Eleanor Tomlinson, Matthew Lewis and Callum Woodhouse star in Channel 5 series The Fortune
Viewers have shared their thoughts on The Fortune(Image: CHANNEL 5)
Viewers of The Fortune were left disappointed as the new psychological drama made its debut on Channel 5.
The series centres on waitress Amanda Blakefield, portrayed by Poldark’s Eleanor Tomlinson, whose world is thrown into chaos when a solicitor arrives at her workplace to inform her she stands to inherit a vast estate from a complete stranger.
She continues to dodge the solicitor yet pays a visit to the deceased man’s widow Fiona (Rebecca Front) and son Anthony, played by All Creatures Great and Small’s Callum Woodhouse, who are outraged and make abundantly clear their intention to contest it.
Meanwhile, Amanda’s husband Jimmy (Harry Potter star Matthew Lewis) appears to be embroiled in a mystery of his own, repeatedly receiving suspicious phone calls.
As the opening episode aired on Tuesday night (June 2), numerous viewers took to X to voice their scepticism, with some calling the storyline into question, reports Wales Online.
“Wouldn’t they phone her and ask her into their office instead of just barging into her workplace?” wondered one viewer.
Another posted on the platform, formerly known as Twitter: “How to sort out an unexpected inheritance: (a) consult a solicitor, and get it sorted out; or: (b) throw away the solicitor’s letter and barge in uninvited to a grieving family.”
One viewer branded the show “a dud” while another confessed: “Oh I really want to like this but so far I’m struggling.”
“This is absolute s***e,” insisted another viewer, as one posted: “Mrs Poldark the only thing saving this so far…”
“Channel 5 either do b****y brilliant dramas or shockingly bad am/dram… #thefortune is tipping ever so slowly to the latter… ludicrous,” remarked another viewer, while one complained about the “exaggerated sighs” and “pauses”.
Meanwhile, The Telegraph awarded it merely one star out of five in its review, branding it “rubbish”.
Yet others felt the series – shot on location across Hartlepool, Northumberland, Newcastle and north Yorkshire last year – showed potential.
“So far looking good,” observed one viewer. Another highlighted the impressive ensemble, which also features Denis Lawson, Stephen Tompkinson, Paula Wilcox, Danielle Walters and Nina Wadia.
“It’s got a really good cast too,” they wrote. “Well known faves.”
The Fortune is airing on Channel 5.