The BBC's new show, Conversations With Friends, kicked off this week and viewers are all saying the same thing about it.
Hot off the tails of the phenomenally successful Normal People, adapted from the best-selling book by Irish writer Sally Rooney, many expected Conversations With Friends, based on the author's debut, to receive similar acclaim. While Normal People had viewers feverishly obsessed, the BBC's newest outing has left many less than impressed.
Many fans have struggled with the new show, with some claiming it's too similar to Normal People. Like its predecessor, Conversations With Friends focuses on the interactions and self-analysis of its characters, but where Normal People sparkled, the BBC's new show seems to have fallen flat with fans.
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Birmingham Live reports producer Lenny Abrahamson told the Radio Times : "We've described it as a kind of cousin to Normal People. It's still within that sort of - you can feel Sally's writing, obviously - and there are similarities in how I'll approach this, although there are also differences.
"It's also 12 half-hour episodes like Normal People, so there is some kind of continuity." Despite the creators' intentions, fans on Twitter have been somewhat critical.
"Two episodes into Conversations with Friends and thinking of Normal People. Are they linked?" one said. "I wish I wasn't comparing it Conversations with Friends to Normal People. Not on the same level," said another.
A third referenced the lead characters from Normal People, Marianne and Connell, and said: "Connel and Marianne were super insecure and awkward and had TONS of chemistry, here I don't see that." And another added: "is the conversations with friends show actually good or are fans just being loyal".
The story revolves around university students and former lovers Frances, played by newcomer Alison Oliver, and Bobbi, played by American Honey's Sasha Lane. They are drawn into the adult world of glamorous writer Melissa, played by Sex Education's Jemima Kirke, and her handsome husband Nick, played by The Favourite's Joe Alwyn.
Announcing the adaptation in February, BBC exec Piers Wenger said: "It was a decision that made itself. We will commission work from Sally Rooney for as long as she writes it. We think she's such an exciting voice, in the way that she's able to write about young people's lives in a really direct and authentic way."
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