A tough act to follow.
By Sam Haysom on April 21, 2026
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It’s challenging to follow up after creating groundbreaking TV. This is the dilemma facing Richard Gadd’s new limited series, Half Man, after his success with 2024’s Baby Reindeer.
Directed by Alexandra Brodski and Eshref Reybrouck, the two shows share both similarities and differences. Half Man isn’t as humorous as Baby Reindeer. Both are very dark and have characters in conflict with themselves. Which is better? And how can Half Man compete with its predecessor that earned so many viewers, armchair detectives, and awards?
What’s Half Man about?
Set in Glasgow, Scotland, the six-episode BBC/HBO series moves between two timelines. Each episode starts at a wedding in the present day. Niall (Jamie Bell from All of Us Strangers) is getting married, but his step-brother Ruben (Gadd) arrives, bringing unresolved issues.
Flashbacks reveal the past when a bullied Niall (Mitchell Robertson) has his life disrupted by Ruben (Stuart Campbell), released from a young offender’s institute, moving in with Niall and his mother Lori (Neve McIntosh). Niall, a teen struggling with his sexuality, finds himself both obsessed with and afraid of Ruben, who brings chaos wherever he goes.
Half Man explores their lives from school to adulthood, as they rely on, love, and sometimes despise each other, while the series investigates what makes a person who they are.
Half Man is a painful exploration of masculinity and sexuality
Niall’s struggle with his sexuality is a central theme. He’s aware of his attraction to men but can’t accept it, leading to self-hatred and internalized homophobia. He later visits dogging spots and chem sex parties, risking blackmail and police trouble.
Gadd’s writing excels at exploring complex issues faced by its main characters. Niall and Ruben are closed off, yet the show lets their actions speak volumes even when they’re silent. In rare moments of openness, the dialogue is impactful.
“Why can’t you just be happy with that side of yourself?” Niall’s girlfriend Ava (Anjli Mohindra) asks. “It’s the 21st century, nobody cares anymore.”
“That doesn’t make me feel any better,” Niall responds. “Not only am I ashamed, I’m irrational too.” His response to Ava’s assertion that “everyone who matters knows” his sexuality is heartbreaking: “Because I don’t know.”
Does Half Man have any weaknesses?
Despite its six-hour runtime, Half Man packs in a lot—perhaps too much. Moving from adolescence to adulthood, the show’s time jump is crucial to the narrative, keeping viewers engaged to discover what leads to violence on Niall’s wedding day. However, the transition from Robertson and Campbell to Bell and Gadd comes with a fortune reversal that feels disjointed initially.
Fortunately, the feeling is short-lived, as Gadd and Bell’s performances captivate us in Half Man’s compelling second act.
Is Half Man as good as Baby Reindeer?
Half Man is Gadd’s first TV drama that’s not based on real life—a test he passes. It’s gripping, emotional, complex, and upsetting, with a story of masculinity and brotherhood that feels grounded despite being fictional. Though it has its stumbles, the strengths overwhelmingly outweigh any negatives.
Is it as good as Baby Reindeer? No. But that would be nearly impossible. Baby Reindeer’s unique themes, blend of awkward comedy and dark issues, and true story tagline made it groundbreaking. Half Man takes a more familiar route but excels in what it does, cementing Gadd as a storyteller with much to offer.
Half Man airs on HBO on Thursday, Apr. 23 at 9 p.m. ET and is available to stream on HBO Max, with new episodes weekly. In the UK, the series is streaming on BBC iPlayer from Friday, Apr. 24, with new episodes weekly.
Sam Haysom is the Deputy UK Editor for Mashable. He covers entertainment and online culture, and writes horror fiction in his spare time.