Playing Nice’s James Norton ‘went to dark place’ for the chilling role (Image: ITV)
The drama Playing Nice has stirred up a storm among viewers after its recent airing, but its star-studded cast, led by James Norton, has propelled the series to smash television records for the network.
The four-part adaptation of J.P. Delaney’s gripping novel tells the tale of two families grappling with the harrowing revelation that their babies were switched at birth.
Alongside Grantchester’s , the series boasts performances from Malpractice’s Niamh Algar, Mare of Easttown’s James McArdle, and Downton Abbey’s Jessica Brown Findlay. The drama premiered with a bang in early January and has been on a record-breaking spree ever since.
Studio Canal, the brains behind Playing Nice, took to amid the accolades to declare the show as ITVX’s “best-ever drama launch”.
They shared the triumph with followers: “Congratulations to our partners at @itv and @rabbit.track.pictures – don’t miss the thrilling series now streaming in the UK and coming soon internationally,” reports the .
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Niamh Algar as Maddie in Playing Nice (Image: ITV)
Despite the achievement, some fans couldn’t hold back their criticism, labeling a twist in the plot as “ridiculous” during the series’ broadcast stint.
The narrative unwinds around Pete (portrayed by James Norton) and Maddie (played by Niamh Algar), alongside Miles (James McArdle) and his wife Lucy (Jessica Brown), as they confront an agonising decision — whether to keep raising each other’s biological child or to reverse the life-altering swap.
As the plot thickens, viewers have described the first episode of TV drama as “far fetched” following two couples’ distressing decision. Conversations erupted on Twitter regarding the show’s lack of realism, particularly around its treatment of legal proceedings.
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Viewers have hit out over the storyline (Image: ITV)
One viewer took to Twitter: “I work in the legal sector (family), so I know exactly how this situation would work from the beginning, the ridiculousness of it so far has put me off taking it seriously, if I knew NOTHING about the law, it might be quite compelling.”
Another expressed disbelief, tweeting: “Just started watching this and it’s already ridiculous whatever happened to confidentiality? How did he find out where Theo lives?”
And another Twitter user was skeptical about the plot’s credibility: “I cannot believe for a second that both couples would just be allowed to meet one another without professional mediation or supervision. Have the hospital authorities just shared addresses and told them to get on with it?”
Despite some critiques, other viewers were enthralled by the narrative of Playing Nice, with one hooked fan commenting:”Really far fetched but I am absolutely hooked!”
Yet another shared their captivation: “What a gripping drama that masterfully explores the complexities of family dynamics and moral dilemmas, reflecting the nature of family, trust, and the lengths we go to protect those we love.”
Have you watched the ITV drama?