‘Missing You’ Marks Another Netflix Success for Harlan Coben
As is often the case in the many TV miniseries based on Harlan Coben novels, Netflix’s Missing You (premiering January 1) opens with multiple seemingly unrelated alarming incidents in the life of the main character that will soon become intertwined as the labyrinthine plot progresses. In this case, it’s Manchester police detective Kat Donovan (Rosalind Eleazar) whose life is about to be shaken to its core, beginning with what seems like a simple missing-persons investigation.
Kat is the head of the missing-persons unit, so she takes point on the case of a local man who disappeared before a planned romantic rendezvous, but she’s distracted by two major developments: The criminal who was convicted of murdering her father (a fellow police officer) is about to die of cancer without ever revealing his motive. And Kat’s ex-fiancé Josh Buchanan (Ashley Walters), who suddenly disappeared from her life 11 years earlier and hasn’t contacted her since, pops up as a match for her on a dating app.
How could all of these things possibly be related? One of Coben’s greatest strengths as a storyteller is weaving so many disparate plot elements together, and Missing You (based on Coben’s 2014 novel) is actually a bit more streamlined than other recent Coben adaptations. At just five episodes, Missing You is shorter than almost every other Coben TV series, and that allows creator Victoria Asare-Archer to focus on Kat, rather than spreading her attention thin across a sprawling ensemble cast. While there are still red herrings and occasional narrative dead ends, the reduced running time gives Missing You added momentum and purpose.
Another thing that sets Missing You apart from other Coben series is having a clear villain, even while every supporting character remains slightly suspicious. Titus (Steve Pemberton) is introduced in the excellent opening scene of the second episode, as he shifts from genteel aging dog breeder to quiet menace while interviewing a couple who plan to adopt a puppy. Titus is a very British sort of villain, a prim and proper older man with glasses and a stodgy fashion sense who runs a criminal empire from his farm while also continuing to breed champion show dogs. Pemberton gives him a perfect balance of avuncular sociopathy.
Titus’ introduction doesn’t take away from the mystery, though, since there’s more going on than just his dangerous operation. The more that Kat looks into the circumstances of her father’s murder, the more she comes to understand that he wasn’t necessarily the jovial patriarch she remembers. She’s also forced to reassess her relationship with Josh, who seemed like the ideal partner until the day he vanished without a trace, leaving her confused and traumatized.
Through it all, Eleazar keeps the story grounded in Kat’s emotions, conveying the impact of every new revelation on her sense of self and the secure life she took for granted. Nearly everyone in her life has been lying to her in some way, which isn’t uncommon for Coben protagonists but is still personally devastating. The supporting actors walk a fine line between supportive and shady as Kat’s friends, family members and co-workers, and the show even offers some sensitive portrayals of LGBTQ struggles amid its sensationalistic twists.
The twists are what viewers come to Coben shows for, though, and Missing You has plenty of those. Executive producer Danny Brocklehurst is a veteran Coben collaborator who’s overseen some of the most popular Coben adaptations, including last year’s mega-hit Fool Me Once, and he knows how to deliver what audiences expect. Coben’s works have become a cottage industry for Netflix, and Missing You is another satisfyingly pulpy addition to the growing canon.
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But when Kat reaches out to the man in the profile, an unspeakable conspiracy comes to light. As Kat begins to investigate, her feelings are challenged about everyone she’s ever loved–even her father, whose cruel murder so long ago has never been fully explained.
With lives on the line, including her own, Kat must venture deeper into the darkness than she ever has before and discover if she has the strength to survive what she finds there.
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Josh Bell is a freelance writer and movie/TV critic based in Las Vegas. He has written about movies, TV, and pop culture for Vulture, IndieWire, Tom’s Guide, Inverse, Crooked Marquee, and more. With comedian Jason Harris, he co-hosts the podcast Awesome Movie Year.