Half Man ⁞⁞ Series Spotlight

The UK drama Half Man begins with Niall (Jamie Bell) in a confrontation with Ruben (Richard Gadd) on the day of Niall's wedding to Alby (Charlie de Melo). When left alone, the reunion between the estranged "brothers" explodes into violence before revisiting their relationship, as it progressed over the last 30 years. In the 1980's, teenager Niall (Mitchell Robertson) deals with an immediate change in his home life when his mother Lori (Neve McIntosh) reveals that her romance with Maura (Marianne McIvor) has led to them moving in together, which means that Niall will now need to share his bedroom with Maura's son, the young Ruben (Stuart Campbell), who is prone to outbursts of violence due to his temper, stemming from a dark past of abuse at the hands of his father. As Niall comes of age and both teenagers grapple with what it means to be a man, their relationship grows complicated, often tainted with uncomfortable physical interactions. 

When Niall begins university and takes an interest in his classmate, the young Alby (Bilal Hasna), blossoming romance is cut short when Ruben intervenes, leading to an altercation that ends with Alby disfigured from Ruben's violent outburst. Niall grapples with pressure from Ruben to lie on his behalf, against Alby's account of the incident, only to ultimately reveal the truth in open court. This sends Ruben to prison. Years later, the adult Niall finds himself hiding his sexuality, engaging in secret sex with other men, until he crosses paths with Alby, who helps him work through his issues with STI's and his self-confidence. Niall attempts to help his mother through Maura's illness and death, but his own drug use and trauma haunts him, especially after Ruben's release. The "brothers'" mutual obsession again leads to trauma when Niall secretly has sex with Ruben's girlfriend, fathering the child that Ruben loves more than anything. 

Niall & Ruben air out their grievances while Ruben is again behind bars, after assaulting the man he believed committed the adultery. The two men seem to come to a peaceful understanding on everything, with Niall even coming out to Ruben, who is accepting of his homosexuality. But when Niall makes the decision to reveal his role in the affair, Ruben snaps. Years later, the engaged Niall & Alby head down the aisle and are stunned when Ruben shows up at the wedding. Though the husbands are both terrified of what may happen, given Ruben's violent past toward them both, Niall confronts the situation, bringing the story full circle, as they are once again left alone. Another violent encounter, as they reckon with their past, their emotions, and the true nature of their relationship, leads to the two men killing each other, ultimately unable to escape their demons.