The Couple Next Door

I watched the original Dutch TV version of this show which ran for 4 series 10x40m from 2014-2019. It was a bit cheesy at times but enjoyable with well-grounded characters and a dramatic storyline full of unexpected twists and some pretty raunchy scenes.

The remake seems to have been drained of drama and toned down and as a consequence comes a distant second to the original (Which was titled 'New Neighbours' but can still be found on C4 Catchup with subtitles as 'The Swingers'. If you haven't watched either definitely seek out the original.

The remake didn't feel authentic if felt tepid with a lot of one-dimensional performances, Hugh Dennis aside. For some reason it was shot in Leeds and The Netherlands and Belgium but meant to be set in Yorkshire, so a lot of it just looked plain wrong.

I'm afraid I very quickly lost all interest, it was naffly made in all respects, including acting, writing and direction.

The only reason I don't give this one star is because it's so bad it's almost entertaining.

Slow boring story with terrible acting set in an eternally warm, sunny, tropical location that's apparently in Leeds.

There is one attempt at a Yorkshire accent but Joey Tribiani could do a better job.

It also seemed to be filmed with 80s soap opera effect.

Nothing erotic about it and a very strange time scale, days, weeks and months seem totally interchangeable.

The more I write the more I wonder if this is in fact actually a very clever comedy that I just don't get

Hugh Dennis was the only saving grace but even that was touch and go - non pun intended.

To be honest, it's not my type of series, although I decided to watch it because the English ones are usually pretty good. To start, the location confused me a lot, it seems like a good suburban neighborhood in America because of the materialism and the manners of the neighbors. Don't get me wrong, I'm just saying it as a compliment, for the English of course.

The first episode left me wanting more, and I just watched it until the end, it has something that hooks you. It is entertaining and exciting at various times, the police investigation and the religious theme kept me very intrigued. And just to make things a little more interesting, Becka is being stalked by Alan, a neighbour, the actor Hugh Denis, whom I mention and highlight for his excellent work, is the best performance in the series.

I didn't see any type of betrayal or secrets between the couples, the two participate in the sexy game, and later the psychopathic evolution of Evi, who is always laughing, is well done, but the continuous and annoying smile almost becomes a pantomime of a diabolical doll.

Like many other series, many of the decisions made are not at all realistic, and the ending, even so being very exciting, exceeds psychopathy and radical religious positions that never lead to anything good.

This short series may not be epic, but it remains watchable and exciting, offering a mix of entertainment and moments that really engage.

I would watch paint dry if it featured Sam Heughan and I am keen to support any movie or series he stars in. He is a solid actor and nice to look at--a good combination in my books.

Equally, Eleanor Tomlinson is great to watch. She brings a breath of fresh air to any role.

Discovering that these two actors were cast together in The Couple Next Door, I noted the date in my calendar and counted down the days. I was excited.

And really, the anticipation was the best part of this series. To me it just didn't strike the right note and some parts of the storyline just didn't work for me. Sometimes a point was laboured (yes, I got that...move on) and other times the characters just, well, didn't stay in character.

I am disappointed. Hopefully Sam will be cast in a role that matches his talent in the future.

Normally wouldn't watch something with an IMDb rating of less than 7 unless there's a cracking cast as was the case in the couple next door. The acting was excellent, and I didn't even mind Sam Heughan slipping back into his Scottish accent. The thing that absolutely threw me was the location. It's all I could think about. By no stretch of the imagination could you find a housing estate anywhere in the UK that resembles the one in the show purporting to be in Leeds! I mean, who on earth would have awnings in Leeds, no offence, but there's just not the weather - talking of which - did the director not know it's always cold and rains most of the time?