The Ex-Wife (2022) User Reviews

Absurd two-dimensional people behaving odiously

[scribbleheart-78583 · 5/10 · 26 October 2022]

Half of the first episode is intriguing, although the excessively juvenile Ms Buckens is a bridge too far as far as casting goes.

Then the not-so-fun begins, as everyone, from the husband and his ex to the husband's despicable family and various bit players intervene and throw shade, nay hatred, on Ms Buckens, for no discernable reason, other than the fact that she dresses like a ditsy teenager and is always either pathologically perky or pitching snark far beyond her ability to reach her targets.

How naive does one have to be to marry an obviously massively wealthy man but not demand one's own bank account or pre-nup or legally-guaranteed share of the goodies? Who is brainless enough to not know or question where one's passport is? Oh, it's all too inane for words, and yet...

It ends with his brain-dead body doing that "Oh yeah? Look at my twitching finger, ladies!" So is he coming back to wreak more havoc?

Heaven forfend, once was more than enough.

Disappointing, not so thrilling thriller

[johannes2000-1 · 5/10 · 10 February 2024]

You keep looking because you want to know how it ends (and because 4 episodes isn't that much of a strain on your patience), but I wouldn't call it a must-see, to put it mildly. My biggest problem was the writing. For a (supposed) thriller the plot just isn't thick enough: sly and opportunistic Jack marries Tasha just for her to have his baby, and then tries to run off with the baby to his still beloved ex-wife while dumping Tasha. That's basically it, and all the turmoil around that premise is mainly caused by the wild actions of main character Tasha, that are time and again either stupid, or totally incredible and irresponsible (mostly both!). It's only in the end of the last episode that a seriously substantial and ultimate plot-twist is revealed, but one that is extremely farfetched and in fact incomprehensible. I mean, how did she think to get away with this?! And what's with suddenly living in Budapest? On whose money?!

None of the characters is in the least sympathetic, even not Tasha who's supposed to be the wronged but resilient heroine: she's mainly annoying, and the way Celine Buckens plays her is equally irritating, with that constantly self-righteous smirk on her face. The conniving husband Jack is played by Tom Mison, as some 40 yr old hipster with appropriately sculpted full beard, it's really amazing that those two women fall for this sleazy guy. Janet Montgomery as the ex-wife is beautiful, but (other than you might expect from the title) plays only a subservient part as a marionet for her ex-husband.

All in all disappointing.

Huh?

[Brandon22N · 5/10 · 11 August 2023]

The first episode was good then it went downhill. The mother was frumpy and looked psychotic from day 1. The husband was irritating to look at and his finger nails were distracting. I liked the ex wife and sister but the rest of the cast not so much. It was promising then after the first two episodes it seemed like they just rushed to end it faster by throwing it scenes that made no sense and were far from believable. I still don't understand the ex wife's stance on the situation or the husband's real motive in it all. Then the ending comes and the new wife does some sort of Matrix/Xmen powers move to somehow take the child, put her in a bag, and walk off with nobody seeing her? Come on already. Then she moves to Budapest to hide? Lol!!!! Scary thing is his finger moved at the end which means they left it open for a second season. Please no. Don't waste our time.

Short enough to binge and worth it

[nowego · 7/10 · 16 October 2022]

Maybe not as good as the really good UK series, but it is up there with some of the good ones and short enough to spend the time in one sitting binge watching it.

The only name actor I recognised is Janet Montgomery and she does a great job as usual, most of the other actors also dod did their job well. It was a tad predictable in places, but with some really good twists keeps you guessing as the story unfolds.

Flashbaks give the story a more depth and help explain some of the less understandable part of why things happened the way they did.

My only gripe was that the lack of police involvement, this made the whole thing a bit unbelieveable.

Still gets a 7/10 for me although I dont think I would watch it a second time round.

Pretty good mystery drama for channel 5 !!!

[chloegalley · 6/10 · 16 December 2023]

The ex- wife is a 2022 British mystery thriller drama featuring 4 episodes.

Tasha's married life is disrupted when Jen, her husband's ex wife refuses to leave them alone.

After seeing the trailer thought it looked pretty decent for a channel 5 drama.

The storyline was quite good little slow in the first episode but if you persevere with it does get better.

Was gripping and was not quite sure how the story was going to plan out.

The ex wife is more of a mystery drama than a thriller it does not really have twists and turns that much but it's a good watch.

Acting is not to bad Celine Buckens is good and played the character very well.

A little disappointed with the ending but who knows what will happen next.

If you like dramas like the affair, and the heat featuring Danny dyer. Then you will like this.

Overall a fairly good watch don't go by the negative comments/ ratings watch it for yourself then decide.

Streaming on on paramount plus and My 5.

A very watchable series.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 8 December 2023]

Jack hits a cyclist named Tasha, the pair instantly fall for one another, and promptly marry, Tasha seems to have everything, the perfect house, a lovely child, and a great husband, one thing she hadn't reckoned on, Jen, The ex wife.

Once again, I find myself at odds with several of the reviews here, I just can't apply some of the criticisms to the show, hand on heart I would say this one of Channel 5's best drama series to date.

A good drama series is supposed to get under your skin, and that's exactly what this does, there's plenty of mystery and intrigue, but you will feel totally frustrated by and for Tasha.

It doesn't lull at any point, it's very consistent throughout, you will slowly get to put the pieces together, and learn exactly what's going on, there's a big twist in Episode three that will make you want to watch the concluding episode without delay.

It's well acted, Celine Buckens and Tom Mison are very good, loved Janet Montgomery, who played Jen.

Full of twists and turns, The Ex Wife is well worth seeing.

8/10.

Ridiculous & Comical

[adamjralls · 2/10 · 18 October 2022]

One of the most unbelievable and stupid shows I've ever been forced to watch by my girlfriend. The general story could have worked well - but with all of the characters lacking any sense of realistic emotion/likeability meant I spent half of the time laughing at the comical plot twists.

Pretty much everything that happens defies both logic and sense (unless you live an alternate hell like universe full of sociopaths) with the story moving from one travesty to another.

By the end of it you have to accept all the characters have no redeeming qualities and you couldn't care less about any of them.

Avoid this unless you like an accidental comedy or are extremely gullible.

The Lord of the Rings is probably more believable in terms of realism.

Great suspenseful drama

[finlayargyle · 9/10 · 17 October 2022]

Loved this series. Four episodes was just perfect - not dragged out. Great acting from all the main actors, great story line and all round great drama series. I loved Celine Buckens in Show Trial and she was just as fabulous in this.

I hadn't watched Tom Mison since Sleepy Hollow and he brought such a believable darkness to this role. Chilling.

I'm thankful that I have a Paramount+ subscription so I could watch it. If you don't, you are missing out on a show like this one. 4 words - 7 day free trial!

People should definitely take the time to watch this one. It's well worth it, and you won't be disappointed.

Did no one fact check anything?

[lisaox333 · 2/10 · 17 October 2023]

I wanted to like this I really did. It could have been a good binge. Instead it was beyond annoying and frustrating!! Without giving away the entire story it seems maths isn't someone's strong point! Nor is the law. Apparently you don't need passports!? Cash points give out £50 notes? Just a few of the daft oopsies in this dire show. This ridiculous show started with a guy getting a 3 year driving ban?? No idea what for as the sound was rubbish. Couldn't understand beyond the mumbling. The 2 lead women characters were apparently utter idiots who would fall for a psycho just because. We should be well past the days when helpless women fall for these guys without using a single brain cell at any point. The usual story about women who have lost babies going around stealing babies. And woohoo a man saves the day yet again. Dear lord this was straight out of the 1980s handbook on how to write tripe for people who don't use their brain while watching TV. I did try to write a review that didn't contain spoilers but to be honest nothing could spoil this rubbish because none if it makes any sense.

Wow I almost believed the bad reviews

[colette-97863 · 8/10 · 31 August 2023]

Intense psychological drama with a narcissistic sociopath at its center, lying, manipulating, and gaslighting everyone else for one singular selfish purpose. I have been in a relationship with someone exactly like this, so maybe the negative reviews are from people who have either been lucky not to know that this character is believable or see something of themselves in this psycho.

I have to write 195 more characters without giving anything away, Plenty of twists and turns that I didn't expect, and I'm usually the one to predict even the most unpredictable of plots, so I would recommend this short series.

Gives you a frustration headache

[russellwalton-52531 · 2/10 · 28 October 2022]

Spent most of my time muttering "nobody talks/acts like that" or "nobody would ever do that" script is terrible to the point I can only imagine the writer has never actually dealt with real people and just 'imagines' them to be like this. Characters seem to go from happy to insane with motivations that would make most people just be annoyed or curious and I had to wonder if I missed scenes or even a whole episode.

The Incredible Hulk being real is more believable than the characters in this program, gave up mid way through episode 3 and it's 4 episodes, it wasn't even worth caring about how this would end or what the "twist would be" because the people were acting like puppets doing things no one would ever do and it's hard to care about them.

I honestly can't get over how badly written these characters were, some of the people like this just don't exist apart from perhaps in a mills and boom book.

... she's definitely going to be doing lots more good work

[bjarias · 8/10 · 7 January 2023]

... for me, there are two productions to date that exemplify the top notch acting ability of Celine Bunkens.. 'Showtrial' and 'The Ex-Wife'... she's just got that camera-grabbing-gaze.. and when she's on-screen she-dominates... this series is short at only four episodes, be sure to give yourself opportunity of time, so all episodes can be watched in a single viewing

... storyline follows the genre, and is well produced-directed-scored... it is Celine Bunkens show from start to ending, with exemplary turns from all-other-supporting-actors... ending gave a slight hint there could be more coming in the future, sure hope so... it's really one of the best mini-series of '22.. (and-hopefully '23)

Absolutely ridiculous

[ben-mason10 · 2/10 · 20 October 2022]

This is such utter rubbish.

There's no realism in the series at all. None.

When it comes to parental rights, money alone doesn't mean you will get to keep the kids. Money doesn't mean you can just take away someone else's biological child, the legal system just doesn't work like that. It's also really difficult to make the case that someone is an unfit parent, bar substance abuse or violence to the child then access would likely be allowed.

Jack is a psychopath, that's one thing, but to me the real villain in this is Jen. She goes along with Jack, she seemed like a normal person that was just really hurt by a divorce but she gives in to Jack's plans agrees to play a major part in the kidnapping and going on the run with the baby. It seems so far fetched it's laughable.

Something has to be said for the way women are portrayed in this series. Jack is slim, the ease with which he is able to gaslight all the women around him is again, I'm disappointed to say, totally unbelievable. Of all the women I've ever known I can't think of a single one that wouldn't see through Jack in seconds and even if someone did fall for his 'charms' he'd only ever hurt them once and it'd be over. The female leads, namely Jen and Tasha, are portrayed as intelligent and confident adults, it seems in everyway, but when Jack whispers a few words to them they become instant morons. Maybe I'm being naive but I don't think people are this gullible.

The final scenes showing Jen and Jack's family getting to play the wounded parties just adds insult to injury, it all made for a very painful viewing experience.

I'd just avoid the series if I were you, unless you enjoy shouting at the TV in frustration.

It does not kick in until Ep 3 and then....WOW!

[whereismikeyfl · 10/10 · 3 September 2023]

During the first half hour I almost turned it off.

After the first episode I thought I would say a little longer.

Episode 2 was a bit interesting, so I stayed decided to go on, but with low expectionation.

However, in Episode 3 The Ex-Wife becomes one of the best television thrillers ever.

The number of twists and surprises in the last two episodes surpassed any Harlan Coben or Jed Mercurio show.

The acting is great throughout, though Janet Montgomery and Celine Buckens should get special praise for navigating complex character arcs with a grounded reality.

You might be tempted to stop....but stick with it. It is well worth it!

What Were They Thinking?

[bill-85485 · 3/10 · 29 August 2023]

Bad things happen & I empathize. If bad things happen to good people, I empathize more. However, when bad things happen to someone who is so incredibly lacking in common sense or logic or intelligence or the ability to learn from her mistakes ... well, it's impossible to empathize. It's just frustrating, until I was outright angry that someone wrote this character, someone thought it was OK, and others thought it was OK to make a miniseries around it. I made it a few minutes into Ep3, then couldn't even be in the same room with it. I can't think of the last time I was so repulsed by a main character, that I wanted so much for the villain (who was so insane that there's no way he could have been so successful in business) to finish off the main character once and for all. Put her out of her misery ... and me.

Enjoyable but not mind blowing!

[angela_dezille-78956 · 8/10 · 11 December 2023]

I actually quite enjoyed this one. I had guessed the twist in episode three which was a bit disappointing as I like to be surprised, but other than that it was quite good! The characters were likeable enough and the premise was good.

The downside was that the lead would keep leaving her baby with anyone! Utter rubbish on this score. The husband was also very lack lustre. How two beautiful, strong women fall for him after he utters a few whispered sentences in their ears, is totally beyond me. He is smarmy and a sleeze ball and I cannot comprehend how these woman not only don't see through him, but fall for his "charms" every single time!! And I really didn't like the smirking sister. She really needed to be taken down a leg or two!

Tedious and stupid

[lmb1309 · 2/10 · 17 October 2022]

This tried so hard that it was obvious by the end of episode one, what was really going on. I mean....at least they could've casted a child that didn't look like Tasha's friend with benefits if they really wanted to throw us off. Tasha is stupid, arrogant, naive and selfish. Jack is convoluted, arrogant, gaslighting and selfish and Jen is deluded, desperate, gaslighting and selfish. So basically - it's a show a show about raging sociopathic narcissists who just need something to do and are too stupid to live. Oh and let's not mention Jacks nasty sister. Although perfectly encapsulates the extreme passive aggressive barbed arrows the English are perfectly practiced at slinging - her character was next level awful. I don't get the high marks.

Thanks Dr Kawabena

[cheryltinley · 8/10 · 3 April 2024]

I am so happy sharing my amazing experience with the powerful spell caster Dr Kwabena who helped me bring my boyfriend back me and my partner was having a lot of issues, things got so worst we broke up I was devastated because I love him more than anything, I cried my eyes out until my friend who had a perfect relationship told me how she did it and introduced me to the wonderful man Dr Kwabena he told me everything was going to be Ok that there is no perfect relationship so he will help me fix mine. He told me what to do which I did and exactly 24 hours later my boyfriend came back I'm so happy thank you so much I'm going to leave his info dr.kwabenasorcerer@ gmail. Com.

The sooner they murder each other, the better

[uldale · 1/10 · 24 August 2023]

Watch the first episode, and you should easily be able to predict the rest. Naive pretty girl encounters nasty rich people behaving badly. Everybody is jealous, the dialogue is terrible, you can actually shout out the next line before they say it, nine times out of ten (could make a good drinking game, I guess?).

The whole thing is just frustrating to watch, because you know it's just going to drag on and on and on with people not trusting each other, being creepy, trying to make it all work one more time, rinse and repeat ... especially once hubby's true colours are revealed at the end of episode 1.

Brutally bad

[southgatekid · 3/10 · 16 October 2023]

Thought we would take a chance on this. Usually brit series are better than this. The storyline at first appeared pretty good, but right out of the gate, it started flailing really bad. The "Jack" is really smarmy. How 2 women fell in love with this tool is amazing. The two wives are bizarre, his ex, is good at being snotty, and his current wife seems like shes 15 yrs old, which gives it a pervy feel. The actors are good from what I've seen in other projects, but they are wasted here. The script is right up there with the American swill we are stuck with ove. All in all am hoping Jack character, and his wives end up DOA in the script.. 🤔😔🤢

Who cares??!!

[JJ-19230 · 2/10 · 28 November 2022]

So this was the sort of thing that I thought would be a good watch with my wife. We often struggle to find something that fits both our tastes but in the trailers it all seemed to be just the thing....

And then we sat through it. By the end of the first episode by wife had threatened to turn it off four or five times as a shouted at the screen over the the absurdity of plot and dialogue. What I was most struck with by the end of the first episode was how little I cared for any of the characters. They all deserved their own misery - and that's just by the end of the first episode.

I did however watch to the end solely on the request of my wife, hoping that there would be some redeeming plot twist. The character of Jen, the Ex referred to in the title, changes allegiances back and fore with every other scene. Jack the husband remains overly friendly and happy throughout apart from one or two scenes towards the end and the main character of Tasha appears to have been written and played as just a smug, easily annoyed student. No one is likeable. You don't root for anyone.

Script terrible, acting terrible and direction was missing. Have to say the one character/actor that was a pleasure to watch was the sister of Jack, played by Clare Foster. Even with a two dimensional character to play with, she created real interest and believable responses. You get the feeling that the director spent most of their time giving the actors illogical reasons for why their characters were doing what they were doing, the way they were doing it.

I could just end it there, but it is worth saying that the final scenes of the final episode are so unbelievable that they are worth watching to see just how far the insanity and absurdity can be pushed. During a flashback to a previous scene, one character appears to move into an alternate universe for about five minutes during which time all the tens of people that were seen earlier in the episode just don't exist. The character just strolls around during what was previously chaos to deliver the final and obvious twist to the plot. To top it off they seem to have added a James Bond theme to the final scene to what is the least imaginative and most illogical way of tidying up all the loose ends.

Truly an awful spectacle. Although I have stopped short of giving spoilers in case there are those of you who want to see how something should not be done.

Why Celine Buckens???

[rklemm05 · 1/10 · 18 October 2022]

I'm sorry, but Celine Buckens and her annoying constant smirk makes me cringe and want to turn off my TV instantly. She's a total miscast, here more than ever. Her character is supposed to be pretty, charming, desirable. Unfortunately she's none of the above. There are so many actresses out there that would have been a better fit for the role.

I had a hard time with the series because of her, to begin with. Like the fruit of the poisoned tree, it casts a shadow on everything that could have been enjoyable otherwise. I wasn't able to believe anything that was unfolding, nor feel involved in the least.

I guess if you're not annoyed by her presence like I am, you could end up liking it.

Dire

[belindaliley · 1/10 · 7 February 2023]

Would give this a zero if possible. Gave up after episode 2. I thought, is it me or all the characters really annoying. I wouldnt have cared what happened to anyone except the baby. The plot was ridiculous. I knew what was happening from the first episode, and no one would behave the way they did, unless they were all really dim witted, which apparently the mother of the child was. Oh can i just leave my baby with you, a total stranger, while i go chase someone. Yeah right. And the husbands excuses were ridiculous Anyone with half a brain would have told him to sod off, packed up, and taken their baby as far away as possibke Total waste of time . Why do they keep churning out these boring ridiculous so called dramas.

How does it get an average of 6.5?

[alanfisher2001 · 2/10 · 27 October 2023]

Recommended by my wife's friends, I actually managed to last through the first episode, just. Hard to explain why I found it so unwatchable, possibly the characters. A smarmy husband, the new wife whose smacked bottom of a face made her the most unlikely new version of the attractive ex wife. Annoying script, that seemed to wander around with forced scenes, Generally terrible acting, I suppose the fact that I had never seen any of these people in anything else is for a reason. Perversely the only time I actually enjoyed a 20 second segment, was when she thought she her baby had gone missing. It shows how unlikeable the characters are when you are wishing them ill. Do yourself a favour and avoid this, unless you want your evening spoilt by frustration that you could be watching anything else.

Did a ten year old write this?

[nern-54723 · 1/10 · 18 August 2023]

I have seen many stupid shows, more often from American producers , but this may be the dumbest show I have ever seen. All of the characters are stupid, unlikeable, predictable and dull. Everyone is duplicitous and obviously so. There's one scene where the main looney tune is in some sort of indoor children's amusement park and she asks some random stranger to watch her kid while she looks for the ex wife. She returns and the kid is gone. Second time his has happened to her. Required characters are one hundred and three more so you just keep writing stuff to meet the minimum requirements necessary.