Missing You Series Review: Harlan Coben Intense Thriller Between Secrets, Losses, and Hidden Truths!
“Missing You” is the perfect representation of all the potential and together the contraindications of modern television seriality, in particular the one that follows trends, fashion, and the tastes of the public passively, trying to ride the trendy name or in any case to cover the paint already seen and already known. Taken from a novel by Harlan Coben, it has a nice cast, it follows a proven pattern but without adding anything true, nothing genuine or intriguing. In short, a used all too safe and in the long run predictable. I wasn’t expecting it at all. But in retrospect, it was quite obvious that it would come: the first, partial disappointment signed Harlan Coben.
Missing You is the new miniseries on Netflix signed by the author of many successful novels, then transformed into series, films, and miniseries. In our special dedicated to Harlan Coben, we remembered many titles loved by the television audience, by Stay Close a Fool Me Once, from Safe and Hold Light – all available on Netflix – without forgetting its excellent test in which it mixes thriller and teen drama: Shelter. After so many stories that work perfectly, it comes from 1st January on Netflix with some defects Harlan Coben’s Missing You, is slightly below expectations. Mind you: it is not an insufficient product, indeed. It simply has a flaw that makes it less intriguing compared to the titles to which the brilliant writer had accustomed us. I’ll explain why, without spoilers.
Missing You Series Review: The Story Plot
“Missing You” starts by introducing us to the strange life of detective Kat Donovan (Rosalind Eleazar) in the service of the English police force. She inherited her passion for work from her father Clint (Lenny Henry), who fell on duty 11 before and was among the most respected detectives in the department. But it’s not the only atypical thing in his life. Kat is single, has some momentary and unsatisfactory flirts, is still traumatized by the fact that she was left without an explanation by her boyfriend Josh Buchanan (Ashley Walters) shortly after her father’s death, and little distance from the wedding. Escape or kidnapping. He never understood it. However, incredibly, in one of the dating apps that uses music and songs to create matches between different users, he finally runs into Josh. What to do? Retract it, try to understand what happened, or move on with your life. “Missing You” obviously favors the first and in five episodes he guides us into a mystery in which between songs and mysteries, the protagonist will have to see it with her past and discover damn dark secrets concerning her family and the environment of the criminal undergrowth.
“Missing You” brings a lot of meat to the fire. Let’s start by saying that of course the hope was to find yourself in front of something on the same level if not “A deception too much”, at the time of “The Stranger”, one of the many adaptations that Harlan Coben has given to Netflix and the small screen in general. Unfortunately, it must be said that from the beginning the miniseries suffer from a fairly acute standardization, despite the intriguing idea behind it, the centrality in the various episodes of the musical theme (particularly vintage), and a convincing cast. In addition to Eleazar (already seen in “Slow Horses”), Henry and Walter, Richard Armitage, James Nesbitt, Jessica Plummer, and Steve Pemberton must be named. Often, however, we find them grappling with characters that look like others already interpreted themselves previously, or copies recycled by other so-called “classic” universes. Good direction, but the real problem lies in the script by Victoria Asare-Archer, who does not give us a particularly coherent story. Or (and maybe it’s the underlying truth) is not that if a story was signed by Harlan Coben, then it is necessarily extraordinary, not all donuts succeed with the hole, and this is a typical example.
Missing You Series Review and Analysis
“Missing You” recalls from certain points of view “Crime of Innocence“, a thriller that had some success in the late 90s. The theme of a better half that disappears without leaving a trace and then reappears, the continuous revelations and twists follow one another with excessive haste, without leaving anything really important deposited in the public. Let’s add that all this should raise the real final twist, which however comes after an excessively long narrative style, it is explained instead of showing, stops, and then goes in a hurry. In all this, Eleazar is unable to give real depth to her character, who at certain times seems all too victim of events, and other times instead as illuminated from above on the next move to make. As if that wasn’t enough, quite a bit of the doubts and puzzles that the miniseries had left behind, in the end, remain there, at the mercy of nothing and unspoken, as if the solution was no longer so important. “Missing You” then obviously also begins to throw the theme of gender oppression into the middle, as if elements or ideas were missing and not too many were already accumulating.
There is a feeling that five episodes are few, a couple more would certainly not have failed, on the contrary. The feeling of totally derivative work, if not a little artificial, is constant as you move forward. “Missing You” may also try to talk to us a little better about the virtual world of the dating app, a sort of disease that has now invaded half the world. Even in this area, however, the miniseries give up accumulating yet another blow to effect, yet another shot at trying to create a thriller atmosphere that, however, objectively, most of the time seems to be more than anything else painted on the walls. Netflix confirms that it has the bad defect of wanting to endlessly replicate the successful products and the formulas connected to them, regardless of whether the result lives up to the promise or whether there is any underlying originality. For heaven’s sake, it is not the first time that a Coben novel has become a normal serial product, but given the premises, it was legitimate to expect something better. Not that it’s the only one of course, even Amazon Prime Video has recently become accustomed to going on already beaten paths they think will find the solution that is not there.
Missing You is divided into 5 episodes lasting about 45 minutes each for a total of just under 4 hours of vision-high entertainment rate. By structure, the latter adaptation does not differ from the now-tested Harlan Coben formula which, despite not shining for particularly original finds and solutions, is solid and works. Netflix knows this well and the continuous feedback in terms of the public rewards the choice to retain Coben fans with a new story a year. Missing You is a yellow of the classics with the story taking shape around a strong female character – a little as it had been for One deception too many– and a series of subplots linked to the main one in a rather organic and coherent way.
Of course, here meat on the fire is a lot (perhaps too much): there is the mystery of Josh, the murder of Clint with still several dark points to be clarified, a case of disappearance that brings to light the mysterious figure of a breeder with a double criminal life and Kat’s private life who finds out that many of the people around her have lied to her for years. A story full of ideas and themes in which, inevitably, something is lost in the ranks, with the deepening of the characters that are affected and finish a little in breathlessness which differs from the trend of the first episodes from the wider breath. It must be said, however, that the rhythm is not lacking and that the wise location of the main one’s plot twist during the episodes leads to passing from one chapter to another without any effort and indeed with a certain pleasure.
Not a little magic of Missing You, although with some imperfections on the finish, is to close all the interconnected plots coherently and organically. Each mystery has its solution, each subplot has its closure and, in the economy of a yellow of this type, it is more than enough to represent a satisfactory vision. If you are willing to pass over some cliché and you are inclined to appeal to a pinch of suspension of disbelief in addition, Missing You is truly a pleasant vision, accomplices’ good evidence of the actors, which makes the respective characters credible even after some forcing in the dialogues. It would be said that the formula on which Harlan Coben’s adaptations rest is at the limit of the repetition, yet each miniseries is accepted with curiosity and without fatigue by the public to whom these yellows are destined. Coben knows how to create compelling stories and write charismatic characters, who in the transpositions are helped to emerge thanks to talented actors. This is the case of the good Rosalind Eleazar and the usual flawless Richard Armitage who plays Detective Stagger here. Missing You is a good thriller, with fine and clean aesthetic packaging, certainly not unforgettable but more than enough to spend an afternoon or an evening of yellow.
As always, Harlan Coben’s productions can count on a cast of important names. Missing You is no exception: the great one James Nesbitt (Jekyll, Match Point), Coben’s habitue Richard Armitage (Thorin in the Lo Hobbit saga), the same protagonist Rosalind Eleazar (Slow Horses), Steve Pemberton (Psychoville) … All perfect. Too bad only for one of the trademarks in Coben’s stories, the false tracks, which on this occasion are used not in the best way: expectations swell, a potentially shocking revelation is reached, involving someone important, and then… They disassembled in a second as if nothing had happened. With an explanation as simple as – often – banal. You understand that after one, two, or three of these operations, we begin to ask ourselves what is behind the story if all of these potential explosives are constantly disarmed. We feel a little ’ on the roller coaster but with one excessively rapid descent and nuanced.
So here is that ’psychological deepening’ which instead is always part of Coben’s works, and this time affects the character of the protagonist, Kat, our guide in the story. Kat seems to forgive, forget, cancel, and change her mind with ease and speed which makes her a superficial woman. Is she not like that, it seems so. Not to mention that there are past issues that remain pending, without being dissolved in the end. Maybe 5 episodes – fewer than usual reserved for the Coben series – they are too few. Maybe it was a matter of lack of time, perhaps a productive issue. Who knows. The fact is that less haste would certainly have made Missing You a much better product. To raise the stakes, in addition to the excellent performers, there are a series of quotes that wink at the television audience. James Nesbitt, an actor with a capital “a” who, among other things, played the miniseries Jekyll giving us the best Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde seen on TV by Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic, during a dialogue says he saw a “Mr. Hyde”, or the dark side of a person.
A clear reference to the series that in 2008 gave him a Golden Globes nomination for best leading actor. It’s still: Richard Armitage winks to his characters in Coben’s other productions, creating an imaginary fil rouge in his work for the writer, while there are gods’ giveaways – which is not explicit to avoid anticipations – to the great British crimes, from Happy Valley to The Art Detectives. Ultimately, if you are prepared to stay partially disappointed by the ease with which a series of burning false tracks – which I have not been lucky enough to do – you will enjoy the show, the splendid English landscapes the curated photography, the perfect performers and the twists, which of course are there, without suffering a continuous haste in changing perspective. Missing You is not by chance as the text of the musical piece by Police Every Breath You Take, which turns out to be the song of the former couple and the manager of the match on the app. The title of each of the five episodes that make up the series turns out to be that of a piece of music, from U2 to Simple Minds. The music therefore becomes for the first time a constant in one Harlan Coben series.
After Louisa Guy’s role in Slow Horses, Rosalind Eleazar manages to carve out a protagonist part and above all to support an entire story on its shoulders. To help some aficionados of the British seriality and above all of the narrative universe of Coben: Richard Armitage, who now seems to have subscribed to a certain type of role, here direct superior of Kat, and James Nesbitt who is Calligan, a local boss who has to do with the past of the woman. There is also a villain sui generis played by Steve Pemberton, who had already done something similar in Happy Valley. Missing You almost slavishly follows a proven narrative scheme (perhaps a little too much) to put on the table many separate tiles for the spectators and make them play guess the culprit, which will arrive as always at the last, leaving everyone speechless, as in any classic yellow with a self-respecting twist. Also, it seems that nobody ever tells the truth in full to the protagonist, a victim of a patriarchal society and a toxic workplace.
The direction uses shots and machine movements that manage to make a bite and escape assembly a little more annoying, and to ease the tension during the narration, especially in the final episode scenes that linger on the close-ups of the protagonists and on their reflection on the next move to make. Between the themes faced, in addition to the power (and danger) of memory and the importance of memory, there are the social complaints about online scams and acceptance of the LGBTQIA community + mixed with tolerance within certain work environments, as well as the second chances to be given to those who made us suffer. Ready for a new plot to become addicted to and improvise detectives on Netflix?
Although the general quality of Missing You is indisputable, the series is not without defects which, although marginal, slightly compromise its narrative fluidity. One of the most obvious aspects concerns the management of dialogues: in different scenes, the characters indulge in exchanges of jokes that are excessively redundant. Often, already clear concepts are reiterated several times through lines of dialogue that end up weighing down the natural flow of conversations. This repetition, although in some cases it may be justified by the attempt to underline central themes of the plot or emphasize the emotion of a moment, ends up being superfluous, especially when the viewer has already grasped the point from the first statement. Likewise, some initial scenes tend to dwell excessively on secondary details. This problem emerges especially in the early episodes, where the introduction of the main characters and narrative lines could have been more streamlined and essential.
For example, some sequences seem to be built with the intent to create an atmosphere or deepen the emotional context of the protagonists, but in the end, drag on without adding a real narrative value. Another aspect that contributes to this swinging sensation is the management of subplots. If on the one hand, the construction of a complex weave is one of the strengths of the series, on the other the desire to carefully follow each narrative line sometimes ends up diluting the main tension. Some secondary developments receive more space than is necessary, risking making the viewer lose focus on Kat Donovan’s central story. Finally, it should be noted that some transitions between the scenes are not always managed with the fluidity that one would expect. In some places, the transition from one narrative arc to another appears slightly forced or hasty, generating small interruptions in the overall rhythm. This does not mean that the series never completely loses control of its structure, but these are moments that, especially for the most attentive spectator, are perceptible.
Despite these imperfections, it is important to emphasize that these are minor defects, which do not significantly compromise the quality of the overall experience. The narration, although with some hesitation, still manages to recover strongly in key moments, keeping the attention alive until the end of the series. Despite these small imperfections, Missing You is confirmed as a solid and engaging adaptation. The series explores profound themes such as loss, betrayed trust, and the difficulty of really knowing who we love, all immersed in a gloomy and suspenseful atmosphere. If you are a lover of psychological thrillers, stories that dig into the darkest maze of the human soul, and well-balanced twists and turns, Missing You certainly deserves a place on your list of visions.
Missing You’s adaptation, based on Harlan Coben’s novel and made for Netflix by Victoria Asare-Archer, is a compelling thriller that weaves personal mysteries and dark secrets. Detective Kat Donovan (Rosalind Eleazar) faces the return of her traumatic past as she investigates new disappearances. The series balances a complex plot with an excellent support cast, among which Steve Pemberton and Samantha Spiro stand out, but presents some imperfections in the rhythm, with redundant dialogues and long-winded scenes. Despite these flaws, Missing You is an engaging thriller that explores themes such as loss and hidden truths, keeping tension high to the end.
Missing You Series Review: The Last Words
From 1st January Missing You, the new miniseries Harlan Coben’s, by the famous writer, already behind the scenes of Safe, Stay Close and many other successes. The investigative inspector Kat Donovan (Rosalind Eleazar, Slow Horses) investigates a disappearance that will eventually bind to its past. The usual mechanism “I’ll stick you to the screen” Coben works, although perhaps 5 episodes are too few and this has led to an elimination of hasty and superficial false tracks, the Coben trademark. That said, if you don’t expect too much from this point, the vision remains enjoyable thanks to the great cast (Richard Armitage, James Nesbitt). Missing You follows the now-tested structure (repetitive?) of Harlan Coben’s yellows focusing entirely on the charisma of the protagonist and the truth kept silent by all those around her until the last scene. Rosalind Eleazar convinces and, despite the suspension of the disbelief required, the yellow one hundred of the story fascinates and speaks, after all, of second chances, in love as in life.
Cast: Rosalind Eleazar, Ashley Walters, Marc Warren, Steve Pemberton, Samantha Spiro, Rudi Dharmalingam, Lenny Henry
Created By: Victoria Asare-Archer
Streaming Platform: Netflix
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 3.5/5 (three and a half stars)
Missing You Series Review: Harlan Coben Intense Thriller Between Secrets, Losses, and Hidden Truths! - Filmyhype
Director: Victoria Asare-Archer
Date Created: 2025-01-01 17:11
3.5
Pros
- Well developed protagonist and excellent interpretation of Rosalind Eleazar.
- Immersive narrative plot with well distributed twists and turns.
- Convincing and memorable support cast.
- Dark and engaging atmosphere.
- Rosalind Eleazar and the rest of the cast do a good job.
- Some found in direction.
- Music as a guiding (meta) narrative thread.
- The issues addressed ...
Cons
- Repetitive dialogues in some scenes.
- Sharpening rhythm in the first episodes.
- A few jokes and forced dialogue lines.
- ... even if not in-depth and reduced to the last.
- Play a little ’ too much on the twist and require quite a bit of suspension of disbelief.
