Love, Wine, and Light Intrigue Uncorked With a Smile

Read Time:4 Minute, 43 Second

TV SERIES REVIEW
Under the Vines: Series 1
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Genre: Comedy
Year Released: 2021, 2025
Runtime: 6 x 50m episodes
Creator(s): Erin White
Director(s): Erin White, Danny Mulheron, Joshua Frizzell, Katie Wolfe, Laurence Wilson
Cast: Rebecca Gibney, Charles Edwards
Where to Watch: set for release on DVD and digital June 2, 2025

RAVING REVIEW: UNDER THE VINES uncorks a refreshingly gentle story about unexpected second chances, set against the vineyards of rural New Zealand. At first glance, the show seems built for comfort rather than complexity, but that’s part of its quiet appeal. It wants to tell a story with warmth, humor, and a bit of heartache. That modesty is its strength.

The premise is simple and unassuming. Two strangers—city-dwelling socialite Daisy and hard-nosed UK-born lawyer Louis—inherit a struggling vineyard in the fictional Peak View wine region. Neither has any real interest in wine or farming, and both bring their reluctance to the forefront. From there, the setup veers into classic odd-couple territory, but rather than lean into exaggerated conflict or slapstick, the show lets its characters become the glue. Their frustrations simmer but never explode. Their chemistry develops slowly, naturally. The tension is low-stakes but felt.

This first season of UNDER THE VINES thrives on tone and texture more than plot-driven momentum. It’s about watching two people grow—personally, professionally, emotionally—in a setting that offers literal and figurative distance from their past lives. The show’s charm isn’t just visual decoration; it becomes a narrative tool. The vineyards, the sleepy town, and the close-knit locals create a bubble where characters can let their guard down without the noise of urban chaos. The show introduces just enough conflict, stress, romance, and squabbles to give the story shape.

Rebecca Gibney brings a charming weariness to Daisy, a woman accustomed to surface-level glitz who begins to discover depth she never thought she had. She’s not written as a caricature, and Gibney avoids playing her as a spoiled socialite. Instead, Daisy emerges as someone living on autopilot, now forced to confront what a more intentional life might look like. Charles Edwards gives Louis the right mix of uptight rigidity and hidden vulnerability. His comic timing is understated, making his gradual softening all the more satisfying. The dynamic between the two leads isn’t just about romantic will-they-won’t-they tension, though that’s certainly there, but about watching two different people learn to be better versions of themselves.

Supporting characters help anchor the show’s tone, especially the quirky, big-hearted locals. They feel like real people with histories and depth, each expanding the narrative with shades of sweetness or frustration. It’s in these relationships that the show finds some of its strongest moments. While the vineyard inheritance is the event that starts it all, the interpersonal connections give the show its feet to stand on. You want to see how these people grow together, fight, make up, and figure things out—even if nothing particularly earth-shattering ever happens.

A few moments in season one suggest potential for deeper storytelling in future seasons. There are hints of more profound tensions—class conflict, generational divide, urban versus rural values—that could be explored with a more incisive eye. The show might become even more resonant if it takes those ideas further without sacrificing its warmth. But even if it stays exactly where it is—soft-spoken, character-focused, emotionally honest—it will continue to serve its audience well.

Ultimately, UNDER THE VINES isn’t about the vineyard. It’s about the people who stumble into a life they never wanted and start building something real. It’s about the small victories: choosing to stay when it would be easier to run, listening instead of judging, showing up instead of shutting down. These aren’t seismic beats—they’re quiet choices that add to something meaningful.

Season one doesn’t demand much from viewers, but it rewards patience and emotional investment with a sense of calm that’s hard to come by. It’s gentle but not boring, sweet but not gooey. It doesn’t try to impress with shock value. It simply trusts that storytelling and grounded characters are enough. And for the right audience, that’s more than enough.

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[photo courtesy of ACORN MEDIA INTERNATIONAL]

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