the girl before viewers divided© Photo: BBC

Viewers divided over episode one of The Girl Before

Fans took to Twitter to discuss the BBC drama

TV and film writer
Updated: December 20, 2021

The first episode of the BBC's new psychological thriller The Girl Before aired on Sunday night, and viewers seem to be divided over the show. 

MORE: All you need to know about BBC's gripping new drama The Girl Before

The four-part series is based on the novel by JP Delaney and follows a young woman who stumbles upon the "rental opportunity of a lifetime", a beautiful house designed by an enigmatic architect, but there's a catch - the tenants must abide by a list of exacting rules. 

WATCH: Are you enjoying the new drama? 

Viewers of the new BBC show seem to be divided, with some tempted to binge-watch the gripping series, while others are disappointed with the plot. 

One person took to Twitter, writing: "Binge-watched #TheGirlBefore. The plot got more and more unbelievable, the characters were sterile and I cannot understand why any woman would have remained in the house when they were warned by blatant facts and friends." 

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Another person agreed, commenting: "Plot is beyond ridiculous isn't it?! I mean is there a single one of us tweeting on #TheGirlBefore and aware it's a smart house designed by a weirdo owner, who wouldn't immediately be looking around every room to find the cameras we were surely being watched on?!"

© Photo: BBC

Gugu Mbatha-Raw stars in the new drama

While some viewers have taken issue with the unrealistic plot, others have praised the show's "fascinating" story and "magnificent" acting performances. One person tweeted: "Really enjoyed last night's #TheGirlBefore. Struggling to not binge-watch them," while another added: "I will be following this fascinating horror story  #TheGirlBefore."

A third fan wrote: "#DavidOyelowo is a magnificent actor. That’s all. How fantastic to have him back on British TV in #TheGirlBefore as creepy Edward."

The four-part drama stars The Morning Show's Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Selma's David Oyelowo as tenant Jane and architect Edward, while former EastEnders actress Jessica Plummer and Bohemian Rhapsody's Ben Hardy play former resident Emma and her boyfriend, Simon.

The BBC series is set to air nightly from Sunday 19 December until Wednesday 22 December. 

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