Some fans have called it dull – were we watching the same show?!

Coldwater has started on ITV1 and, as a perk of the job, I was able to watch the series ahead of its release date and binged it in one day – so why are early reviews so critical?

The series has certainly divided viewers, with many calling it “dull”, “tosh”, and “absolute crap”… But I’m totally baffled by this. Were we even watching the same drama?

The ITV six-parter introduced Andrew Lincoln as John, a man who uprooted his family from London to Scotland after a violent encounter provoked a mid-life crisis. But he soon realised that the violence had followed him across the country…

Here’s what critics are saying about Coldwater on ITV, and why our review shuts down the naysayers…
Andrew Lincoln is the best he’s ever been as John in Coldwater [Credit: ITV]

Coldwater reviews are in

After episode 1 of Coldwater went out on Sunday (September 14), ITV viewers were quick to share their first impressions. And many of them were surprisingly pessimistic.

Yep, I know that TV viewers prefer to spout hate than share the love, sadly that’s just the general climate these days. But still, having LOVED the series and binged it in one afternoon, I was genuinely flummoxed by the amount of negativity.

One fan wrote on X: “Coldwater is dull as ditchwater. The third load of tosh in a month on TV.”

Another said: “Don’t give my time to many British dramas because they usually always have the same cast give or take three or four people. Gave #Coldwater a go because of its completely fresh cast and waste of my eyeballs for five hours. Such a dull story.”

A third agreed, typing: “Got to be the most dreary program ever. All the hype that ITV have sprouted about it – absolute turd, I was falling asleep #Coldwater.”

Others called it “absolute crap”, “ridiculous”, “rubbish”, and “utter garbage”.

But anyone calling Coldwater “dull” must swim with sharks before breakfast. The ITV thriller was anything but…

ITV series is TV at its finest

I have to disagree with every single one of these armchair critics. I watch TV for a living and this is one of the best thrillers I’ve seen this year.

Yes it’s not in-your-face explosions like Trigger Point, or switch-your-brain-off like The Rumour, but it’s brilliantly crafted. It’s a thriller, but not as we know it. The six episodes blend black comedy – the blackest – with a central whodunit, as well as casting a critical eye on toxic masculinity.

If you didn’t find it funny, then you didn’t get the joke.

The four main cast members of Coldwater – Andrew Lincoln, Ewen Bremner, Eve Myles, and Indira Varma – were at their finest. John was like a deer in the headlights, at the mercy of his secretly sinister neighbour Tommy. It was a double act I could have watched all day and night. I didn’t know what Tommy was going to do next, and John’s discomfort was palpable.

Coupled with the stunning filming locations, Coldwater gave us everything a thriller should – and it kept me guessing until the very last minute. My advice to the killjoys: Don’t take TV so seriously. Coldwater is tremendous fun, clever, sexy, and sinister. Yes, it can be ALL those things at once! Stick with it.

Reader, it is a truth universally acknowledged that TV this good should get a series 2.
Eve Myles and Ewen Bremner were mesmerising as Rebecca and Tommy in Coldwater [Credit: ITV]

‘Absolutely bonkers but I’m absolutely loving it’

Don’t worry, not all viewers turned off. Some, like me, recognised it for what it was – pure, delicious entertainment.

One fan said: “I liked this! Weird enough to keep you interested.”

Another added: “Okay #Coldwater is absolutely bonkers but I’m absolutely loving it.”

A third enthused: “It was really cool to see Andrew Lincoln in a role so different than anything I’ve seen him in. The series was a mix of thriller, comedy, and mystery. Very enjoyable.”

“Really great six episodes” said one fan who binged all episodes on ITVX. They added: “I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and couldn’t wait to get into the next episode after the previous one. A very intriguing series with a wonderful cast.”

Other called it a “great thriller”, “intriguing”, and “brilliantly directed with a tight script”.

Coldwater reviews

So what did the ‘real’ experts say? The TV critics paid to have an opinion?

Hollie Richardson of The Guardian said: “It’s a curious new drama – with some dark comedy moments – that quickly sucks you in and heads in unpredictable directions.”

Tilly Pearce at Radio Times said: “Coldwater is the kind of thriller that keeps you in a chokehold from the opening moments of the first episode, and refuses to let go until the end.

“By the end of the series, you’ll be left struggling to breathe… and that’s just where creator David Ireland wants you.”

The Times’ Ben Dowell wrote: “Unhinged, yes, but this masculinity crisis is compelling. The excellent ensemble hold the reins just tight enough to make this bold and ballsy show work.”

Do you agree with these Coldwater reviews?