The Couple Next Door writer reveals "really different" change for season 2
The show's second outing focuses on a new erotic entanglement.
Channel 4's The Couple Next Door will soon be back on our screens for its second season, but you might be surprised to learn that the thriller doesn't pick up with the two central couples from the first instalment.
Instead, it's been turned into an anthology series (with the exception of Hugh Dennis's character Alan returning), which explores the fallout when a mysterious nurse called Mia (Aggy K Adams) intrudes on the lives of married medical power couple Charlotte (Annabel Scholey) and Jacob (Sam Palladio), a surgeon and anaesthetist.
Not only do they all work in the same hospital, but Mia decides to move next door to her new colleagues, which quickly complicates matters.
And with Charlotte's ex Leo (Sendhil Ramamurthy) also back on the scene, you can expect another twisty, turny, steamy affair from writer David Allison.
Speaking about that key differentiation from what came before, he said: "The first series was about two couples that collided with each other – a square. Whereas this is more two love triangles with Charlotte and Jacob within those triangles, one with Mia and one with Leo. So the dynamic is really different."
He also discussed how the characters are "a little bit older" in this season, which plays a key role in their emotional state and subsequent decision-making.
"They're in their forties – it's about a mid-life crisis, and there's different things going on in those relationships as well [as a result of being at a later stage in their lives].
The rest of the cast for season 2 includes Adam James (Doctor Foster), Maimie McCoy (Van der Valk), Jeff Rawle (Hollyoaks), Barney White (Professor T), Jackie Clune (Motherland), Tanya Moodie and Janine Duvitski (Benidorm), who is the only other character to have returned along Dennis, who has teased a "redemption" arc for Alan – if you can believe it.
Read more:
- Sam Palladio admits Sam Heughan’s “incredible body” gave him “hesitation” over Couple Next Door role
- Annabel Scholey on The Couple Next Door: ‘Sex scenes are embarrassing – I warn my family to skip them’
In the first chapter, Alan spent much of his time spying on neighbour Becka (Jessica De Gouw) through his telescope, which included watching her in her bedroom, and he also snuck into her house, where he pleasured himself while watching a video of Becka and husband Danny (Sam Heughan) enjoying a foursome.
"I'm on community payback for being a peeping Tom and breaking into someone's house," explained Dennis. "When you first see me, I'm wearing the characteristic Day-Glo jacket of someone on community payback.
"And I've seen the error of my ways and hope to turn out differently than expected. I've done my time for the crimes committed in the first series [he also suffered a stroke and his wife eventually left him], but I'm still in the cul-de-sac with new neighbours."
But Alan remains "good at noticing things" and "becomes aware" of new neighbour Mia, which prompts him to begin "wondering what's going on in her life..."
The Couple Next Door season 2 will premiere on Channel 4 on Monday 14th July.
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Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
