the drowning 3

The Drowning: viewers have mixed reaction to ending 

The drama finally revealed the truth about Daniel's parentage

TV & Film Editor
February 5, 2021

The Drowning concluded on Thursday evening, and finally revealed the truth about Daniel's parentage in the shocking season finale - which certainly left viewers with mixed feelings! 

MORE: The Drowning star Jill Halfpenny reveals her thoughts on show's ending

In the episode, Jodie's brother Jason reveals that he had lied about the DNA test results and that Daniel isn't really Tom after all, and that Tom really did drown while he was meant to be watching him during their family holiday. 

WATCH: Daniel asks about his mother

He claimed to have lied about the DNA test to try to "make amends", and chases Jill and Daniel as they run from home, eventually drowning in the same lake where his nephew died. 

While some viewers loved the finale, others were somewhat disappointed by it. One person wrote: "I was really enjoying #TheDrowning until this last episode which I didn’t like at all! Hate it when that happens!" Another added: "#TheDrowning I was hooked on the first three episodes then I watched the fourth and now I feel like I wasted my time watching this show they completely stuffed up the entire series with this final, how disappointing." 

Jason knew the truth about Tom's death

A third person tweeted: "I've slept on it and still have questions about #TheDrowning. How did the uncle not hear him go into the water? Not even a splash? The kid went missing, police were called and uncle wasn’t there, no one noticed he had been gone in the same time frame?"

Others praised the show as a whole, with one tweeting: "What a great drama. Loved it," while another added: "Wow what a drama... gripping and tense! Loved it! #TheDrowning that was fantastic @halfpennyjill." 

MORE: Viewers are saying the same thing about Channel 5's The Drowning

MORE: The Drowning: meet the cast of the Channel 5 show 

Jill Halfpenny, who plays Jodie in the series, previously opened up about her reaction to the ending, telling I Talk Telly: "I actually didn't see it coming. Some other people might, but I didn't. Endings are notoriously tricky. You just have to look at Twitter to know that no one's ever satisfied with endings!

"But I feel like there's enough tied up and a feeling that the right things have happened, but also without it being too neat and obvious. I was satisfied with it." 

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