Richard Gadd Is Back: Baby Reindeer Follow-Up Drops on HBO Max Today

Alright, Richard Gadd is back with a brand new show, and if you’ve even glanced at TV headlines this year, you probably clocked his name off the wild ‘Baby Reindeer’ rollercoaster. Well, his next act, ‘Half Man’, finally hits HBO and HBO Max tonight, kicking off a six-part drama that’s got a few things in common with its predecessor: complicated relationships, a little trauma, and a craving for emotional wreckage.

Let’s Run Down the Basics

Gadd didn’t just create this one — he wrote it, executive-produced it, and stars in it too. (So, basically, if something feels personal, that’s probably not an accident.) He also wrangled Jamie Bell (‘Billy Elliot’, ‘Rocketman’) as his co-lead, and together they play stepbrothers who have a… let’s call it a messy connection that won’t die, no matter how much time goes by.

• Premiere: First episode drops tonight at 9:00 PM ET/PT on HBO and HBO Max, and after that, it's the classic one-episode-per-week drip until May 28.
• Cast List: Gadd and Bell on top, but the show’s also stacked with Stuart Campbell, Mitchell Robertson, Neve McIntosh, Marianne McIvor, Charlie De Melo, Bilal Hasna, Julie Cullen, Amy Manson, Anjli Mohindra, Tim Downie, Tom Andrews, Philippine Velge, Stuart McQuarrie, Sandy Batchelor, Piers Ewart, Scot Greenan, plus a handful of newcomers (Charlotte Blackwood, Calum Manchip, Kate Robson-Stuart).
• Behind the Scenes: Executive-produced by Sophie Gardiner, Anna O'Malley, Gaynor Holmes (for BBC), Gavin Smith (BBC Scotland), Tally Garner & Morven Reid (Mam Tor Productions). Alexandra Brodski and Eshref Reybrouck direct.

The Plot: Stepbrothers, But Not a Comedy

Here’s the vibe: The story tracks Gadd’s and Bell’s characters, Niall and Ruben, over three decades. They’re connected, not by blood, but by family tragedy and pure accident, and their bond goes from childhood right up to adulthood. Think inseparable in the beginning—one's tough and loyal; the other, not so much.

Then, fast-forward to Niall’s wedding. Ruben shows up, and something is seriously off. He’s anxious, dodgy, and not acting like the same guy. What comes next? Basically, chaos: an outburst of violence that blows up everyone’s world, and the show uses that as a launchpad to flash back and unpack all the buried baggage between these two guys. If you’re into stories that hop from the 1980s to present day and don’t mind a few emotional gut punches, you’re in the right place.

'Niall and Ruben are brothers. Not related in blood, but the closest you can get. One, fierce and loyal. The other, meek and mild-mannered...Brought into each other’s lives through death and circumstance, all they have is each other…But when Ruben turns up at Niall’s wedding three decades later, everything seems different...And soon, an explosion of violence takes place, which catapults us back through their lives, from the eighties to the present day.' (official logline)

Why It Might Be Worth Your Time

Gadd brought home three Emmys for ‘Baby Reindeer’, and if he can bottle even half that energy, ‘Half Man’ could easily become one of those watercooler dramas—equal parts ‘what did I just watch’ and ‘ok, that kind of hurt’. It also dives deep into all the gnarly stuff people don’t love talking about: loyalty, male friendships, violence, and why the people closest to us can do the most damage.

If you’re hungry for a limited series that isn’t afraid of getting uncomfortable, or just want to see what Gadd does next after turning Netflix upside down, you have your next binge planned.