Martin Clunes drama Out There leaves viewers stunned by ‘grim and gruesome’ opening scenes
VIEWERS are left stunned at the opening scenes of the brand new Martin Clunes drama Out There.
The Doc Martin star plays a Welsh farmer named Nathan Williams in the brand new ITV drama.
In the show, Nathan’s quiet rural way of life is threatened when a drug cartel begins operating in his small town.
He runs a farm which has been in his family for generations and is grieving the death of his wife, Sabine, two years previously.
A single parent to teenager Johnny, played by Louis Ashbourne Serkis, Nathan possesses enough pent-up energy to take on the drug gangs that threaten to engulf his son.
Soon, he embarks on a personal journey that will take him into a dark alternative world as he fights to protect his family, his homestead and his legacy.
And the only way for Nathan to survive in this brave new world is to learn the rules and fight back.
The first episode of the series, aired last night but viewers were left shocked by the grim and gruesome opening scenes.
After receiving a distressing phone call, Nathan drives out to a farm to find an anxious woman called Gwen running around.
She is frantically shouting that someone called Owen has locked himself in a barn.
Nathan attempts to settle Gwen down before he rushes to the barn and discovers an elderly man inside.
The man is attempting suicide with a shotgun angled under his chin.
Nathan pleads: “Owen, don’t do that, let me in, talk to me” but his efforts to help are futile.
The shotgun is fired and when Nathan eventually breaks into the barn he finds the elderly man dead.
The gruesome scene sent viewers flocking to social media to share their feelings on the show.
“I know they advertised this as ‘gritty’ but this is depressing,” explained one viewer.
Crime dramas on ITVX
Crime drama buffs have a wide selection of choices on ITVX - here is a selection of some of the programmes available to binge.
- Professor T: Based on a Belgian TV series of the same name, former Death in Paradise lead Ben Miller plays the title character. Professor Jasper Tempest is a criminologist with OCD who helps the police solve crimes. The cast also includes Emma Naomi, Barney White and Andy Gathergood.
- The Beast Must Die: This series follows a mother’s grief for her son, who was killed in an accident. Nicholas Blake’s novel of the same name has been adapted for the programme. Stars include Cush Jumbo, Jared Harris, Billy Howle and Geraldine James.
- Red Eye: Starring Richard Armitage, Jing Lusi and Lesley Sharp star in this six-part thriller, which mostly takes place during an all-night flight between London and Beijing. With dead bodies piling up and a mystery to unravel, the heroes must work fast to get to the truth.
- The Twelve: This Australian drama originally aired as a miniseries in 2022, with the episodes dropping in the UK in February 2023. Four months later, the show was renewed for a second season. Jurassic Park star Sam Neill stars in the leading role of barrister Brett Colby.
- Manhunt: Martin Clunes stars in this drama based on true murder investigations. Series one focused on the death of Amélie Delagrange, which took place in 2004, while the second depicted the search for serial rapist Delroy Grant.
Another added: “Think this might be too stressful #outthere.”
“A bit topical and close to home this with farm land worries and suicides,” added a third.
Many viewers also expressed their opinions that Martin’s Welsh accent was also off putting.
One viewer stated: “Oh my God. I thought it was Cornish for a minute and going right through me. I love him but he cannot do Welsh (probably the second worst I’ve seen).”
Another added: “I mean, there are a number of distinct Welsh accents but this is none of them.”
“Are we still in England? Or is this WALES?” A good question from the barn-botherer there.
“It’s a moot point. M. Clunes possibly related to Charlotte from #thetraitors” joked another.
Out There airs on ITV1 with the full series also available to watch now on ITVX