User Reviews

Plenty of bad reviews but I get annoyed with the "go to the police" and other armchair and keyboard advice. It's not that easy. If it WAS then every domestically abused woman (or man) would do just that. And do they? Huge majority don't until it reaches danger point. In this situation you weigh up the pros and cons. Is it worth all the upheaval? Losing your home, kids, job, and fear of looking over your shoulder every minute of the day expecting repercussions. Its a hell that you get trapped in and the show demonstrates that. Would a husband go to all that trouble to set you up just because you left him once and he had to beg you to come back? A narcissistic one would, definitely. Narcissists like to feel you depend on them entirely, not the other way round. Is it believable? Yes.

This six-part ITV drama started as if it was going to be a searing examination of domestic abuse, then morphed into a strange Harlan Coben-esque it's-all-in-my-head, reversal-of-fortune mystery before settling down to a seen-it-before revenge thriller where we learn in the final episode that the plot was based on a Patricia Highsmith / Alfred Hitchcock Hollywood collaboration from almost 70 years ago.

Thematically, I found these plot shifts just too contrived and incredible to digest but in the end, rolled with the flow just to see how it all panned out in the end and if just desserts were duly served.

Joanne Froggat is the put-upon wife and mother of two young sons who puts up with her high-flying husband's controlling ways and violent mood-swings which regularly see him turn to lifting his hands to her. With seemingly no-one to turn to about her plight - she and her dying mum don't talk and she fell out with her best girl-friend years before - she worries that he will take her kids away from her in any post-divorce custodial battle, but soldiers on in her situation while really living no kind of life at all, treading eggshells about what kind of mood he arrive home in.

Then a mysterious young black man randomly starts talking to her outside a bar in one of her rare nights-out away from hubby and reveals that he's a private detective in the employ of her husband. He then spins to her a fantastical-sounding plot of the husband's to murder her, just like he apparently did with a young girl at his office with whom he's alleged to have had an affair and that she has to get her retaliation in first to stop him. But the plan she and the apparently conscience-stricken P. I. hatch goes awry and it's she who ends up fearing for her own mental health, consigned to a psychiatric-help facility, allowing her husband a clear field to sweep up the kids, with her seemingly safely out of the picture. But as she recovers her stability of mind, she revisits the events which led up to her current plight, gradually piecing together the truth and naturally decides to do something about it.

I suppose it was too much to hope that the show would continue with the domestic violence angle and I almost gave up on it when Froggat's revenge plan was shown to be based on something as flimsy as a cheap paperback crime novel, which she's somehow imagined as real. It just about righted itself again as she bravely sorts out out her life and hatches her own plan to turn the tables, although it was underwhelming to learn of the unoriginal "Strangers On A Train" inspiration behind the husband's plan.

It was all a bit ramshackle at times but with good acting by a dressed-down Froggat, Michiel Huisman as the evil husband and Samuel Adewunmi as his accomplice, it was a pity it fell into clichéd, incredulous sensationalism when it could have been a much darker and more realistic portrayal of the very real societal problem of domestic abuse, obviously exacerbated by the recent isolation imposed on families by the Covid situation.

A missed opportunity.

My take so far: She should have known as soon as the plan was not carried out that this was his way to get evidence against her and real or not the hitman did the job he was hired to do. Only on episode 4 at this moment.

Joanna yet again is perfect in her role. As soon as I saw she was the star I knew it'd be good.

I did guess having been in her character's shoes (and work with both parties) a man like that wouldn't be duped and not only would have a back up plan but a narcissistic plan to show she was the crazy/abusive one. I saw one reviewer ask "why not go to the police" simple answer ep1 sheer terror. Men and some women slowly over time create such a hostile environment the victim fears for both their own and families lives. They can't admit their perfect life is a facade for fear of him doing more than knocking her tooth out. She would believe anything at this stage and unfortunately he knows that and it's her downfall. She plays the part beautifully being whomever she's meant to be in each part of her life, doting wife, caring animal welfare officer, great mum at the gates. All whilst knowing she sees no way out until a kind stranger comes along.

Give it to the end before you write it off. To me we were meant to see the double cross coming especially when he gave her the gun. I'm just surprised that house hasn't cameras in every room. She will be vilified but I see a twist coming. Great performance Joanna.

WHat in God's name is the final episode about?? When was that CCTV footage of Olivier abusing Angela filmed? Did she know it had been filmed? How did she obtain it to show the police? Why hadn't the devious Olivier deleted it?? Am I going mad or is it the writers??

I feel like Joanne Froggatt is great at playing the role of showing how people can be naive and afraid to leave relationships.. when they love someone. It also portrays how the man can easily lie and twist the truth. Great series and it's good to help and guide other young people or people of all ages its ok to leave when you're in an abusive couple.

Enjoyed this series. I really felt for the lead character with all of the emotional agony she went through. A lesson to all nasty husbands, so bloody well watch out if you are a cruel piece of work. The children were a bit annoying though. Don't understand all of the pompous reviews.

I'm two episodes in and I am wondering why she didn't automatically go to the police when Ed told her that her husband was going to have her killed. If a stranger came up to me and started telling me things about my husband, I'd go to the police. By the end of the first episode she's been told that her husband has already done away with one mistress and that it's Angela's turn to get bumped off. Why isn't she recording her conversations with Ed? Why isn't she going to the police? I'll give this one more episode but if she doesn't pull up her socks, I'm done. ** I've just finished the third episode and I knew that by the end of the second episode there was something wrong with Ed. In the third episode the husband forgot his briefcase at home when Ed had previously told her that "it never leaves his side." I knew that this whole thing was going to blow up in her face and it did. I can't give this series any more of my time. I give this a 2 for the atmosphere and the production values. Yes the acting is okay but the story is just so terrible.