The Cypriot coastline with rocky shores and clear blue seas.

Marie Kouppi

Channel 5’s highly-anticipated drama Love Rat (2024) is set against the stunning backdrop of Cyprus, transporting viewers to a Mediterranean paradise. But is all as it seems?

Even though I had high expectations for this new romance thriller, Love Rat left many viewers, myself included, conflicted and underwhelmed.

“A Rollercoaster of Deception and Heartbreak”

The gifted Sally Lindsay plays Emma, a lady who, after a traumatic divorce, is seeking comfort in the sun-kissed landscapes of Cyprus. Her meeting with Niko (Gerald Kyd) sets the scene for a dizzying portrayal of deceit and treachery. Viewers are taken on a rollercoaster of deception and heartbreak as their relationship develops.

Love Rat seeks to highlight the difficulties in forming meaningful relationships with others and the terrible consequences of misguided trust. However, the show falls short of its goals.

Though intriguing and unusual, the plot frequently seems hurried, providing little opportunity for in-depth emotional investigation. Despite this, Love Rat does provide some moving scenes that strike a chord with viewers, highlighting the perils of lowering one’s guard.

Character Portrayals: A Mixed Bag

“The cast’s performances are ultimately unimpressive”

Kyd and Lindsay give mixed performances throughout Love Rat. Although Lindsay is assured in some scenes, she does not fully evoke the depth of feeling required to hold the audience’s attention. Kyd’s portrayal of Niko is also somewhat one-dimensional, and fails to bring the character to life.

As a result, despite their originality, the cast’s performances are ultimately unimpressive. Love Rat might have provided a more engaging viewing experience by delving further into the complex psychological lives of its protagonists, with better character development.

Audience Reaction: A Plethora of Divided Opinions

If you checked social media whilst watching the more dramatic episodes of Love Rat as they aired, you would’ve noticed just how divided opinion was. The drama’s compelling plot and relevant themes won praise from some, but most were quick to point out its flaws. Discussions on social media were rife, with many people lamenting the cast’s underwhelming performances.

But for all its shortcomings, Love Rat struck a chord for some audience members, providing quiet times for introspection amid the mayhem. However, the drama fell short of captivating the wider public, leading many to consider what could have been.

Production Value: A Missed Opportunity To Shine

The filming of Love Rat in Cyprus provided the ideal scenic backdrop to this holiday thriller. However, the production value of the show fell short of expectations overall.

Viewers were left wanting more out of the dull cinematography, which diminished the entire viewing experience. Love Rat had the potential to be a true visual masterpiece, levelling up the drama to new heights.

Love Rat‘s Legacy

In comparison to Channel 5’s other drama series, Love Rat is an interesting but ultimately flawed addition. While it might not have lived up to its full potential, the show nevertheless had intriguing and suspenseful moments that kept me watching. However, the audience couldn’t help but notice the show’s unrealised potential throughout.

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Featured image courtesy of Andrey Sultiskiy on Flickr. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.

Marie, the Cypriot Instagram editor of Empoword Journalism✨ Currently a teacher but silently crying about my PhD about ‘British Morals and their Impact on Societal Censorship in Arts!

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