ITV viewers were far from impressed with the broadcaster's latest drama, The Party, which aired its first episode on Sunday, October 11. Actor Luke Evans stars as Martin Gilmour, alongside Sarah Solemani as his pregnant wife Lucy Farni.
From the outset, Martin shows little warmth toward Lucy, making several cutting remarks as the pair prepare to attend Ben Fitzmaurice's (Tom Cullen) birthday celebration. The series unfolds across multiple timelines, including the present day, where Martin sits in a police station covered in blood following an incident at the party. Another timeline shows the evening of the party and the events leading up to it, while flashbacks reveal Martin and Ben's schooldays, when they first met after Martin won a scholarship to an elite boarding school.
Viewers share their reactions
It did not take long for viewers to voice their opinions on social media. One viewer on X wrote: "This is SO confusing." Another commented: "#theparty another bloomin drama, backwards and forwards." A third posted: "Gave up after 30 mins #TheParty."
In one scene, a flashback shows a young Ben and Martin pheasant shooting with Ben's family. When Martin successfully brings one down, he repeatedly strikes it against the ground in a brutal manner, prompting many viewers to switch off.
Mixed opinions among viewers
One viewer remarked: "Did not like that #TheParty," while another added: "Me neither, I'm off." A third commented: "Not for me anymore. That was totally unnecessary." Meanwhile, someone replied: "Was horrible wasn't it?"
However, opinions appear divided. One viewer said: "I'm hooked already... Great first episode, got my attention straight away. I'm going to love this one." Another shared: "Just finished binge watching #theparty best thing I've seen in ages!"
Luke Evans on audience expectations
Actor Luke Evans shared his hopes for audience reaction to the ITV programme. He said: "I think they will be fascinated by it and be desperate to tune in for the next episode. It's very intriguing. We never leave you with all the answers. That's a great way of writing an episodic drama where you don't answer every single question early on."
He added: "You feed people the information as you go along, and I think that's really interesting. But also, I think it is a riveting story about the need to be wanted, and the need to be accepted, but also the question of how far would you go?"
"What would you sacrifice for somebody? The tragedy of Martin's life is that he wastes so much time focusing on the wrong things, hurting himself and other people in the process. But above all, I want people to thoroughly enjoy it. The Party is something that really grips you. It's like a speeding train and a roller coaster in one!"
The Party is available to watch on ITVX.
