![\"Allen](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI_188527776-6439.jpg\")
\n\t\tAllen Leech stars in Channel 5\u2019s Too Good to Be True (Picture: Steffan Hill\/Channel 5\/Story Films)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tAllen Leech stars in Channel 5\u2019s Too Good to Be True (Picture: Steffan Hill\/Channel 5\/Story Films)<\/p>\n
One of the stars of Downton Abbey<\/a> has seen their Netflix<\/a> thriller storm the top 10 charts on the streaming platform.<\/p>\n However, not all viewers are fans of the Channel 5 drama, claiming that it\u2019s duller than dishwater and boring. <\/p>\n Allen Leech<\/a> might be best known to you as Downton\u2019s Tom Branson<\/a>, but in Channel 5<\/a>\u2019s Too Good To Be True, the 44-year-old takes an extremely different turn.<\/p>\n Playing the role of Elliot, his character offers single mother Rachel (EastEnders<\/a> star Kara Tointon<\/a>), who is trying to make ends meet as a cleaner, a lucrative cleaning job.<\/p>\n But in this twisty thriller<\/a>, which originally aired on Channel 5 as Too Good to Be True before being added to Netflix, where it\u2019s available to stream under the title Captivated, not everything is as it seems.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tGet personalised updates on all things Netflix\t\t\t<\/p>\n Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro\u2019s TV Newsletter.<\/p>\n Sign up to our newsletter<\/a> and then select your show in the link we\u2019ll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you.<\/p>\n In addition to Tointon and Leech, the cast for the four-part series includes Silent Witness star Sara Powell, Line of Duty<\/a>\u2019s Taj Atwal and Coronation Street actor John Thomson<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \t\t Despite its tenth-place ranking on the top 10 Netflix shows in the UK, viewers were less than impressed, and the show boasts a pathetic 22% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.<\/p>\n Antide-47567 explained the show\u2019s problems on IMDb: \u2018It is very predictable, and some of it makes no sense at all.\u2019<\/p>\n With a rating of 5.6 on the website, Vindelander also claimed that it was an \u2018utter waste of time\u2019, arguing: \u2018It gets steadily worse with each episode with a paper-thin and entirely predictable plot.\u2019<\/p>\n Meanwhile, IGreen-23696 commented: \u2018So predictable. Hopeless acting. Was hoping for a twist, turn or some surprise. No, just utterly boring.\u2019<\/p>\n Yet, while many criticised the series, some in fact argued that it was \u2018better than expected\u2019, as Sleepin_Dragon wrote: \u2018I\u2019ve read some scathing reviews about this show, and whilst I don\u2019t think it\u2019s great, I still think it\u2019s watchable.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tHave you heard of these hidden gems?\t\t\t<\/p>\n In what has been a very strong year for TV, not everybody has the time to binge all the latest releases.<\/p>\n From the likes of The Lowdown to The Chair Company, here are the seven best TV shows from this year that you\u2019ve probably missed.<\/p>\n Chloe Galley similarly said: \u2018Despite the low rating and some negative reviews, it\u2019s surprisingly good. So don\u2019t be fooled.\u2019<\/p>\n Gvbackel backed up this sentiment by adding, \u2018I must say I was captivated by this series. Even though it has some weak points in my opinion, it was the interplay between the mother, her son, and her best friend that I found endearing.\u2019<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tAre you intrigued to give the thriller Captivated a go?<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tWant to get bespoke updates on the TV shows you love? Sign up to Metro’s TV newsletters and tell us which ones you can’t get enough of<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t The show\u2019s official synopsis reads: \u2018Rachel, a single mother and cleaner, is offered a better job by a wealthy businessman.<\/p>\n \u2018She accepts, but grows suspicious of his motives as she becomes more involved in his affairs.\u2019<\/p>\n Captivated isn\u2019t the only show in the Netflix charts to perform well in the charts <\/a>despite its terrible Rotten Tomatoes<\/a> score.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tPrefer us to the others? Then tell Google!\t\t\t<\/p>\n As a loyal Metro reader, we want to make sure you never miss our stories when searching for your news. Whether it is the latest politics news explained, live football coverage or a showbiz scoop.<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> and tick Metro.co.uk to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.<\/p>\n \t\t Emily in Paris<\/a>\u00a0season five has been labelled \u2018garbage\u2019 and \u2018terrible\u2019 by critics, but according to\u00a0FlixPatrol<\/a>, the show has reached the dizzying heights of the number one spot in the Netflix charts in 75 countries and is still 9th on the Netflix top 10. <\/p>\n Thankfully, the current number one on Netflix, Harlan Coben\u2019s Run Away<\/a>, has a far healthier 81% on Rotten Tomatoes. <\/p>\n Too Good To Be True is available to stream on Netflix.<\/p>\n This article was originally published on December 24, 2025.<\/p>\n Got a story?<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk<\/a> entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff<\/a> page \u2013 we\u2019d love to hear from you.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"4226_D018_01935-01936_RCC](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI_265343038-3e9c.jpg\")
\n\t\tLeech will be best known to viewers as Tom Branson in Downton Abbey (Picture: Rory Mulvey)<\/p>\n![\"Too](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI_278839072-290b.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe Netflix thriller originally aired on Channel 5 as Too Good To Be True (Picture: Channel 5)<\/p>\n![\"Too](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI_189355592-3ebc.jpg\")
\n\t\tDespite the bad reviews, the show \u2013 which stars EastEnders actress Kara Tointon \u2013 has surged up Netflix\u2019s charts (Picture: Steffan Hill\/Channel 5\/Story Films)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Headshots-1-78d4.jpg\")
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