ITV Coldwater viewers fume 'what a waste' as they issue same complaint

Coldwater viewers fumed "what a waste" as they issued the same complaint.

The six-part ITV drama, penned by David Ireland, centres on a man named John (Andrew Lincoln) who is secretly frustrated with his life as a middle-aged, stay-at-home dad.

After failing to step in during a violent confrontation in a London playground, John relocates his wife Fiona (Indira Varma) and their children to start anew in the tranquil Scottish village of Coldwater.

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John and Fiona quickly become entangled with their neighbour Tommy (Ewen Bremner), a charismatic and seemingly religious man who is married to the local vicar, Rebecca (Eve Myles).

During the first episode on Sunday (September 14), John encountered a violent man in the woods, with whom he had a previous altercation, reports the Daily Record.

When things escalated, John assaulted the man with a rock, leaving him for dead.

After confiding in his neighbour, John stayed at home while Tommy drove to the crime scene. However, events took a sinister turn when Tommy discovered the man alive and seeking help.

Although it initially appeared that he was going to assist, Tommy ended up murdering the man and transported him to a caravan, before setting it ablaze.

On Monday (September 15), John struggled to deal with his guilt after news of the man's death spread throughout the village.

John then unexpectedly took his family to church, where he experienced multiple flashbacks of attacking the man on the street.

John, wracked with guilt, later made his way to the police station to confess his crime, only to be dissuaded by Tommy, who arrived just in time.

A peculiar hunting trip later on seemed to alter John's outlook as he fell further under Tommy's sinister influence.

After switching off the first episode, the show's viewers took a similar stance tonight as many shared complaints about John's character and the drama's plot.

"Andrew Lincoln's character in #Coldwater is infuriating. So many good actors in this as well but expected better," one person wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Another added: "Oh for gods sake. This is the oddest drama I've watched in years!" while a third said: "Every character in this is insufferable."

A fourth fan echoed the sentiment, saying: "This drama is rubbish. What a stupid story about nothing. Sharpen up @ITV - what a waste."

A fifth viewer similarly shared: "This is like one of those rubbish Channel 5 dramas. Full of characters you can't like," with another adding: "This is a bit baffling and too slow for people to stick with. They should've give us more of a heads up about what's going on before airing it."

Coldwater is available to stream on ITVX