Two Weeks in August is created by Catherine Shepherd and stars Jessica Raine, Damien Molony, Hugh Skinner and Tom Goodman-Hill

BBC fans have been tuning into Two Weeks in August, the latest eight-part drama that’s drawn comparisons to The White Lotus.

Starring Jessica Raine (Call the Midwife) and Damien Molony (Bergerac), Two Weeks in August follows a group of friends who decide to reunite on holiday in Greece.

two people walking in sun© Robert Viglasky / BBC
Jessica Raine & Damien Molony in TWO WEEKS IN AUGUST

But, like The White Lotus, as tensions heat up, secrets are revealed, and what was supposed to be a holiday serves as a reckoning for the various personalities in the group.

Since airing on Saturday, BBC viewers have been binge-watching the series, with many left feeling conflicted over the “uncomfortable” watch.

What are viewers saying about Two Weeks in August?

Some viewers have loved the series, with one person praising the eerie tone: “I’m finding  #TwoWeeksInAugust a very uncomfortable watch. Excellent casting and acting, especially Zoe and Dan. The first group dinner was seriously… awkward and I think it’s about to get scarier.”

Meanwhile, another viewer called it “cringe-worthy bingeing”, adding: “It’s making a Greek island adventure very tempting.” Another praised the lead performance by Jessica: “SO nice to see Jessica Raine in Two Weeks in August. We don’t see her often.”

TWO WEEKS IN AUGUST cast© Robert Viglasky / BBC
TWO WEEKS IN AUGUST cast

While the show proved a hit with some viewers, some were left less convinced: “Not grabbing me so far, really weird,” said one person, while another added: “They’re all loathsome so I’ve given up halfway into the first episode.”

As for the critics, The Guardian hailed it “immaculate” in its five-star review, adding: “I feel restored after eight hours basking in its brilliance. In real life, of course, I shall keep my passport firmly unrenewed.”

Nicholas Pinnock in TWO WEEKS IN AUGUST© Colin Hutton/BBC
Nicholas Pinnock in TWO WEEKS IN AUGUST

Meanwhile, The Times penned: “If you stick with it, this show is a pleasing watch, anxiety-inducing yet lightly amusing. You will hate everybody on screen.”

The Telegraph added: “[Jessica Raine] gives a terrific performance as a people-pleasing wife, despite a muddled script.”

What is Two Weeks in August about?

The series centres around Zoe, a chronic people-pleasing mother who reunites with her friends on holiday. But what was meant to be a dream vacation turns into a nightmare after she witnesses an illicit kiss.

The synopsis continues: “Zoe begins to act on her deepest desires and the holiday she hoped for becomes a reckoning for a group of adults who refuse to grow up.

woman standing on hill© Robert Viglasky/BBC
Jessica Raine in TWO WEEKS IN AUGUST

“When they discover they are trapped on the island and face real life-or-death situations, the group soon turns on each other to find out who is to blame.

“Is Zoe responsible for the drama and destruction around her or, as heaven turns to hell, are bigger forces at play? We are in Greece after all, the land of the ancient Gods.”

Who stars in Two Weeks in August?

Jessica Raine (Call the Midwife, Patrick Melrose) leads the cast as Zoe, while Damien Molony (Bergerac, Brassic) plays her husband, Dan.

They’re joined by Nicholas Pinnock (For Life, The Book of Clarence) as their old friend Solomon and Antonia Thomas (The Good Doctor, Still Up) as his new wife, Jess.

woman lounging by pool © Colin Hutton/BBC
Antonia Thomas in TWO WEEKS IN AUGUST

Other names include Leila Farzad (Kaos, I Hate Suzie) and Hugh Skinner (Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!, Fleabag) as university friends Nat and Jacob, while Tom Goodman-Hill (Baby Reindeer) also stars.

What has the creator said about Two Weeks in August?

Speaking exclusively to HELLO!, the show’s creator, Catherine Shepherd, revealed the series is based on one of her family holidays, where she witnessed tracer fire on the Albanian coast while she was in Greece.

“It was pretty far away, so we weren’t in any danger, but we were like, ‘I think… is there a war? What’s going on? Would you like a gin and tonic?’

man and woman standing by pool© Colin Hutton / BBC
Hugh Skinner & Leila Farzad in TWO WEEKS IN AUGUST

“I always thought that was sort of the darkest comedy,” she said. “It’s illustrative of what it’s like to be a person right now, which is trying to have a good time when bad things are going on.”

Two Weeks in August is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.