Buying London gets zero stars in scathing review as Netflix show divides critics

Netflix's British Selling Sunset show Buying London has divided critics – with one review giving it a rare zero stars.

Selling Sunset took Netflix by storm when it first hit the streaming service in 2019. Now the streaming service has offered up the UK version of the show so surely, as a tried and tested formula, it was bound to be a hit with audiences?

It was all drama, as expected. Buying London 'favouritism' row broke out between agents at DDRE Global, under the helm of CEO Daniel Daggers, in the first explosive episode which sets the stage for major drama that plays out through the season. However, it didn't impress all the critics watching at home.

We take a look at what the critics thought of Buying London and whether it's worth investing your time in the seven episodes now available at your fingertips on Netflix.

Buying London's zero star review

It got zero stars in The Guardian's Rebecca Nicholson's scathing review in which she branded Buying London "probably the most hateable TV show ever". Giving out zero stars rarely happens when it comes to TV reviews.

She wrote: "I hate almost everything about Buying London, the British version of Netflix’s highly successful Selling Sunset, in which grotesquely wealthy people buy property in Los Angeles from glamorous real estate agents whose personalities are plucked from the reality TV presets menu."

However, the critic mulled over why she hated it so much as she had a completely different opinion on Selling Sunset which she said she didn't hate at all. She admitted: "It didn’t feel so bad to watch Selling Sunset’s fantasy Hollywood illusions of grandeur at a safe distance."

What did other critics think of Buying London?

The Telegraph's Anita Singh was also unimpressed with the new show, although she gave a marginally better write up. The critic slated Buying London for being "soulless and artificial" in a two star rating review.

She wrote: "It is a copy of the wildly popular, LA-based Selling Sunset, but it owes as much to The Only Way is Essex – superficially fun, but ultimately soulless and artificial."

She added: "You wonder how many of these houses the team actually sell, because the production has such an air of unreality. It’s post-truth television. 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."

In stark contrast, The Evening Standard's India Block gave Buying London a glossy four stars. Buying London got praise for packing the punch with its gossip, intrigue, fighting and drama. All these things certainly are there in the Netflix show, something that Selling Sunset also revolves around.

She wrote: "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."

She added: "Attractive cast members show up to good-looking locations in various configurations and immediately recap the latest drama. Then reiterate, to each other and to camera, that they are not here for the drama, they are here to work."

Cosmopolitan appeared to be sold too on Buying London as the magazine website predicted a second season plot ideas.

What success has Selling Sunset had?

Before Buying London, it's no secret that Selling Sunset has had great success. Selling Sunset wowed audiences all over the world and now the reality TV format has had seven seasons under its belt since it's launch in 2019. It has previously attracted similar reviews to Buying London from critics, however, it quickly became a well loved reality format by fans.

Set in with dreamy backdrop of Los Angeles, Selling Sunset tells the story of the drama that unfolds at the real estate agency The Oppenheim Group. It has the glamour of Hollywood's stars living in the location and the cutthroat nature of the agents.

One of the glamorous and most iconic agents, Chrishell Stause, has teased the details behind season eight after filming another hotly-anticipated instalment for fans.

This April, she told Gay Times: "We just finished filming season eight and… whoa. I will say it probably ties for the most dramatic season we’ve ever had. I’ve had some really exciting real estate moments, and I’m happy to say that I didn’t bring the drama."

She added: "Unfortunately, I’m plopped in the middle of it because these are my friends, and some of them are like family."

Buying London is streaming on Netflix now.

Read more

• Buying London ‘favouritism’ row breaks out between agents

• Who are the estate agents on Buying London?