The Feud

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'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.

I'm quite enjoying it so far.

It reminds me a bit of Exhibit A and the Mulberry Close episode of Inside No.9.

OK, so the plot and script are somewhat simplistic and the characters rather stereotyped, but it's still better than most of the dross that passes for entertainment these days.

Alexander Macqueen is particularly effective playing a character almost identical to Roy Tunt in The Hide.

Yes, it may be predictable, but isn't everything that's been overdone these days? Is it really more so than any of the other countless whodunits that proliferate our screens?

I welcome the return of familiar tried and trusted faces. At least they are people I've heard of unlike most of today's so called "celebrities".

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.