The opening scene of the gripping new thriller Tip Toe has left viewers shaken within its first minute, yet they could not look away. The powerful LGBTQIA+ drama series, which premiered on BINGE on Tuesday, has already made a lasting impression thanks to its truly graphic beginning.
The five-episode British series opens with a disturbing depiction of a character's death on a suburban street in Manchester. Police sirens wail in the distance as screams erupt from those forced to witness the traumatic event. A woman is heard screaming, "Monster! You monster!" at her husband from their front door.
Viewers quickly took to social media to share their reactions. One tweeted, "That's beyond frightening for the opening scene," while another commented, "F**k me, that's an opening scene #tiptoe." Another added, "I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach the whole episode." One viewer wrote, "It's a tough watch but incredibly good viewing," and another concluded, "There's only one way this could begin. And that's at the end."
Storyline and Cast
The Channel 4 series then turns back the clock 10 days to tell the story of two neighbours: Leo (Alan Cumming), a gay bar owner, and Clive (David Morrissey), a conservative electrician with two teenage sons. They have coexisted peacefully for 15 years, but a simple interaction soon sparks a dangerous and deadly feud between their clashing lifestyles and deeply suppressed opinions.
Despite the hard-hitting opening, viewers are eager for more, especially since the drama comes from Russell T Davies, creator of It's A Sin and Queer As Folk. One tweeted, "Looks like Russell T Davies will have another hit on his hands," while another wrote, "Really enjoyed the first episode of Tip Toe! It's going to be another brilliant series by Russell T Davies."
Star Alan Cumming's Reaction
The series is so dark that even star Alan Cumming found the trailer hard to watch. On ITV's This Morning, Cumming said, "I find it so overwhelming and brutal. It's a tough watch." He described the show as "a story about two neighbours that goes haywire, but it's about the way that violence and hatred are sort of normalised so much in our culture nowadays. It's hopefully a wake-up call for everybody."
Episodes 1 and 2 of Tip Toe are streaming now on BINGE and Foxtel On Demand. Episodes 3 to 5 will be available on June 9. Foxtel customers can watch the double episode premiere on Showcase on June 2 at 8.30pm.
