The Feud

I started to watch this because I like Rupert Penry -Jones. I was aware of a few other actors. My gosh. This is terrible...in a good way.

I've never followed The Soaps, so if you do, I suspect, this is tailor made for you.

The show opens with a Block Party, and we meet all of our main characters.

The inciting incident starts the next day when one family decides to do a re-model of their kitchen.

I won't even get into names and such. Just know that, EACH ONE OF THESE CHARACTERS ARE AWFUL. ALL of them.

Zero redeeming qualities. Over 6 episodes, every plot twist that could stick to the walls were used.

Did I have a choice to quit " The Feud"? Yes, I did...but, I soldered through to bring you this review.

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!

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'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.....