Danny Dyer returned in new thriller Heat on Channel 5 last night, and it certainly made an impression on viewers…
In the four-part series, former EastEnders actor Danny plays British ex-pat Steve, who is now living in Australia. He and his 2.4 family visits friends in the Victorian bush – around the time some seriously scary bush fires are threatening to encroach.
So far, so bonkers.
Steve and Brad (Darren McMullen) now live in different parts of Australia with their wives and families. But, every year, the two clans reunite for a summer holiday. This year, though, it kicks off big time.
Everyone is hiding a secret – there are affairs, secret late night walkabouts, money problems, a mysterious broken limb, and Danny Dyer wondering around in his pants.
Like most Channel 5 thrillers – think Blindspot, The Holiday, and Desperate Measures – it was always going to be divisive… But many fans LOVED the slightly preposterous show!
***Warning: spoilers from episode 1 of Channel 5 thriller Heat starring Danny Dyer ahead***
What did viewers think of Danny Dyer thriller Heat on Channel 5?
Heat on Channel 5 had plenty of fans. After episode 1 aired on Channel 5 (Tuesday, July 11, 2023), many were quick to share their thoughts on Twitter.
One gushed: “#Heat was insane man. Already so hooked on this show. @MrDDyer so bloody proud of you and how much you’re smashing it right now. You deserve all of the success. Roll on 9pm tomorrow already.”
Another added: “#Heat #Channel5 loved it! So many twists. Bring on tomorrow. Love @MrDDyer.”
A third wrote: “How good was #Heat? More twists and turns than a curly wurly! Great to see @MrDDyer in his first acting role since Mick!”
“Loved the first episode of #Heat tonight! Quality television, quality drama – can’t wait for next episode,” agreed another.
Fans won’t have long to wait for their next fix. The four-parter airs over consecutive nights this week, with episode 2 going out on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. Episode 3 and 4 follow on Thursday and Friday.
Haters blast Heat on Channel 5!
The Channel 5 series had its fair share of negative feedback, too.
One critic wrote: “Tried #Heat on Channel 5, managed 15 minutes. Dyer by lead, dire by nature.”
A second added: “That was shit. I’ll give it 30 minutes of episode 2 and then wave goodbye #Heat.”
Another typed: “#Heat Sorry Channel 5 not impressed. Same droll acting. EastEnder goes to the outback. I’ll be glad when the fire starts.”
“#Heat I can’t take another three nights of this. I give up,” sighed one more.
Others called it “luke warm”, “so bad, and “more like a soap opera”.
No, it’s not the best thriller we’ve ever seen on TV, but it’s four hours of good fun – even if the plot (and acting on occasion) is totally OTT.
What does Danny Dyer say about his own thriller?
Even Danny Dyer, 45, admits his new Channel 5 thriller Heat isn’t for everyone. During an appearance on This Morning on Monday (July 10) he urged certain viewers not to watch the show!
The TV star warned us that they might struggle to cope with the dark content due to it being even more dramatic than anything he’d portrayed on EastEnders. Speaking to Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, Danny said: “It’s a nutty bit of work.”
Danny continued: “I got this script and I read it and thought… This is just – I’m going to be straight, I’m here to promote it but, if you don’t like dark things, don’t go near it.
“It’s dark. It’s so dark – I was thinking: ‘Can they put this on the telly?'” However, he went on to say: “It is brilliant. It gets so much better. It’s not bad, the first one.”
Channel 5’s official synopsis of the new show says: “Heat unfolds to the backdrop of the looming Australian bushfire season when two families, who are long-time friends, venture to a secluded home for a summer vacation.
“As secrets and lies unravel it becomes a tinderbox – and not everyone will make it out alive.”
Read more: Heat on Channel 5: All the questions we have after watching Danny Dyer’s preposterous new thriller
Heat continues on Channel 5 on Wednesday, July 12, 2023 at 9pm, followed by episodes on Thursday and Friday.
What did you think of Danny Dyer thriller Heat on Channel 5? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.