The BBC's psychological thriller The Rapture concluded on Sunday night (August 9) with a dramatic finale that revealed the truth behind the murder of Bethany Krall's mother. However, viewers were left distracted by what they saw as a glaring inconsistency: the characters' clothing seemed far too warm for the show's sweltering heatwave setting.
The truth comes out
The series, which began in late July, followed the complex relationship between 17-year-old Bethany (India Amarteifio) and forensic psychologist Gabs Fox (Ruth Madeley). Gabs, recovering from a traumatic incident that killed her husband, takes a job at a high-security psychiatric hospital where she meets Bethany, a teen convicted of brutally killing her mother, though she has always maintained her innocence.
As Bethany claims to have psychic powers and can predict the future through drawings, viewers were left questioning whether she was telling the truth. In the tense conclusion, it was revealed that Bethany was innocent all along. The real killer was Rob (Morgan Watkins), a member of Climate First, acting on orders from oil company Trenmoor boss Max Leland (Stephen Campbell Moore).
Viewers' heatwave complaints
Bethany's mother was killed because she was about to expose Trenmoor's shady dealings, which included discrediting environmental activists and protecting oil drilling operations. This led to Bethany being framed for the murder.
But as the credits rolled, many viewers took to social media to share their confusion over the characters' attire. One person wrote on X: "#therapture and the clothing looks just a little too warm for those temperatures. I get inside they might have AC. But a shirt over a t-shirt outside…"
Another account posted: "The place is roasting hot but no one looks bothered #therapture" with a third adding: "#therapture is getting VERY silly now!"
Mixed reactions
One viewer commented: "#TheRapture they continually sit in the sun some of the grass is still green and sun in every room. I'm in Belgium now it’s 36 degrees and we’re all sitting in dark rooms and staying inside as much as possible and it’s Code Orange" to which another responded: "It's just not believable!"
However, not everyone was critical. Some were full of praise for the drama, with one person tweeting: "Just finished watching #TheRapture and it's safe to say I think it's one of the most genius pieces of television I've seen in a long time! The whole cast was amazing, but India Amarteifio as Bethany was outstanding, brilliant!" Another added: "@BBC #TheRapture, love this. Excellent TV drama for now. More, please."
The Rapture is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
