The Feud

It's gripping as mentioned, but like most of channel 5 home grown dramas, the final episode goes out with a whimper instead of a bang, there is plot on top of plot which keeps the viewer interested and on the edge of your seat, but it's happened with so many channel 5 dramas the writers need a better plot endings ( I've been let down a few times with these shows from 5 there are plots I thought I'd got it correct but obviously I was way off the mark, it's gripping it really is but 6 hours they could have crammed it into 4 episodes ? I would have given 9 stars but I've given 7 because it was 2 hours to long and a disappointing end.

Emma and John are about to up sticks and leave their neighbourhood, but she gets cold feet and wants to stay, and subsequently have a kitchen extension. The proposed building work upsets the neighbours and a feud begins.

It's like watching a farce on stage, the storyline is bonkers, but it's definitely a watchable series. At six episodes long it's too much, it would have been so much better if it had been done over four, pacing was an issue.

It was definitely all over the place at times, the story was so hard to believe and every single one of the neighbours seemed to have a suspicious look on their face and a dark secret.

The acting was rather good, Jill Halfpenny in particular was excellent, even if Emma was absolutely loathsome, spoilt and obnoxious, that's part of the problem, it was hard to have any sympathy for her. Larry Lamb and Rupert Penry Jones were rather good.

If only she'd just settled for new worktops instead, think of the fuss it would have saved.

It's bonkers, but worth seeing.

6/10.

I started watching this to take my mind off toothache. It was the usual 'first world problems' plot - John and Emma decide to embark on a kitchen extension to give them something to look forward to (I think). Emma has the cushiest legal job ever, which entails rolling up to court at the weekend and challenging what appears to be police racism. I'm only on episode 4, so I'm not sure. It's certainly making me think twice about having an extension when we retire! Apparently, it causes your neighbours to go psycho! And what is the secret of Barbara's tree, which she weeps over when she's watering it?

Rupert Penry-Jones is as handsome as ever, and Jill Halfpenny is as explosively bad-tempered as you'd expect in a Channel five drama. But sheesh, am I getting fed up of people greeting magpies!

It could only go downhill from the first few seconds of the first episode before the story unfolds when the new prospective buyer questions the estate agent about rumours there had been a murder and tge estate agent dodges the question.

As if blood on the walls wasn't evidence enough ! And who puts a house on the market that's still effectively a crime scene even though there's no evidence throughout the series of police activity until the very end despite all manner of sinister activity.

Absolute hokum throughout but strangely compelling to see how it's all going to play out with numerous unbelievable plot holes right to the bitter end.

And, oh, the incessant plinky plink music throughout...AGGGHHH !! Having said that the quirky nature of it would suggest a tongue in cheek outlook should be adopted towards the whole series. I hope that was the plan because despite some of the gruesome scenes there was no tension offered up requiring the appropriate music.... Plinkety, plink.....

I enjoyed most of the series except the final episode got a bit convoluted. Emma, the lead character, really brought on the whole sequence of events. She was devoid of any emotional attachment to her family. I would call the way things turned out " Poetic Justice." Emma just steam rolled through everyone and her husband just let her do it, he needed to stand up to her. He didn't and things spiralled out of control. I know most people have security cameras now however I would hate to live on this street with all the voyeurism and scrutiny. Makes for reasonably compelling viewing.