Nine To Noon Screentime: Half Man, Criminal Record 2, Episode One Redux
May 13, 2026
Tamar Munch, a film and TV reviewer who critiques and recommends recent series, discusses Half Man, a tense, psychological look at masculinity set in 1980s Scotland with strong acting and simmering dread. She also covers Criminal Record season two’s serialized corruption arc led by Peter Capaldi and Kush Jumbo. Plus, she highlights the Pan-Asian Screen Collective’s pilots boosting new filmmakers.
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Half Man Builds Tension Through Moral Complexity
- Half Man continues Richard Gadd's pattern of creating intense, morally complex psychological drama.
- It tracks two teenage boys in 1980s Scotland whose friendship curdles into intimidation, control and enduring dread, anchored by Jamie Bell and Richard Gadd.
Nuanced Characters Fuel Unbearable Tension
- Tamar Munch praises the writing for avoiding binary characters and showing why both protagonists have failings.
- Niall isn't purely passive and Reuben's anger is contextualised, which sustains the show's unbearable underlying tension.
Wait To Binge Half Man Or Watch Weekly
- If you prefer binge viewing, wait until the full series drops on TVNZ Plus at the end of May.
- TVNZ releases episodes weekly but the whole series becomes available from 29 May for a more intense single-sitting watch.