ITV Drama 'Adultery' Faces Mixed Reviews After Unrealistic Depiction of A&E Experience

ITV's new relationship drama Adultery has prompted debate among viewers, with an apparent detail about the portrayal of an accident and emergency (A&E) experience drawing criticism for its realism.

The six-part series, written by BAFTA-winning screenwriter Danny Brocklehurst, stars Romola Garai as Beth Brookes and Dominic Cooper as Tom Kirkman, two married parents whose unexpected attraction develops into an affair with potentially devastating consequences for their families.

Premiering on ITV1 on 25 October 2026, the drama explores infidelity, grief, class differences and the pressures of modern family life. However, its depiction of everyday situations has become a talking point alongside its central relationship storyline.

What Is ITV's 'Adultery' About?

Adultery follows Beth, a mother whose life has been unsettled by grief and dissatisfaction, and Tom, a married general practitioner whose family appears comfortable from the outside. Their paths cross after an unexpected encounter, and their attraction quickly develops into a relationship that threatens both households. The situation becomes even more complicated because their teenage children, Ollie and Jess, are already romantically involved.

Garai and Cooper lead a cast that also includes Matthew McNulty as Beth's husband, Neil, and Shelley Conn as Tom's wife, Hannah. Rather than presenting the affair as a straightforward romance, the series examines the emotional consequences of infidelity and the damage caused when personal desires collide with family responsibilities.

The drama also explores how technology makes it increasingly difficult to conceal a secret relationship, with digital records and location-tracking tools potentially exposing the characters' deception.

Why Has the Drama Divided Viewers?

The first episode drew criticism over a scene in which Beth accidentally hits Tom with her car and takes him to A&E. While waiting together, the pair begin talking, but Tom appears to receive medical attention relatively quickly, a sequence that some viewers considered unrealistic in light of their own experiences of NHS emergency departments.

One viewer questioned how quickly Tom was seen, comparing the scene with a family member's 15-hour wait. Another expressed scepticism about how easily he appeared to get through reception.

Although the scene brings Beth and Tom together and helps establish the relationship at the heart of the series, its apparent lack of a lengthy wait distracted some viewers from the developing storyline.

Medical settings can be particularly sensitive to these concerns because audiences may draw on their own experiences of emergency departments when judging whether a scene feels authentic. A&E sequences may be shaped by the needs of the story, and a firm assessment of any disputed detail requires examining exactly what happens on screen and the circumstances surrounding it.

The show's reception has been mixed, with critics disagreeing over its familiar storyline, character development and portrayal of relationships.

One critic sharply criticised the drama's implausible situations and heavy-handed approach to its themes. By contrast, another critic praised the chemistry between Garai and Cooper, arguing that their performances make the central attraction convincing despite the familiar premise. A third critic gave the series three out of five stars, describing it as a middling relationship drama.

These differing assessments suggest that the show's appeal depends partly on whether viewers find its characters and increasingly complicated decisions believable.

Can Realism Affect the Drama's Reception?

For a relationship drama like Adultery, believable character behaviour is central to keeping audiences engaged. Viewers must understand why Beth and Tom pursue their affair, even when their decisions threaten their marriages and their children's happiness.

When a scene appears implausible, it can distract from those emotional conflicts and weaken the story's impact. Nevertheless, the series has attracted praise for its lead performances and its willingness to explore uncomfortable questions about desire, loyalty and personal responsibility.

Cooper and Garai portray characters who are neither entirely sympathetic nor easily dismissed as villains. Their decisions have consequences for people who did not choose to become involved in the affair, particularly their spouses and teenage children.

What Happens Next for 'Adultery'?

All six episodes of Adultery are available as a box set on ITVX and STV Player, while the drama is also airing on ITV1 and STV.

The series' reception will depend on whether viewers believe its exploration of infidelity offers enough emotional depth to distinguish it from other television dramas about affairs.

For now, the debate highlights the challenge facing contemporary television: balancing dramatic storytelling with the realistic details that help audiences believe what they see on screen.