The Couple Next Door viewers brand second season 'disappointment' after just one episode

The Couple Next Door has returned for a second series on Channel 4 this week, but fans of the thriller have been left underwhelmed so far.

Originally starring Outlander's Sam Heughan and Poldark's Eleanor Tomlinson, this year's instalment pits two love triangles against each other, led by Annabel Scholey as heart surgeon Charlotte.

Seemingly at the top of her game with the ideal marriage to Jacob (played by Sam Palladio), their lives are thrown off balance with the arrival of mysterious nurse Mia (Aggy K Adams) and Charlotte's former flame Leo (Sendhil Ramamurthy).

Promising steamy thrills and plenty of unexpected twists, the sophomore season of The Couple Next Door kicked off this Monday (14th July).

Showrunner David Allison has teased a "sexier, bigger and bolder" new journey this time around, but fans are so far less than impressed after catching the first episode.

Several viewers took to X (formerly Twitter) to slam the second series' unpredictable debut.

One user vented on X: "Just watched the first two episodes of series 2, it's a dreadful unbelievable storyline is ridiculous.

"After a first really good series this was a disappointment."

Another suggested the series could be a guilty pleasure, writing: "This is so bad, it's brilliant #TheCoupleNextdoor."

Someone else ranted: "Five percent authentic story and ninety five percent gratuitous sex. A waste of time and energy."

A fourth remarked: "This is such a weird show. The locations don't look very British. It's all a bit artificial-looking."

"This is like someone who's in a coma, in the hospital, is dreaming it all..." a fifth said of the drama's surreal plot threads.

However, despite the early backlash, plenty of fans were still enjoying The Couple Next Door's return, despite needing to suspend their disbelief.

One X user exclaimed: "Holy f*** 'The Couple Next Door' season 2 is seriously good!", giving the second outing a generous four stars.

While a conflicted user admitted: "Giving #TheCoupleNextDoor another chance as I got bored halfway through."

Will the second season be worth the wait or should viewers avoid this sultry yet outlandish thriller's return?

The Couple Next Door season 2 is available on Channel 4.