u/Immediate_Dig3570

Reviews keep bringing up "queer undertones," but the more I watch, the more confused I get lol.

Episode 1 definitely hints at something sexual—like Niall's sexual triggered by Ruben's touch, or Ruben using Mona to make Niall lose his virginity. But in episodes 2 and 3, Ruben just treats Niall like a puppet. He uses him to vicariously experience a normal teenage life and manipulates his testimony regarding the Alby incident. At this point, I don't even know if Ruben genuinely loves Niall or just loves himself lol.

It's definitely a twisted, imbalanced dynamic. But the nature of it is so ambiguous—is it brotherly, platonic, or romantic? I wonder if it just feels homoerotic because their bond is so toxic and intense, or if the showrunners actually intended for them to have sexual tension from the start. Honestly, it wouldn't even be weird if they hooked up, but there's zero sign of that happening I kinda wish the show had just leaned into the queer elements more.

This episode was absolutely insane. The hospital scene was honestly beyond emotionally exhausting; it was downright heart-wrenching. I was also bullied and harassed in school, and because of that, I've lived with severe anxiety when it comes to interacting with people. I've even had the experience of seeing the person who bullied me go on to become successful.

So, on an emotional level, I could completely understand why Niall blames others and his environment while simultaneously abusing and destroying himself.
Even though his actions are extreme, we've already seen in detail the kind of past he had to endure.

Honestly, a part of me understands why he clings to an antisocial person like Ruben. Even if Ruben's behavior defies common sense, he still shows a level of devotion to 'his people' based on his own standards. Because of that, it makes me wonder, in a way, if things would have been better if Ruben had just been a bit less homophobic or a little less violent.

I’ve been so absorbed in Half Man that I can’t stop thinking about it, so I’ve been watching all kinds of interviews and promotional content. But it feels like Jamie Bell, one of the lead actors, is hardly ever there. I think I’ve come across a few written interviews with him, but when it comes to press events or video interviews—especially the ones featuring the younger cast—he always seems to be absent. Does anyone know why that might be?