Coldwater ending explained: John makes his stand while Tommy escapes into the shadows

The ending of ITV’s psychological thriller Coldwater was a head-scratcher, as the series left viewers with more questions than answers. It featured a big brawl at the end, some people who really should be in jail are walking off scot-free, and many storylines are simply dangling there. All these unresolved threads are hinting at a potential Season 2.

Coldwater aired on September 14, 2025, and quickly racked up viewers. Andrew Lincoln and Indira Varma play a married couple, John and Fiona, who leave their old life behind for a “perfect” Scottish village. However, there is bad news named Tommy (Ewen Bremner), and his wife Rebecca (Eve Myles), who makes Lady Macbeth look amateur.

The whole season is a slow-burn freakout. Every time you think you know where it’s going, there is another cliffhanger.

As of mid-September 2025, the word is that although ITV has yet to commit to a Season 2, show creator David Ireland and the lead cast have all shown eager interest in continuation. Ratings have been robust, and discussion boards are theorizing over unresolved plot points and upcoming events.

The show’s ending headline previews the deliberate vagueness: every loose thread is a signal that “the danger isn't over” and Coldwater is ready for a sequel.

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Coldwater ending explained

Coldwater follows the story of middle-aged man John, who is struggling with guilt over not being able to stop a violent attack in London. Wanting to start anew, John packs up with his wife and kids and relocates to the small Scottish village of Coldwater in pursuit of peace and calm.

Things go off the rails real quick, thanks to the next-door neighbor Tommy and his wife, Rebecca, who runs the church. As the family is getting comfy, they are drawn into Tommy’s twisted schemes. Before long, it’s one thing after another: petty crimes, people talking behind backs, nobody making eye contact at the market. The town gets messy, and the family is right in the thick of it.

Tommy, who proves to be a serial killer, starts to cast suspicion on John for various deaths and resorts to psychological methods of stirring up mayhem, culminating in paranoia and terror in the town.

The finale builds toward an electrifying showdown. After evidence mounts against Tommy, including trophies from his victims and proof that he killed John’s cat, John becomes determined to expose him. Moira-Jane, Tommy’s adoptive daughter, returns to Coldwater, produces incriminating photographs of Tommy’s stolen possessions, and helps John plot to reveal his guilt.

Throughout, Tommy and Rebecca work to undermine John, planting evidence like Nathan’s ring in John’s house to frame him for murder.

During a tense dinner invitation intended to uncover Tommy’s secrets, Tommy realizes John’s plan, tasers him, and locks him in his car trunk before speeding off. Fiona, frantic, calls the police; Rebecca shifts from accomplice to vulnerably battered wife in front of Fiona. John escapes, running to William’s house, but Tommy pursues him with a shotgun.

The dramatic climax unfolds when Tommy snaps and goes after William. John jumps right in, fights Tommy, but William manages to pull them apart. He calls the cops before anyone else gets wrecked. Tommy attempts to persuade John of their common darkness, insisting that John either shoot him or flee with him.

John resists, insisting upon his own reluctance to give in to Tommy’s weltanschauung. Tommy lunges, and the screen fades to black as the sound of a gunshot is heard.

It is later discovered that John was shot, and Tommy fled, with the killer at large. Some weeks thereafter, John has physically recovered and appears at a TV interview with Fiona, attempting to bring closure to their family.

Tommy is, however, still absent, and Rebecca is still manipulating the town, using her pastoral office to spin narratives of forgiveness while masking her complicity. The men’s prayer group, formerly under Tommy’s auspices, strangely continues to meet in his home under the leadership of Rebecca, and town people insist they don't believe she was complicit.

Tommy’s son, Cameron, does not believe in the guilt of his father. Meanwhile, crucial evidence, Nathan’s incriminating ring, is still hidden in John’s home, hinting at unresolved danger to come.

Hence, the ending did not tie things up; in fact, it was far from it. Tommy is on the run, Rebecca is still scheming, Cameron is in complete denial, and the town is still haunted by everything that happened. Almost every storyline is hinting at a potential Coldwater Season 2 because the danger is still lingering.

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What can we expect from Coldwater Season 2?

While there has been no official announcement for the continuation, several unresolved subplots suggest what Coldwater Season 2 could look at:

Tommy's son, Cameron, is unable to accept that his father is a murderer and may become either an ally or a foe for future plot developments.

Rebecca's machinations are unchecked, and she keeps stirring up trouble as the town’s anonymous influencer.

Nathan Gillespie’s ring is yet hidden in John’s house, an actual connection to unresolved crimes as well as possible new insights.

The years-old homicide of Susie Bissett can also be attributed to Tommy, developing another plot for the potential future episodes. Everything implies unfinished business.