The Couple Next Door episode 1 recap: a gunshot
This article contains spoilers for The Couple Next Door episode 1.
The Couple Next Door is a dark psychological drama revolving around two couples: Evie (Eleanor Tomlinson) and Pete (Alfred Enoch), a new couple who move into an upmarket neighborhood, and the simmering tension between them and their new neighbors, traffic cop Danny (Sam Heughan) and fitness instructor, Becka (Jessica De Gouw).
In the opening episode, we see a flash forward of the dangerous consequences of their connection, whilst also seeing the tragedy that draws the two couples together one fateful evening. Here's our full breakdown of what happens in The Couple Next Door episode 1.
An eventful opener
The Couple Next Door episode 1 opens in dramatic fashion: Evie is fleeing a cabin in the woods, with her partner Pete (pistol in hand) chasing after her. They're being pursued by Danny and Becka; just before the titles roll, Pete levels his gun at Evie and Danny rushes to intercept him. We hear a gunshot but don't see who (if anyone) was hit, and then the scene fades to black.
We then jump back in time to a montage of suburban life as Pete and Evie drive up to their new home in the neighborhood in a moving van, whilst the other townsfolk stare at them.
Upon their arrival, Becka wanders over to greet the new arrivals, congratulating Evie on her pregnancy and beckoning her partner, Danny, over to help Pete. He's struggling with a dishwasher, but Danny just lifts it off with ease and brings it inside.
The two men continue to work together until Becka and Evie arrive with drinks, and the four cheers to becoming new friends. After they leave, Evie remarks how friendly they both were, but Pete isn't sure the couple is "their sort of people".
Over in Danny and Becka's house, they're having dinner with their son, Olly. After he complains about being served healthy food, Danny sends Olly to bed, and then the couple discusses their new neighbors. Becka is excited that they've arrived, but Danny senses Pete doesn't like him. As the evening winds to a close, the pair start making out and head to the bedroom... unaware that another neighbor, Alan, is watching the evening unfold through his telescope from his own house across the street.
Tragedy strikes
The following morning, Evie spots Danny heading to work in his police uniform on his motorcycle; later on, he is called on as an emergency organ transplant transporter. Evie then heads to work and meets her new primary school class, whilst Pete heads to his office.
He's been working on some big expose about Robbie Spencer, an "obviously corrupt" businessman, but his editor doesn't want him to investigate the case. Instead, his boss sends Pete to cover the opening of a new city library.
We then join Becka teaching a yoga class. Alan is among the people enrolled, though he's clearly struggling with the moves. After the session ends, she advises him to join the beginner's class. He considers it, but when Becka reveals she doesn't teach the beginners, he says he's going to just stick where he is, which she advises against.
At school, Evie sits down and clutches at her stomach. After failing to reach him, she leaves Pete a voicemail, explaining that she was heading to the hospital for a check-up. There, it turns out that their baby's heartbeat has stopped.
Becka arrives home that evening to find Evie in her car, in tears and sits down to comfort her, offering to help however she can. Meanwhile, Danny gets a lucrative side job offer from one of his colleagues, after revealing he's found himself in some money trouble.
Pete finally gets home and discovers the terrible news. He finds himself outside with Danny and opens up about their struggles to conceive. Evie has wanted to have kids so much in the 17 years they've been together, but they've been unsuccessful with every approach they've tried.
After a montage of them making their way through life in the days following the tragic news, we once again see Alan staring at Becka through a telescope. It turns out he's been compiling a folder on his computer of all her social media content online. Meanwhile, his disabled wife has been stuck downstairs, and he's still not booked someone to install a stairlift.
At home, things start hotting up between Danny and Becka; she suggests they reach out to a couple they'd connected with in Marbella. Later that same night, Pete sees Becka in lingerie and Danny greeting two strangers at the door, before taking them inside and starting to kiss.
Two months later, we witness a very awkward family dinner. Pete and Evie have gone to visit her parents, who appear to be part of some sort of evangelical Christian group. They don't agree with the couple's approach to conception, evidently, and Evie suggests they see the loss of their baby as "god's punishment for using IVF", leading to an argument over dinner.
Getting closer
That evening, Pete and Evie join Becka and Danny for a barbecue, and Evie recounts the story of their visit. Becka reveals she also had an unconventional upbringing; her father wasn't around, and her mother took Becka out of school and taught her everything on the beaches of the Gold Coast. Evie and Becka then wander into the house.
With them gone, Danny produces a spliff and talks Pete into smoking it with him. Soon, Evie returns and asks Danny to show her his motorcycle. He obliges, and she talks him into giving her a ride to see what it's like; there's definitely a hint of chemistry between them as she clings on.
When he gets back to the house, Danny gets a call from his colleague about the side hustle, so he heads off to be an escort driver at a private airport. They were driving in front of a man with a large briefcase full of cash, and the boss of the operation was revealed to be Robbie Spencer!
Back at their house, Evie makes a move on Pete, and the pair have sex in the kitchen, knocking over some stuff in the process. Meanwhile, Danny rejoins Becka and sends a text to someone called Lena promising he can pay off his debts. The next morning, the episode closes with Evie and Danny locking eyes in the rain as they take the rubbish out.
All six episodes are available to stream on the Channel 4 website and is available to stream on Starz and in the US.
