New Netflix series is “most hateable show ever” according to critics

23 May, 2024

'Buying London'

A new reality series on Netflix has been branded by some critics as the “most hateable show ever”.

Buying London is inspired by the US hit series Selling Sunset, and it follows a group of estate agents who sell expensive properties in the capital, led by property mogul Daniel Daggers.

The show was released on the streaming platform this week (May 22), but the early reviews have been less than flattering.

The Guardian posted a zero-star review, describing the show as “probably the most hateable TV show ever made”.

“I hate that it bases all of its dramatic tension on pitting women against each other,” the review continued. “I hate that it makes Richard Curtis’s film Notting Hill look like a gritty documentary about the mean streets of London. I hate its England-for-dummies shtick that is clearly pitched at an international market. I hate its reverence for billionaires and bad taste, its celebrity name-dropping without actual celebrities, even the lurching drone footage that seems to have been shot by the Red Arrows.”

The negativity did not deter Netflix; on the contrary, they chose to embrace the scathing headlines as a promotional tool.

In a post on X yesterday (May 22), the streamer displayed the zero-star rating loud and proud over an image of the show’s stars, writing: “Probably the most hateable TV show ever made. Stirring up drama, on and off screen. Buying London is now streaming!”

Buying London sees the agents of DDRE Global trying to sell properties in areas including Kensington and Chelsea, Belgravia and Mayfair, with the show focusing largely on their personal lives and their working relationships.

Other reviews have also been ungenerous, including that of The Telegraph, who called it “artificial, vulgar, post-truth TV”. Their two-star review continued: “The people on screen aren’t reciting a script. They’ve just learned – through prolonged exposure to ‘scripted reality’ shows – to actually speak like this. They know what is required of them. The whole thing plays out like one long Instagram reel.”

The Evening Standard, however, was more positive. In a four-star review, they said: “The audience is here for the gossip! The intrigue! The in-fighting! The drama!”

“Netflix has this formula nailed down and Buying London doesn’t deviate from the Selling Sunset beats. This is why reality TV is so popular. It elevates the everyday experience of having housemates, a family, a job, a crush, to epic proportions that look as dramatic on-screen as they feel inside.”

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