![\"Jason](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jason-watkins.jpg\")
<\/p>\nA new Channel 5 drama made its screen debut on Monday, with the four-part thriller not seeming to get off to a great start according to some viewers.<\/p>\n
The Game, starring Jason Watkins, Robson Green and Sunetra Sarker, follows retired detective Huw (Watkins) as he obsesses over a case he failed to solve.<\/p>\n
A programme synopsis shared with the Radio Times reads: “Former detective Huw settles into retirement alongside his wife Alice, but never far from his mind is the case he failed to solve\u2014that of the Ripton Stalker.<\/p>\n
“When new neighbour Patrick moves in and uses the phrase that the stalker used to taunt Huw with in letters, he’s determined he’s finally got his man.”<\/p>\n
Jason Watkins stars as retired police officer Huw in The Game<\/p>\n
Channel 5<\/p>\n
The opening episode saw Huw instantly becoming suspicious of his new neighbour while his wife begged him “not to go down the same road” he’d previously endured.<\/p>\n
It was made clear Huw’s obsession had, in the past, sparked huge problems within his family and that he and his wife don’t have a good relationship with their daughter because of it.<\/p>\n
However, Huw remained adamant that Patrick is the killer throughout the episode, with Green’s character behaving strangely. <\/p>\n
Unfortunately, not all who tuned in were riveted by the plot, with many complaining about the “slow” nature of the drama and some demanding for Channel 5 to go down a different route.<\/p>\n
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n Channel 5’s The Game sparked a divided response from viewers<\/p>\n Channel 5<\/p>\n Others admitted just minutes in they had decided to change the channel. Taking to X, several viewers expressed the same frustrations.<\/p>\n “Slightly wooden this drama #thegame,” one wrote simply, while another theorised: Channel 5 drama team seem to be obsessed with paranoid neighbours and ‘voyeurism’. <\/p>\n “We had the partner swapping one a while back… then the magpies one with Jill Halfpenny the other week…”<\/p>\n Suggesting an alternative, they added: “Now an ex-cop with a thorn in his side. How about a new idea? Shake things up. #TheGame.”<\/p>\n “I\u2019ll probably watch another episode in the hope it gets better as it\u2019s very slow! #TheGame,” a third commented.<\/p>\n “And a helpline for anyone else bored by this s***e so far… #TheGame,” another quipped, with one admitting: “Nope, I\u2019ve turned it over #TheGame.”<\/p>\n “#thegame I might go back if I read a review which shows this first episode’s got better. So far it’s been a real bore with the only likeable character being killed off,” someone else noted.<\/p>\n There were some positive reviews though, with one seeming to have high hopes for the drama as they penned: “Ok so far. Let’s hope it’s better than the usual c5 dramas and a bit different #TheGame.”<\/p>\n Another enthused: “Really enjoyed #TheGame on Channel 5. Tense, twisty and thrilling. Robson Green still has it.” (sic)<\/p>\n Elsewhere Green continues to star in ITV’s Grantchester, which concluded its latest series earlier this year.<\/p>\n Speaking in January to GB News and other media, the actor opened up about his role on the series<\/a> and the only thing that would make him consider moving on from it.<\/p>\n When asked in the press Q&A if he’d ever leave the drama, he confessed: “I would only leave if the standard of writing capitulated.”<\/p>\n “And it hasn’t because Daisy [Coulam] is at the helm and Emma [Kingsman-Lloyd] at the helm, and they were there right from the start with Al [Weaver] and Tessa [Peake-Jones] and Kacey [Ainsworth].”<\/p>\n![\"Robson](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/robson-green.jpg\")