Viewers are divided over Andrew Lincoln's new drama Coldwater
Not everybody is fan...
After filming took place last year, hugely-antipcated new drama Coldwater, starring The Walking Dead actor Andrew Lincoln, finally kicked off this week, with two episodes airing so far.
The six-part series is set in a fictional Scottish village called Coldwater, with Ewen Bremner, Indira Varma and Eve Myles also starring, but the dark comedy drama is dividing opinion with viewers.
Whilst some have already binged the entire series on ITVX/STV Player, others stopped watching after just 20 minutes, calling it 'far fetched', 'strange', and 'awful'.
One wrote: 'All these great actors and this is so dull', with somebody else commenting: 'Shout out to everyone who made it through to the end of #Coldwater. Easily the worst TV drama of 2025 by a wide margin, and the nadir of Andrew Lincoln's career'. (sic)
Another added: 'Just find this hard to watch. It's far fetched and very strange', with somebody else adding: '#Coldwater on ITV is one of the stupidest shows I’ve seen in years. Why Andrew Lincoln signed onto this is completely baffling'. (sic)
Another wrote: 'Andrew Lincoln's character is totally inconsistent from one second to the next. Fifty minutes in and there's no hint of a story. What even is #Coldwater?'. (sic)
However, some viewers love it, with one person writing: 'Am I the only one who's enjoying #Coldwater? It's a black comedy. people don't seem to get it. Proper 90's Shallow Grave vibes. Ewan Bremnar is excellent.'.
Somebody else said: 'Coldwater is too good to leave on the shelf for a week binge watching it all now on #itvx'. (sic)
Another wrote: 'Really enjoyed #Coldwater. Intriguing premise and story, excellent cast (loved Andrew Lincoln), brilliantly directed and a tight script. Can't wait for more'. (sic)
With opinion divided, here's everything you need to know about the show...
What is it about?
ITV say of the plot: 'Set in the fictional Scottish village of Coldwater, Andrew Lincoln plays John, a repressed man who is shocked to find himself in middle age, secretly raging at his life as a stay-at-home dad.
'When his failure to intervene in a violent confrontation in a playground brings his identity crisis to a head, John ups and moves his family to the rural idyll of Coldwater, as far away from London as possible.
'Upon arrival, John is quickly befriended by next-door neighbour Tommy, played by Ewen Bremner, a charming, confident man and devoted husband to the local vicar Rebecca, played by Eve Myles. He is a man of faith, a pillar of the community and self-appointed leader of the village’s all-male book group.
'John is both impressed and slightly fascinated by Tommy. His wife Fiona, played by Indira Varma, despises him. Fiona saw the move to Coldwater as an opportunity to leave the past behind them and reignite the spark in their fading marriage. When her husband’s relationship with their enigmatic new neighbour becomes increasingly intense, Fiona’s suspicions are aroused. She is unconvinced Tommy is all he seems to be.
'When John’s long-repressed rage comes to a head with disastrous results, he soon finds himself unexpectedly indebted to his new friend, unaware that Tommy himself is harbouring horrifying secrets.
'It’s only after a series of unsettling incidents start to occur that John begins to wonder who the real Tommy actually is.
'This is the story of a normal man, in a normal marriage, who finds himself in a far from normal situation. A man who discovers a newfound sense of his own power, right at the moment he falls under the influence of someone incredibly dangerous.'
Check out the first look photos from Coldwater below:
Coldwater first look
Coldwater first look
Coldwater first look
Coldwater first look
Coldwater first look
Coldwater first look
Coldwater first look
Coldwater first look
Coldwater first look
Coldwater first look
Is there a trailer?
Yes, the trailer was released on Tuesday 26th August, check it out below:
When did it start?
Coldwater started on Sunday 14th September at 9pm. New episodes air every Sunday and Monday night.
If you would rather binge the series, all episode are available now on ITVX and STV Player.
What channel is it on?
Coldwater airs on ITV1/STV1 and ITVX/STV Player.
How many episodes?
The series will have six episodes.
Who is in the cast?
The Walking Dead's Andrew Lincoln takes on the lead role of John, a repressed, middle-aged stay-at-home dad who relocates his family from London to the fictional Scottish village of Coldwater.
Indira Varma has been cast as John's wife Fiona, whilst Ewen Bremner takes on the role of his neighbour. The Guest star Eve Myles will play local vicar Rebecca.
Check out the cast below:
Andrew Lincoln as John
Ewen Bremner as Tommy
Indira Varma as Fiona
Eve Myles as Rebecca
Lorn Macdonald as Angus
Where was it filmed?
Production first started in June 2024, with various different filming locations across Scotland.
The Dennistoun neighbourhood in the East End of Glasgow was the home to several scenes, as well as the town of Strathaven and the village of Dunlop. Production also rented out the Lade Inn pub in Kilmahog to use for both interior and exterior scenes.
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