Ok so I watched about 4 episodes last night and found it to be well done, the physical humor is very funny (dancing around, etc.) but I must say that they speak so fast that it is hard to follow! And there are not any subtitles, we were hoping to read along in Portuguese to make it easier. Help! Does anyone know of a website where I can find either a transcript of each episode or even a brief synopsis of each one. I figure it would be best to watch each episode "cold" then read the synopsis/transcript to catch some of what I missed, and then watch it again...
I'm also a bit confused by the premise of some of the episodes - do these people pretend to cheat on each other? Or do they cheat on each other? Are they making fun of cheating on one another? Is it an open relationship? Between the language barrier and then potentially some cultural ones as well, I am having a bit of trouble following. But it is definitely entertaining!
Os Normais is great! But I had the same problem that you are having when I first watched them. The snappy banter back and forth between Rui and Vani made it hard to follow sometimes.
I also found that sometimes my wife (a Carioca) would start laughing at someting that sounded perfectly innocent to me. She explained that part of the charm of the show was the use of "double entendre" and slang.
For example, in one episode Vani starts shouting what I heard as "The forest is on fire! The forest is on fire!" My wife started laughing really hard and I asked her why that was so funny and she told me that "The forest is on fire!" could also be translated that Vani was shouting that her private parts were on fire. I started to laugh too.The show is chock full of moments like that. Lots of sexual undertones.
If possible invite a Brazilian over when you're watching Os Normais and ask them what's so funny like I do with my wife. I get more out of the episodes and eventually start to pick up on some of the jokes.
Os Normais, O Filme has subtitles and also has one TV episode with subtitles. It tells the story of how Rui and Vani met. It's super funny!
Posted by: will | July 18, 2008 at 08:27 AM
I am promoting a new undertaking, Let’s Help Brazil! http://www.letshelpbrazil.org.
Our mission is the relief of poverty and advancement of education for Brazil's homeless children.
Chris Haney
Let’s Help Brazil!
Posted by: Chris Haney | July 18, 2008 at 12:12 PM
Will - this sounds like a good idea. Good to know though that even if I understood all of the words I still probably might not follow the double meanings. The phyical comedy is quite enjoyable as well.
Chris - just a suggestion but if you want to get the word out about your organization, you are welcome to send me an email and additional information so that I could potentially write about it. I would be more than happy to look into it if you approached it this way (and you would likely have more luck with other bloggers as well, as posting a comment like this which is unrelated to the post topic might be seen as spam by some people).
Posted by: DRL | July 18, 2008 at 12:48 PM
the dialogue of Os Normais is really fast and I don't know of anywhere you can get the synopsis, although I have not scoured the web, so you never know.
I also recommend watching it with a Brazilian to get the double meanings. The premise of the show is that they live together and are engaged to each other. They don't cheat on each other, although Vani might, in a fight, say she is going to jump the first guy she sees. The humor is really about how they deal with each other's neuroses. You also might try Grande Familia, it is a little easier to follow.
Posted by: Corinne | July 18, 2008 at 04:49 PM
Yeah it sounds like it's pretty popular! The first few episodes I watched it's like - there was some sort of stripper that he called to the house, while she was off with an old man (who I think was supposed to be a politician), then there was another where they somehow got involved with another couple on a train???
Posted by: DRL | July 18, 2008 at 05:26 PM