‘Half Man’: A Deep Dive Into Niall & Ruben’s Complicated Relationship
What To Know
- Half Man centers on the complex relationship between Niall and his step-brother, Ruben.
- The show spans from their teenage years to Niall’s wedding day in the present.
- Gadd also created the show.
Half Man fan edits have arrived. The HBO drama, which follows the complex relationship between Ruben (Richard Gadd) and Niall (Jamie Bell), has already taken off on TikTok since it premiered in late April. The most viral video so far features vaguely homoerotic, spliced-together clips of Ruben and Niall set to Lana Del Rey’s “Ultraviolence” — leading to many users in the comments wondering just how romantic (if at all) the relationship between the two characters really is. Could Half Man be a gay love story?
Flashing between the present and the ’80s, Ruben’s unexpected arrival at Niall’s wedding sparks not only a violent confrontation but a reflection on their past together. As teenagers, the meek Niall and unstable, larger-than-life Ruben are forced into each other’s lives when their mothers start dating. Despite being total opposites, the “brothers from another lover” become codependent on each other, each damaged and toxic in their own ways. Even though Niall clearly knows that Ruben isn’t good for him, he can’t cut Ruben off — at least until whatever event caused them to be estranged as adults.
It’s a toxic relationship, obviously, but is it romantic in any way, shape, or form? Do they have feelings for each other? Is it just sexual attraction? Long story short: It’s complicated. (Warning: Spoilers for Half Man Episode 1 ahead!) It doesn’t take long into the first episode to find out that teenage Niall is repressing his sexuality, which becomes more difficult when he starts sharing a bedroom with Ruben. When Ruben’s father drunkenly shows up at their house, Ruben keeps Niall from telling their mothers by holding him in a headlock. They fall asleep holding each other, waking up in an intimate position.
HBO
After Niall helps Ruben pass an exam, Ruben’s attitude toward his “brother” changes even more. He becomes Niall’s protector against school bullies. He also “thanks” Niall by inviting a girl into their bedroom and all but forcing Niall to sleep with her. While it happens, Ruben gets up in Niall’s face, and he isn’t totally hands-off. Back in the present, Ruben punches and gropes Niall. He switches gears to help Niall breathe, but starts choking him afterward. It’s pretty representative of their relationship as a whole, at least based on what we know of them so far.
We wouldn’t describe Niall and Ruben’s relationship as romantic in Half Man. It isn’t a love story, though Niall seems to have complicated feelings for Ruben. He follows Ruben’s lead in everything, and Ruben hasn’t outright confirmed — at least, two episodes in — if he feels similarly. We have a feeling their dynamic is only going to get more intense as the show unfolds.
Half Man, Thursdays, 9/8c, HBO & HBO Max
