James Norton ITV drama Playing Nice branded ‘load of nonsense’ by viewers

On By Littum

Viewers of the new ITV drama Plays nicely has branded the show “nonsense” and “unbelievable” after finding holes in the plot.

The series, based on a novel by JP Delaney, follows two families navigating the upheaval in their domestic lives when they discover that an administrative error at the hospital led to their babies being accidentally switched at birth.

Starring James Norton and Niamh Algar as a couple, Pete and Maddie, and James McArdle and Jessica Brown Findlay as the other parents, Miles and Lucy, the show sees the relationship between the two families descend into chaos and deception.

Although the plot sounds plausible – as baby confusions happen – as the show progresses, the story becomes more and more implausible.

Viewers have been picking holes in the plot, such as the moment when the two couples are allowed to meet – and drink prosecco – without a third-party mediator from the authorities or the hospital present.

“I can’t believe for a second that either couple would just be allowed to see each other without professional mediation or supervision. Did the hospital authorities just share addresses and tell them to move on?” wrote a viewer on X/Twitter,

“AS IF THEY HAVE BUBBLY I think a cup of Tetley would have been more appropriate in this situation,” said one viewer, while another added: “The two couples definitely wouldn’t be introduced or their details shared, for legal reasons. Would they?”

“15 minutes into #PlayingNice and what absolute rubbish this is already,” concluded another.

James Norton in 'Playing Nice'
James Norton in ‘Playing Nice’ (BBC)

However, others have been gripped by the drama, with one viewer writing: “Unrealistic as it is, #PlayingNice is kind of good. Miles is a complete odd man out, but there will be a big twist at some point.”

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“Binged everyone @ITVX’s #PlayingNice and it’s amazing! So glad it ended the way it did because I’ve never felt such hatred for a certain character before!

The show has been critically panned, withThe independent‘s TV critic Nick Hilton calls the series a “whiplash-inducing, over-the-top shock fest” in his two-star review.

“Norton – who seems trapped on ITV when he should inherently be a movie star – gives a lackluster performance, while Algar is offered little more than the opportunity to look worried,” writes Hilton.

“It’s a shame because there’s a good human thriller buried in there, about the interpersonal challenges of solving an unthinkable situation. But what we get instead is another whiplash-inducing, overripe bump-fest that favors handbrake turns over stable handling.”

Meanwhile The Guardian‘s Rachel Aroesti called the thriller “excruciatingly bad”, adding that it is “the worst thing about modern TV: a testimonial mystery that relies far too much on sinister atmosphere and really nice houses”.