This morning, it was announced that two new eps of Stan’s addictive drama series Normal People were in production and based on the social media reactions to the announcement, punters were pretty damn pleased.
The two-episode special will be set 40 years in the future, so we’ll see where the iconic love birds end up after the series / book concluded (and left a gaping hole in our lives that’s soon to be filled and yes, I know how dirty that sounds, but when in Rome).
The Pedestrian.TV chat channel has been filled with talk about what the hotly anticipated spesh will include, and here are a bunch of our predictions :
Alex Bruce-Smith, Deputy Editor
I need them to get their shit together. I can’t explain it. If Marianne and Connell haven’t developed some emotional maturity to talk about their feelings in FORTY YEARS, I will choke myself on Connell’s chain just to end this misery.
I want them living together, maybe having some marital problems (Connell flirted with a cute writer! Marianne is drinking too much!) but ultimately able to deal with their problems like two human adults.
I’ve decided they have two kids: Rosie (22) and Raff (16). Marianne’s brother is getting out of prison, where he was sent after doing miscellaneous crimes (I don’t care what). Her mum is dying, so there might be some family reconciliation there. Connell’s mum, I’m sorry to say, has died.
Also Connell was a best-selling author but his last one tanked a bit and now with his mum gone he’s losing his sense of self, hence he’s a little more susceptible than usual to a flirty stranger. Marianne I’m not sure. Maybe she gave up writing to raise their kids and now resents Connell’s career? But since she’s got the family money anyway it didn’t matter? Whatever. She’s been working on something in the dark, while everyone else is asleep, and it’s going to blow those crusty old fuckers at the Man Booker Prize judging committee away.
Courtney Fry, Music & Culture Editor
Ok so 40 years into the future of Normal People, I think Marianne and Connell actually have gone their separate ways. Connell ends up with someone in the US and Marianne travels and end up with a partner somewhere in Europe.
Both of them have kids, and regularly travel to that area in Spain where they spent that summer in the villa, they keep somewhat in touch, but not a lot.
Then their kids somehow end up at the same university, meet, and have pretty much the exact same experience as Marianne and Connell did, but this time it’s unapologetic, public, and a much healthier start to a relationship. Both the kids end up telling their parents and there’s a whole twist moment when they “meet the parents” for the first time and it winds up being Marianne and Connell.
Also Connell moonlights as a silversmith and makes his own chains.
The end.
Georgia Turner, Creative Projects Executive
Normal People plunged its warm hand into my chest cavity, squeezed my heart and then promptly tore it from my chest (I’ve been watching too much Vampire Diaries).
The ending broke me because I yearned for something happier and something concrete, but Sally and co. really hurt me with the ending.
I think the 2-ep special will go one of 2 ways:
1. Connell & Marianne made it through their stint away from one another and reconnected AGAIN, and got married and had kids (maybe, totally not needed to be considered ‘normal’) BUT, there’s always a but. I reckon they still have some dirty sexy sex, but they’ve been struggling with their connection or communication and one of them has strayed?
2. Connell & Marianne didn’t make it through their hiatus and they did the same thing as always where they skirted around the lovely edges of their relo and now they are in their prime, they can finally settle down together.
Just give me a fucking happy ending, Sally! And plenty of sex.
Normal People is now streaming on Stan.
