TV Review: THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR Season 1

Melody McCune

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Evie embraces Danny on a sandy beach as they dance to music in The Couple Next Door Season 1.

Gone (for the most part) are the days when we frequently interact with our neighbors on the other side of that white picket fence. Nowadays, it’s rare to establish a deep relationship beyond acquaintance with your neighbors, especially if you live in a city. However, this doesn’t deter the characters in The Couple Next Door, STARZ’s newest romantic thriller, from forging a close bond with each other … to their detriment. 

About The Couple Next Door 

Here’s a synopsis for Season 1 per STARZ: 

“After Evie and Pete move to the curtain-twitching, claustrophobic world of upmarket suburbia, they quickly develop an intense friendship with their new neighbors – alpha traffic cop Danny and his wife, fitness influencer Becka. Evie finds herself transformed by grief after suffering a late-term miscarriage. Meanwhile, Danny struggles to keep a dark secret hidden, and Pete investigates the dodgy dealings of a powerful local businessman.

Throughout it all, Becka’s every move is being watched by a creepy local voyeur. As the two couples grow ever closer, their bodies and their emotions quickly become tangled up in a complex web of desire and betrayal.”

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The six-episode first season stars Sam Heughan as Danny, Eleanor Tomlinson as Evie, Alfred Enoch as Pete, Jessica De Gouw as Becka and Hugh Dennis as Alan. David Allison pens each episode with direction from Dries Vos. 

Evie, Pete and Becka hold alcoholic beverages while standing outside a house at night in The Couple Next Door Season 1.
THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR Season 1. Photo courtesy of STARZ.

Drama in Suburbia

One thing can be said of The Couple Next Door — it’s got drama in spades. With a capital “D.” However, it belongs more in the “trash TV” camp than prestige drama. I dove into this viewing experience with a different set of expectations due to the thriller elements of the narrative. Unfortunately, that aspect falls flat, as does the chemistry between the cast. 

Admittedly, it’s challenging, as a viewer, to shake off Heughan’s towering Jamie Fraser persona. His chemistry with his Outlander costar, Caitríona Balfe, is lightning in a bottle. It’s onscreen magic in its purest, unadulterated form. That’s not to say steamy chemistry cannot be achieved elsewhere. But the series tries to replicate it with Danny and Evie, and it’s just not there. Even the longing looks and scenes depicting a sense of yearning lack that necessary spark. 

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As for the story, it’s derivative (it is based on the Dutch show Nieuwe buren, but that’s beside the point), generic and soapy, although more in a “guilty pleasure” sort of way. It’s also predictable and formulaic. You can spot the plot twists a mile away. Adaptation elements aside, we’ve seen all this before. The series brings nothing new to the table. Additionally, there are a ton of narrative loose ends, which is frustrating considering that Season 2 will boast a new cast of characters

Pete stands in the middle of Leeds while wearing workout gear. He has his hands on his hips as he catches his breath.
THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR Season 1. Photo courtesy of STARZ.

What hampers the plot is the short episode count. The Couple Next Door could’ve benefited from more episodes. To the show’s credit, though, we have an idea of who these characters are, but a larger episode count would’ve allowed the creatives to flesh them out better. 

The Performances

While bereft of sizzling, electrifying chemistry, the cast does well with the material. The performances are solid across the board. Heughan manages to step outside of Jamie’s shadow, even if the storytelling choices for Danny are head-scratching, to say the least. Enoch gets his time to shine, and shine, he does. Pete’s arc is more well-rounded than the others. De Gouw is a talented performer; however, the story doesn’t allow for much development for Becka (or Danny, for that matter). 

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For me, though, Tomlinson steals the show. She’s a standout. Evie’s journey is the crux of the series, and she embarks on a rollercoaster ride to be sure. Tomlinson showcases her versatility here and delivers compelling work. 

Becka smiles while sitting at a dinner table in a dimly lit dining room. She holds a glass of wine in one hand.
THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR Season 1. Photo courtesy of STARZ.

All in all, The Couple Next Door simmers instead of surging well beyond the boiling point from a plot perspective and the characters’ chemistry. That said, approach this with low expectations. Expect cotton candy fluff and guilty pleasure soapiness, and you won’t be disappointed. At the very least, the season finale’s final moments provide some stakes and narrative tension, even though the conclusion peters out, swiftly dropping off the storytelling cliff.

But hey, perhaps the big takeaway here is that we shouldn’t know our neighbors too well. 

The Couple Next Door premieres on Friday, January 17, at midnight on the STARZ app and 9 pm EST/PST on the network

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