A television thriller starring a familiar face from Downton Abbey has managed to secure a spot in Netflix's coveted top 10 rankings, even as a significant number of viewers have criticised it as profoundly dull.
From Downton to a Dubious Deal
The series in question is Captivated, which originally aired on Channel 5 under the title Too Good To Be True. The show features Allen Leech, best known for playing Tom Branson in the hit period drama, in a starkly different role. The 44-year-old actor portrays Elliot, a wealthy businessman who offers a lucrative cleaning job to a single mother named Rachel, played by EastEnders alum Kara Tointon.
Rachel, struggling financially, accepts the position but soon grows suspicious of Elliot's motives as she becomes entangled in his personal affairs. The four-part thriller boasts a supporting cast including Sara Powell (Silent Witness), Taj Atwal (Line of Duty), and John Thomson (Coronation Street).
A Chart Success Story with a Critical Black Eye
Despite its current success on the streaming giant, where it has climbed to tenth place in the UK's top 10, the show has been met with a wave of negative audience reviews. It holds a strikingly low audience score of just 22% on Rotten Tomatoes and a rating of 5.6 on IMDb.
Viewers have been vocal in their disappointment on review platforms. One IMDb user, Antide-47567, summarised a common complaint, stating the plot was "very predictable, and some of it makes no sense at all." Another, Vindelander, called it an "utter waste of time," criticising its "paper-thin and entirely predictable plot." The sentiment was echoed by IGreen-23696, who simply found it "utterly boring."
An Unexpected Defence from Some Viewers
However, not all feedback has been scathing. A contingent of viewers has pushed back against the harsh critiques, suggesting the series is better than its reputation implies. One reviewer, Sleepin_Dragon, acknowledged the poor reviews but concluded, "whilst I don’t think it’s great, I still think it’s watchable."
Chloe Galley advised others, "Despite the low rating and some negative reviews, it’s surprisingly good. So don’t be fooled." Another supporter, Gvbackel, noted they were "captivated by this series," particularly praising the dynamic between the mother, her son, and her best friend.
Captivated is not alone in achieving chart success despite poor critical reception. The article notes that the latest season of Emily in Paris, widely panned by critics, recently reached the number one spot on Netflix in 75 countries. In contrast, the current UK number one, Harlan Coben’s Run Away, enjoys a far healthier 81% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Too Good To Be True, rebranded as Captivated, is available to stream on Netflix now.
