“Pure, Unyielding Torture Pornography”: Is Half Man Too Unpleasant to Be Good TV? Richard Gadd’s follow-up to Baby Reindeer, titled Half Man, is an extremely dark and punishing television series that offers little comedic relief. The show depicts characters crushed by the horrors of their lives, with violence and despair as recurring themes. While the performances and narrative structure are praised, the relentless bleakness and lack of emotional subtlety make it difficult to watch.

• Half Man, Richard Gadd’s follow-up to Baby Reindeer, is described as relentlessly punishing and bleak, with no comedic elements.
• The series focuses on characters enduring unending horror, with violence and despair as central themes.
• Comparisons are drawn to Black Mirror and The Leftovers for their heavy-handed misery, but Half Man lacks their ability to alleviate gloom.
• The show’s narrative is also seen as a response to the intense media scrutiny Gadd faced regarding the real-life inspirations for Baby Reindeer.
• Despite its difficult nature, the performances and framing are noted as strong, though the overall tone is compared to that of emo teens.
• The article questions whether Half Man’s extreme unpleasantness prevents it from being considered good television.