While the cast of Alice and Steve has hinted at hopes for a second season, audience response following the cliffhanger has been deeply polarizing, casting doubt on future installments. Although we gave the series a favorable review, viewers in the Ready Steady Cut community are split. Many have expressed intense frustration with the narrative, the show’s tone, and the framing of its central conflict.
The main point of contention revolves around the show’s premise: a 50-year-old man (Steve, played by Jemaine Clement) sleeping with the young adult daughter (Izzy) of his lifelong best friend (Alice, played by Nicola Walker).
“Add in the gross plot about her 50-year-old best friend sleeping with her daughter, and I have zero desire to watch any more.”
A grievance among viewers is how the narrative positions Alice. Many feel the story frames her as a villain or an unreasonable hypocrite for being upset — a choice that audiences understandably found bizarre. Critics argue the show focuses too heavily on the raw age gap rather than the unsettling familial history. As one commenter pointed out, Steve likely changed Izzy’s diapers and watched her grow up from birth, which makes the romance feel deeply uncomfortable rather than funny.
Consequently, some viewers have accused the writing of being inherently misogynistic. They argue that while a mother in real life would receive total public sympathy, the show goes out of its way to portray Alice as an annoying, unlikable person whom nobody listens to.
“I didn’t like it. Neither of them is likeable, but Alice is particularly bad, which I found a weird choice because, in real life, I think most people would be on her side. There’s even a bit where she’s at work and calls out unsuitable kids’ underwear designs, and they make her seem unreasonable. I’ve worked in kidswear, and she was 100% right. She’s just a bitch that no one listens to. I kept watching because I love Nicola Walker and I thought they must be leading up to a satisfying ending, but no. The ending was awful. I wish I hadn’t bothered.”
Viewers within the community have also questioned whether the series successfully pulls off its dark comedy tone, with several arguing that it lacks the sharp writing required for such a risky premise. However, defenders of the show counter that the satire is simply going over people’s heads. From their perspective, the characters perfectly inhabit their flaws: a daughter looking for validation, a vulnerable and embarrassed older man who acts more like a “complete dolt” than a predator, and a mother who is losing her mind for very good reason.
Even viewers who admitted to hating the narrative arc confessed they kept watching solely for the cast; both Nicola Walker and Jemaine Clement have received unanimous praise for their performances.
“I think a lot of the satire and character tropes are going over other viewers heads.
The characters live up to their intent in my mind, the daughter seeking approval by flaunting an older man, the older man just feeling vulnerable and now in a situation he is flattered but embarrassed in surrounding a friends death and divorce, the best friend which being the mom is absolutely losing it for good reason. The step dad being like “This is a fucking lot.” but also being non confrontationial to start.
To me, this was a fantastic series and made me laugh many times over per episode.
Looking at it like as some others have of it’s some fantasy of an older man wanting a younger woman is misunderstanding the entire series.”
Despite heavy criticism regarding the show’s morality and tone, a large segment of the audience found Alice and Steve addictive and entertaining, which could ultimately justify a second season. In a divisive digital landscape driven by social media, it is easy for viewers to get bogged down by the moral hang-ups of a premise rather than focusing on its pure entertainment value. Because Season 1 ended on a massive cliffhanger, there are clearly creative plans to let this story continue — it just remains to be seen if the audience will return for it.
