A Desolate Getaway: Summerwater Falls Flat
Channel 4's latest offering, Summerwater, is a bleak drama that, much like its titular setting, fails to leave a lasting impression. The show's central premise – six lochside cabins containing uniquely unhappy households on holiday – has all the makings of a compelling narrative, but in execution, it's a mess.
The series begins with a jarring interview by the police, which sets the tone for an anthology-style drama that fails to replicate the detailed inner monologues that made author Sarah Moss's novel a hit. Instead, Summerwater resorts to vague allusions and shots of Scottish landscapes to create an unsettling atmosphere, but at the expense of actual storytelling.
The main character, Justine (Valene Kane), is introduced as a wife struggling with her husband Steve (Daniel Rigby) and their emotionally inadequate kids. However, her backstory is reduced to simplistic tropes, leaving viewers wondering why she's behaving in such a manner. Her obsessive long runs are meant to be poignant but come across as shallow attempts at character development.
As the series progresses, we're introduced to more characters – an empty-nester couple (Dougray Scott and Shirley Henderson), a teenage boy (Calum Ross) struggling with rejection, and an Eastern European couple (Anna Prochniak and Arnas Fedaravicius) who are discriminated against by their British employers. Each character's tale is equally unsatisfying, relying on melodrama rather than genuine narrative substance.
The show's attempt to incorporate elements from other genres, like mind-horror and supernatural themes, falls flat. The mysterious dilapidated hut in the woods, meant to be a key plot point, feels more like a convenient plot device than an integral part of the story.
Ultimately, Summerwater is a drama that leaves you wanting to make a quick exit. With its meandering narrative, shallow character development, and lackluster storytelling, it's a holiday getaway that feels like a bad trip.
Channel 4's latest offering, Summerwater, is a bleak drama that, much like its titular setting, fails to leave a lasting impression. The show's central premise – six lochside cabins containing uniquely unhappy households on holiday – has all the makings of a compelling narrative, but in execution, it's a mess.
The series begins with a jarring interview by the police, which sets the tone for an anthology-style drama that fails to replicate the detailed inner monologues that made author Sarah Moss's novel a hit. Instead, Summerwater resorts to vague allusions and shots of Scottish landscapes to create an unsettling atmosphere, but at the expense of actual storytelling.
The main character, Justine (Valene Kane), is introduced as a wife struggling with her husband Steve (Daniel Rigby) and their emotionally inadequate kids. However, her backstory is reduced to simplistic tropes, leaving viewers wondering why she's behaving in such a manner. Her obsessive long runs are meant to be poignant but come across as shallow attempts at character development.
As the series progresses, we're introduced to more characters – an empty-nester couple (Dougray Scott and Shirley Henderson), a teenage boy (Calum Ross) struggling with rejection, and an Eastern European couple (Anna Prochniak and Arnas Fedaravicius) who are discriminated against by their British employers. Each character's tale is equally unsatisfying, relying on melodrama rather than genuine narrative substance.
The show's attempt to incorporate elements from other genres, like mind-horror and supernatural themes, falls flat. The mysterious dilapidated hut in the woods, meant to be a key plot point, feels more like a convenient plot device than an integral part of the story.
Ultimately, Summerwater is a drama that leaves you wanting to make a quick exit. With its meandering narrative, shallow character development, and lackluster storytelling, it's a holiday getaway that feels like a bad trip.
i mean i was hyped for a show about weird ppl on holiday but it just felt like they took every annoying trope from other shows and mashed them all together... like who introduces their character thru an interview? that was already cringey 
and don't even get me started on the shallow characters 
justine's backstory is like "oh she's got problems, let's make her run a lot" 
yawn. anyway, i'm outta here 
. I mean, the whole premise sounds so intriguing – six cabins with unhappy households on holiday in this desolate Scottish landscape... but it just falls flat. They could've really delved deeper into each character's backstory and explored their emotional struggles in a way that feels authentic, not just tacked on for drama's sake.
. I was expecting so much more from those mind-horror themes they tried to incorporate. It's like they took some cool ideas and just... squished them into this mess of a show. The mystery of that dilapidated hut? More like an afterthought, in my opinion 
.
I was expecting something deep and thought-provoking but instead I got a bunch of whiny characters who make poor life choices for no reason. And don't even get me started on the plot twists - they're so predictable you can see 'em coming from a mile away. The show's trying to be all artsy and atmospheric, but honestly it just feels like Channel 4 is phoning it in. I mean, where's the character development? Where's the substance? It's like they took all these interesting ideas and just...meh. 
. the idea of these 6 cabins with all sorts of messed up families is actually kinda intriguing 
but then they just go and ruin it with weak character development and a ton of cliches 
. anyone else feel me on this one? 
The premise is solid, but the execution is as dry as the Scottish Highlands in winter. It's like they took every great drama technique and just...phoned it in. 
And what's with the lack of consequences for the characters' actions? It's like they're living in some kind of fictional utopia where nothing ever gets resolved. 
Overall, Summerwater is a disappointment – it's like a failed experiment that leaves you feeling underwhelmed and wanting to shake your head. 
and dont even get me started on that one hut in the woods lol it felt like they were trying to force something but failed miserably 
Summerwater sounds like a total bummer of a show! 
. I mean, who introduces a main character like Justine only to have her backstory be super basic? 
. Overall, Summerwater just didn't live up to its potential, which is a shame because I love a good drama 
don't get me wrong, scottish landscapes r pretty but they can't make up for weak storytelling 
I was so hyped for this show, but it totally fell flat 
. I need some substance in my drama, not just vague allusions and cheap thrills 
. Can we please just get a more satisfying conclusion to the series? I'm still waiting for my happy ending 
.
. The show feels like it's trying too hard to be deep but ends up being shallow. I'd give it 2/5 stars, sadly.
. They went for a bleak drama vibe, which is cool, but instead of digging deeper into the characters' emotional struggles, they just kinda... existed 
. I mean, where's the depth? Where's the complexity?
. And that supernatural twist? Eh, it felt like they were trying too hard to be edgy 
.
. It's like they took all these interesting ideas and just...phoned it in 
. All in all, I'd say this show is a pretty forgettable holiday watch 
felt like a lazy way to introduce some sort of mystery plot twist. anyway, if you're looking for a compelling drama, i'd say keep looking, summerwater's not worth the journey