Ireland, Normal People follows teens Marianne and Connell as they finish their final year at secondary school in rural County Sligo, before both attending the prestigious Trinity College Dublin.
© BBCThe official synopsis continues: "In a school in a small-town west of Ireland, Connell (Paul Mescal) is a well-liked, good looking and athletic football player. Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is a proud, intimidating and unpopular loner who actively avoids her classmates and challenges teachers' authority.
"Sparks fly between the two when Connell comes to pick up his mother Lorraine (Sarah Greene) from her job at Marianne's house, and a strange and indelible connection grows between the two teenagers - one they are determined to conceal from their peers."
It goes on to conclude: "A compulsive modern love story, Normal People sees the pair weave in and out of each other's lives, and explores just how complicated intimacy and young love can be."
© Element Pictures / Enda BoweWho stars in Normal People?
The two leading stars are Daisy Edgar-Jones (Twisters, Where the Crawdads Sing) and Paul Mescal (All of Us Strangers, Aftersun, Gladiator II) – both of whom shot to huge fame after the show's immediate success.
Supporting cast members include Sarah Greene (Dublin Murders), Aislín McGuckin (Outlander), Frank Blake (Sanditon), Éanna Hardwicke (The Sixth Commandment), Eliot Salt (Intelligence), India Mullen (Brassic), Desmond Eastwood (Derry Girls), Sebastian de Souza (Skins), Fionn O'Shea (Masters of the Air) and Leah McNamara (Dublin Murders).
What have critics said about the show?
If the BAFTA and Emmy nominations aren't enough to convince you, the highly acclaimed show has a whopping 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
At the time of its release, RadioTimes hailed it as "a gut-wrenching adaptation that lives up to the book," while BBC called it: "Honest, tender, beautiful and heartfelt," before dubbing it one of the top "dramas of the year."
Normal People is available to stream on Disney+ in the UK now.
