ITV’s latest crime drama The Tower began airing last night, with the three-part series set to continue tonight before airing its finale tomorrow.
Adapted from ex-Metropolitan Police Officer Kate London’s novel Post Mortem, The Tower’s cast includes Game of Thrones star Gemma Whelan as DS Sarah Collins and The Haunting of Bly Manor’s Tahirah Sharif as PC Lizzie Adama.
With a stellar cast, a plot kicked off by two grisly deaths and a mysterious disappearance, with its stars teasing it would shine a light on police officers’ unconscious biases, The Tower promised to be a hit in the making. But now the first episode has aired, reviews are in, and reactions have been quite mixed.
Many praised the drama’s “realistic” approach to police work, calling it “intriguing” and “brilliant”.
“Great to see a real police job being run as it would in real life. For the first time I’ve watched a realistic police drama. Well done ITV,” a fan tweeted when asked whether they would tune in for episode two tonight.
Definitely, great to see a real police job being run as it would in real life. For the first time I’ve watched a realistic police drama. Well done ITV
— Gaye (@GayeHamlet5) November 8, 2021
Others, however, were too distracted with a particular cast member to pay attention to the plot. Nabil Elouahabi, best known as Only Fools and Horses’ Gary, plays Younes Mehenni, victim Farah’s father.
“OK who else just shouted “GARY!” at the telly,” one viewer said.
OK who else just shouted "GARY!" at the telly #TheTower
— Merv Payne ???? (@mervpayne) November 8, 2021
“#thetower love how Gary is taking over the hashtag,” another tweeted.
Despite praising the cast and the excitement of seeing “Gary” pop up, some viewers were concerned about the drama’s sound quality, commenting on how characters were “mumbling”.
“Couldn’t follow it too much mumbling muttering poor sound quality,” one said.
Couldn’t follow it too much mumbling muttering poor sound quality
— Julie Christie (@labladyboss) November 8, 2021
Another added they wouldn’t watch it again “unless it’s heavily subtitled”, while someone else said they were enjoying it but thought the ending was “rubbish”.
If you haven’t managed to binge it all yet, there’s not a long wait to find out what’s next for Whelan’s incorruptible DI – just remember to switch on the subtitles.
The Tower continues on ITV at 9pm on Tuesday 9th November.