Out There stars Martin Clunes as a farmer confronted by dark forces creeping into his community (Image: ITV)
Viewers settling in for ITV’s latest drama offering Out There were greeted with an intense beginning that caught many off-guard within the first few minutes.
Starring Martin Clunes as a Welsh farmer named Nathan Williams, the show delves into the troubling issues surrounding county lines drug operations and their effects on rural communities.
The much-anticipated first episode debuted on Sunday night (January 19), captivating social media as audiences shared their excitement to dive into the new series.
But viewers were met with a shockingly ‘gruesome’ development shortly after being introduced to Nathan and his son Johnny, played by Louis Ashbourne Serkis.
After receiving a distressing phone call, Nathan heads out to find a woman named Gwen (Sharon Morgan). He meets her as she is shouting and signalling towards a locked barn. He discovers an elderly man who has shut himself in there with a shotgun.
The grisly scene came just minutes in (Image: ITV)
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Despite Nathan’s efforts to diffuse the tense situation, the sound of the shotgun firing is heard followed by graphic visuals of the barn splattered with blood, reports .
The distressing scene sent viewers scurrying to X, formerly known as Twitter, with their reactions. Some expressed dismay at the grim tone.
“I know they advertised this as ‘gritty’ but this is depressing,” one viewer lamented, while another commented: “Think this might be too stressful #outthere.”
“A bit topical and close to home this with farm land worries and suicides,” a third person observed, adding sad emojis. Many echoed the sentiment that the programme was “too depressing” with one succinctly describing it as a “Grim opening.”
Out There’s first episode aired on ITV1 on January 19 (Image: ITV)
The gruesome opening sequence wasn’t the sole bone of contention among viewers. Despite a wave of commendation for Martin Clunes’ acting, his attempt at a Welsh accent didn’t sit well with everyone.
One disgruntled viewer expressed: “Really wanted to watch this but I’m not getting it so far and Martin’s attempt at a Welsh accent is grating.”
Another was left perplexed, questioning: “What accent is Clunsey supposed to have? It varies.”
However, fan of the series jumped to Clunes’ defence, stating: “I’m Welsh. I have no problem with it. There are so many different accents in Wales.”
Out There episode two airs on ITV1 on January 20 at 9pm, with the full box set also available to watch now on ITVX