Nathan Young
Encyclopedia
Nathan Young is a fictional character
from the British Channel 4
science fiction
comedy-drama
Misfits
, portrayed by Robert Sheehan. He first appeared in Series 1 Episode 1 and departed in an online spinoff entitled Vegas Baby! after Sheehan quit the role. He serves as one of the main protagonists of the show. His storylines include being sent to community service for stealing some pick 'n' mix
, then aggravating the situation by insulting and then assaulting the store manager and later being kicked out of his home by his mother and abandoned by the majority of his friends. Sheehan has been nominated for a BAFTA for his role as Nathan.
. Misfit's executive producer Petra Fried announced Robert Sheehan's decision to leave at the Kapow convention in London on 10 April 2011 and his departure will be dealt with in an online spinoff due to air on 15 September. The spinoff will be called Vegas Baby! and will see Nathan depart by going on the run. On his decision to leave Sheehan said " It's nice that the show's successful but it doesn't mean complete blind and unadmonished loyalty - 'If something is very successful you should stick to it like a barnacle!' That's definitely not my thinking. I think I've made the right decision, yeah." before adding on a possible return "There's no point in saying never. It holds a very fond little place in my heart. No, it's been a great big part of my life and there's no point in turning your back on something completely. I'm not doing that, I would never say never." Fellow cast member Iwan Rheon revealed that Overman who created the character discussed how to write their parts with the cast and later began writing for them as actors.
of The Guardian
described him as the "Irish one who talks too much" of the group of "foul-mouthed young criminals". Digital Spy described him as a "smart aleck". The Metro described him as "hyperactive" and "irritating as hell".
after he falls from a building and is impaled on a metal fence. He regains consciousness days after his funeral, only to find that he is trapped inside his coffin underground. Like the rest of the Misfits, Nathan's power reflects aspects of his personality: most prominently, his apparent immunity from hurtful comments pointed out by both his mother and Kelly
. In addition, it also reflects his recklessness, and the way he will do anything for fun and never gets embarrassed or regrets it. It is unclear if this power includes immunity from aging or if he simply cannot be killed, although it would appear that—in contrast to portrayals of immortals who are still vulnerable to head wounds—Nathan can even come back from being shot in the head without permanent damage. Nathan cannot heal himself unless he is actually dead, as shown when he is reduced to a state of vegetation
in series 2 episode 6, although Curtis rewinds the timeline.
At the start of the second series, the others are led to Nathan's grave by Superhoodie, where they discover his power of immortality. His return only further complicates his relationship with his family, who believed him to be dead; Nathan reveals that upon returning home, and claims to have enraged his father by explaining his apparent death as an "elaborate life insurance scam". He returns to the community centre and taking part in his community service as if nothing had happened, unaware that he had been removed from the system upon his death and would have been free of this obligation had he not mentioned it to the probation worker.
In the second episode of the second series, it is revealed that Nathan has a younger half brother, Jamie, who was born to his father and another woman. Nathan endeavours to help Jamie come to terms with their father, though his efforts meet with little success. Eventually, after attending a nightclub together, Jamie and the misfits consume Ecstasy which as a result inverts their powers. Jamie then dies in a freak car fire that almost kills Nathan as well because the pill rendered him mortal for a time. Thankfully, Superhoodie intervenes yet again and tackles Nathan to safety. Nathan's power allows him to see Jamie's ghost after his demise. Jamie leads Nathan to his father's house, and encourages him to use their mutual grief over his death to reconcile before disappearing. Though Nathan acknowledges that the process will be a slow one, he manages to swallow his pride and ask his father to go out for breakfast together. Nathan's ability to see the recently deceased is demonstrated again when he sees Ollie's ghost, and a third time when he sees Kelly's spirit after she was murdered in a timeline that was later erased by Curtis, although it is possible he can only see the deceased he is connected to.
Nathan and Kelly begin to have romantic feeling towards each other, although Kelly admits that nothing has happened because she fears that his insensitivity will lead him to hurt her. Although the two come close to physically consummating their relationship in the third episode of the second series, Kelly stops it before they can go all the way because it doesn't feel right. Nathan and the other young offenders are exposed and become famous. Another recipient of the storm's powers, Brian, reduces him to a state of vegetation but this timeline is later rewound. Nathan finishes his community service and later gets a job. He begins a relationship with a pregnant woman named Marnie and decides to support her, leading him to sell his Immortality to power dealer Seth. He is almost killed in a robbery but ducks, leading to Nikki being shot. He later returns to Seth, and he and the other young offenders decide to buy new powers with money received from a charity scam commited by Elliot.
In Vegas Baby! Nathan along with Marnie and Nathan Junior are staying in Vegas. Along with his new power he begins scamming the casino's. He is caught out when he uses his power to cheat to get eleven on the dice although he uses the numbers four and seven. He runs back to the hotel room but is eventually caught where he bids farewell to Nathan Junior. Nathan now in an orange jumpsuit is imprisoned and uses his one free call to phone Simon. Rudy picks up and states that he is the new guy and he doesn't know a Barry before hanging up.
for his portyal of Nathan but lost out to Martin Freeman
who stars in Sherlock. Sheehan was nominated for Outstanding Actor in the fiction category at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival in 2011. The Guardian
described Sheehan as the "leading light of E4's Asbo superheroes drama" and described Nathan as a "cocky motormouth" and questioned "Can Misfits survive without Nathan?" The Herald
described him as a "curly haired Irish smart alec called Nathan (Robert Sheehan), to whom writer Howard Overman has given all the best lines." The Guardian
also commented that "So far his only power seems to be the gift of incessant back-chat. Played by Robert Sheehan, he's the breakout star of the show." Boxcutters
commented negatively on the characters of Misfits saying it was "filled with unattractive and very annoying characters" although they responded positively to the show asking "why do we find it so strangely compelling?" The Times
commented that "Despite his fervent hopes, the cheeky, tousle-haired Irish boy cannot fly; indeed we do not know what his superpower is yet". The Daily Telegraph
describes him as "Motormouth Nathan was the pivot here, prodding, challenging and provoking the others into revealing themselves". Digital Spy commented on the character calling him "much-loved". Keith Watson of the Metro commented positively on his exit saying "rather than dismiss this key character with a couple of lines of mumbled dialogue, his farewell is deftly handled in an online mini-drama all of his own" saying his time on the show was spent "bemoaning being short-changed in the superpower department – finally cashes in the chips on his shoulder" before adding "he’s going to leave a Misfits-shaped hole in my heart". The Metro described him as a "cult hero".
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the British Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
comedy-drama
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
Misfits
Misfits (TV series)
Misfits is a British science fiction comedy-drama television series about a group of young offenders forced to work in a community service programme, where they obtain supernatural powers after a strange electrical storm. The first series started broadcasting on 12 November 2009 on E4, and was...
, portrayed by Robert Sheehan. He first appeared in Series 1 Episode 1 and departed in an online spinoff entitled Vegas Baby! after Sheehan quit the role. He serves as one of the main protagonists of the show. His storylines include being sent to community service for stealing some pick 'n' mix
Pick 'n' mix
Pick 'n' mix is a common method used to sell various small items. It is most often used to sell confectionery, whereby small sweets are displayed in tubs or bins...
, then aggravating the situation by insulting and then assaulting the store manager and later being kicked out of his home by his mother and abandoned by the majority of his friends. Sheehan has been nominated for a BAFTA for his role as Nathan.
Casting and character creation
Casting for the part was announced on 17 August 2009 by Digital SpyDigital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
. Misfit's executive producer Petra Fried announced Robert Sheehan's decision to leave at the Kapow convention in London on 10 April 2011 and his departure will be dealt with in an online spinoff due to air on 15 September. The spinoff will be called Vegas Baby! and will see Nathan depart by going on the run. On his decision to leave Sheehan said " It's nice that the show's successful but it doesn't mean complete blind and unadmonished loyalty - 'If something is very successful you should stick to it like a barnacle!' That's definitely not my thinking. I think I've made the right decision, yeah." before adding on a possible return "There's no point in saying never. It holds a very fond little place in my heart. No, it's been a great big part of my life and there's no point in turning your back on something completely. I'm not doing that, I would never say never." Fellow cast member Iwan Rheon revealed that Overman who created the character discussed how to write their parts with the cast and later began writing for them as actors.
Characterisation
E4's official website describes Nathan as having "an answer for everything, sarcastic wit, and a fondness for pushing things too far" and that "underneath the cocky quips and sarcasm, Nathan isn’t as unemotionally untouchable as he makes out." Tim DowlingTim Dowling
Tim Dowling is a journalist and author. Dowling moved to the UK at the age of 27 and currently lives in London with his wife and three children....
of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
described him as the "Irish one who talks too much" of the group of "foul-mouthed young criminals". Digital Spy described him as a "smart aleck". The Metro described him as "hyperactive" and "irritating as hell".
Storylines
Nathan is involved in a freak storm and is later kicked out of his house by his mother on his first day of community service. He and the other young offenders are attacked by Tony and after Kelly kills him he helps dispose of the body. Nathan doesn't discover his power unlike the rest of the Misfits who discover their powers on the day after the storm. His power is hinted at in one of the alternate timelines created in the fourth episode of the first series, which presents him as the only survivor of Tony's rampage, found "half-dead" by the police. In the first series' finale, his power is revealed to be that of immortalityImmortality
Immortality is the ability to live forever. It is unknown whether human physical immortality is an achievable condition. Biological forms have inherent limitations which may or may not be able to be overcome through medical interventions or engineering...
after he falls from a building and is impaled on a metal fence. He regains consciousness days after his funeral, only to find that he is trapped inside his coffin underground. Like the rest of the Misfits, Nathan's power reflects aspects of his personality: most prominently, his apparent immunity from hurtful comments pointed out by both his mother and Kelly
Kelly Bailey (Misfits)
Kelly Bailey is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 science fiction comedy-drama Misfits, portrayed by Lauren Socha. Kelly first appears in episode 1 of Series 1. The character has been characterised as "chavvish" but with a "heart of gold"...
. In addition, it also reflects his recklessness, and the way he will do anything for fun and never gets embarrassed or regrets it. It is unclear if this power includes immunity from aging or if he simply cannot be killed, although it would appear that—in contrast to portrayals of immortals who are still vulnerable to head wounds—Nathan can even come back from being shot in the head without permanent damage. Nathan cannot heal himself unless he is actually dead, as shown when he is reduced to a state of vegetation
Persistent vegetative state
A persistent vegetative state is a disorder of consciousness in which patients with severe brain damage are in a state of partial arousal rather than true awareness. It is a diagnosis of some uncertainty in that it deals with a syndrome. After four weeks in a vegetative state , the patient is...
in series 2 episode 6, although Curtis rewinds the timeline.
At the start of the second series, the others are led to Nathan's grave by Superhoodie, where they discover his power of immortality. His return only further complicates his relationship with his family, who believed him to be dead; Nathan reveals that upon returning home, and claims to have enraged his father by explaining his apparent death as an "elaborate life insurance scam". He returns to the community centre and taking part in his community service as if nothing had happened, unaware that he had been removed from the system upon his death and would have been free of this obligation had he not mentioned it to the probation worker.
In the second episode of the second series, it is revealed that Nathan has a younger half brother, Jamie, who was born to his father and another woman. Nathan endeavours to help Jamie come to terms with their father, though his efforts meet with little success. Eventually, after attending a nightclub together, Jamie and the misfits consume Ecstasy which as a result inverts their powers. Jamie then dies in a freak car fire that almost kills Nathan as well because the pill rendered him mortal for a time. Thankfully, Superhoodie intervenes yet again and tackles Nathan to safety. Nathan's power allows him to see Jamie's ghost after his demise. Jamie leads Nathan to his father's house, and encourages him to use their mutual grief over his death to reconcile before disappearing. Though Nathan acknowledges that the process will be a slow one, he manages to swallow his pride and ask his father to go out for breakfast together. Nathan's ability to see the recently deceased is demonstrated again when he sees Ollie's ghost, and a third time when he sees Kelly's spirit after she was murdered in a timeline that was later erased by Curtis, although it is possible he can only see the deceased he is connected to.
Nathan and Kelly begin to have romantic feeling towards each other, although Kelly admits that nothing has happened because she fears that his insensitivity will lead him to hurt her. Although the two come close to physically consummating their relationship in the third episode of the second series, Kelly stops it before they can go all the way because it doesn't feel right. Nathan and the other young offenders are exposed and become famous. Another recipient of the storm's powers, Brian, reduces him to a state of vegetation but this timeline is later rewound. Nathan finishes his community service and later gets a job. He begins a relationship with a pregnant woman named Marnie and decides to support her, leading him to sell his Immortality to power dealer Seth. He is almost killed in a robbery but ducks, leading to Nikki being shot. He later returns to Seth, and he and the other young offenders decide to buy new powers with money received from a charity scam commited by Elliot.
In Vegas Baby! Nathan along with Marnie and Nathan Junior are staying in Vegas. Along with his new power he begins scamming the casino's. He is caught out when he uses his power to cheat to get eleven on the dice although he uses the numbers four and seven. He runs back to the hotel room but is eventually caught where he bids farewell to Nathan Junior. Nathan now in an orange jumpsuit is imprisoned and uses his one free call to phone Simon. Rudy picks up and states that he is the new guy and he doesn't know a Barry before hanging up.
Reception
Sheehan was nominated for a BAFTABritish Academy of Film and Television Arts
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
for his portyal of Nathan but lost out to Martin Freeman
Martin Freeman
Martin John C. Freeman is an English actor. He is known for his roles as John in Love Actually, Tim Canterbury in the BBC's Golden Globe-winning comedy The Office, Arthur Dent in the film adaptation of Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Dr. John Watson in Sherlock and Mr. Madden...
who stars in Sherlock. Sheehan was nominated for Outstanding Actor in the fiction category at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival in 2011. The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
described Sheehan as the "leading light of E4's Asbo superheroes drama" and described Nathan as a "cocky motormouth" and questioned "Can Misfits survive without Nathan?" The Herald
The Herald (Glasgow)
The Herald is a broadsheet newspaper published Monday to Saturday in Glasgow, and available throughout Scotland. As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 47,226, giving it a lead over Scotland's other 'quality' national daily, The Scotsman, published in Edinburgh.The 1889 to 1906 editions...
described him as a "curly haired Irish smart alec called Nathan (Robert Sheehan), to whom writer Howard Overman has given all the best lines." The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
also commented that "So far his only power seems to be the gift of incessant back-chat. Played by Robert Sheehan, he's the breakout star of the show." Boxcutters
Boxcutters (podcast)
Boxcutters is an Australian podcast dedicated to the discussion of television. It is produced weekly, and usually uploaded on a Monday. Shows average around 70 minutes, although there is no set length, and it is recorded at the studios of 3RRR...
commented negatively on the characters of Misfits saying it was "filled with unattractive and very annoying characters" although they responded positively to the show asking "why do we find it so strangely compelling?" The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
commented that "Despite his fervent hopes, the cheeky, tousle-haired Irish boy cannot fly; indeed we do not know what his superpower is yet". The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
describes him as "Motormouth Nathan was the pivot here, prodding, challenging and provoking the others into revealing themselves". Digital Spy commented on the character calling him "much-loved". Keith Watson of the Metro commented positively on his exit saying "rather than dismiss this key character with a couple of lines of mumbled dialogue, his farewell is deftly handled in an online mini-drama all of his own" saying his time on the show was spent "bemoaning being short-changed in the superpower department – finally cashes in the chips on his shoulder" before adding "he’s going to leave a Misfits-shaped hole in my heart". The Metro described him as a "cult hero".