The BBC’s new drama Two Weeks in August premiered on Saturday night, but viewers weren’t impressed
Sara Baalla Screen Time TV Reporter
22:43, 23 May 2026Updated 22:45, 23 May 2026
BBC viewers issued the same complaint(Image: BBC)
The BBC’s newest drama, Two Weeks in August, premiered on Saturday evening.
Penned and developed by Catherine Shepherd, the highly anticipated series features an impressive cast and follows a circle of friends reuniting for a summer holiday.
“Set in Greece, Two Weeks in August tells the story of a woman who goes on holiday with her family and friends to rediscover joy in her life. But here in paradise, what starts with an illicit kiss quickly turns the dream vacation into a nightmare,” reads the official synopsis.
“Zoe begins to act on her deepest desires and the holiday she hoped for becomes a reckoning for a group of adults who refuse to grow up. When they discover they are trapped on the island, and become faced with real life-or-death situations, the group soon turn on each other to find out who is to blame.
“Is Zoe responsible for the drama and destruction around her or, as heaven turns to hell, are bigger forces at play? We are in Greece after all, the land of the ancient Gods…,” reports the Mirror.
Two Weeks in August premiered on BBC One(Image: Various Artists Limited/BBC/Robert Viglasky)
Leading the ensemble is Call the Midwife star Jessica Raine, who takes on the lead role of Zoe. The line-up also features Damien Molony, Hugh Skinner, Tom Goodman-Hill, Leila Farzad, Nicholas Pinnock, and Antonia Thomas.
The opening two episodes debuted on BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday evening (May 23), with audiences promptly voicing their discontent across social media.
“They’re all loathsome so I’ve given up halfway into the first episode,” one viewer posted on X (formerly Twitter), while another commented: “Not grabbing me so far, really weird.”
A third remarked: “Another boring predictable story,” with a fellow viewer similarly stating: “Two Weeks in August is dire and boring! Not even filmed in Greece but filmed in Malta. We gave it 20 minutes.”
Someone else observed: “I’m finding #TwoWeeksInAugust a very uncomfortable watch,” with a sixth viewer questioning: “What the hell is this rubbish.”
Meanwhile, other audiences identified problems with the sound, with one person noting: “Why, in all BBC dramas, is the sound so muffled and unintelligible, it’s such a struggle.” Another commented: “Sound is so muffled. Can’t hear what anyone is saying. If it doesn’t get better, I’ll be switching off.”
Jessica Raine leads the cast(Image: Various Artists Limited/BBC/Colin Hutton)
While numerous viewers voiced criticism, others appreciated the drama. “Quite enjoying this,” someone posted, with another noting: “SO nice to see Jessica Raine in Two Weeks in August on BBC1. We don’t see her often.”
The drama began with Zoe and her family touching down on a secluded Greek island to meet up with friends, but her husband Dan’s sinister secret soon risked destroying everything.
By the end of the opening episode, a wild first evening celebration triggered a sequence of events that would transform the group permanently.
The group subsequently embarked on an ill-fated trip together, with Zoe attempting to dismiss her husband’s late-night kiss as inconsequential. However, Dan’s conduct pushed her ever closer to breaking point.
So, what lies ahead? Viewers can either stream all eight episodes in one go on iPlayer, or tune in every Saturday evening on BBC One to catch the latest instalments as they air.
Two Weeks in August is available to stream on BBC iPlayer