Missing You

Lots of familiar traits from Harlan Coben's characters in this adaptation of his book, and similarly as with so many of his books, it would be good to not have as many twists that you can see a mile off, once you've read other stories.

The series does rattle along at a decent pace, with Steve Pemberton doing his usual creepy character best, in some scenes that are quite unexpected.

Pemberton's strand through the story provides the best amd most engaging part of it all with the odd unexpected twist.

All in all, if you've seen other Netflix adaptations of HC's books you know what to expect. Not the best thing you'll ever see, but fine for binging on a new year's day. Good, too, that it didn't have too many episodes and get bloated.

The leading actress was all that kept me hooked, but the rest of the acting was so patchy and unconvincing - even from the bigger names. There were plot lines that led nowhere, explanations not given, superfluous characters that just cluttered things up, and lots of truly incredible events and coincidences. The locations were good, but there was the increasingly annoying and inexplicable decision to use the 'teal and orange' colour scheme throughout - which is SO irritating and crops up all the time (The A Word, Ludwig etc) for no good reason whatsoever - and once you notice it it's SO distracting.

Average.

Decent enough Harlan Coben thriller drama set in Manchester and surrounding countryside with a well known and familiar cast, weaving intertwined plot themes, it's well paced and improbable fun, entertaining enough to keep you glued in but definitely a bit far fetched in places - some excellent names in there and well acted but gritty believable realism it ain't. Perhaps that's not the point anyway and if you can turn a blind eye to the very visible plot holes and rather unlikely criminal and police prodecural situations then it's width one's time. But it's a fast food style criminal thriller - enjoyable but ultimately unsatisfying, not a gourmet offering you might be hoping for.

With less than half a minute into the first episode, the clichés of modern storytelling were served.

The story is riddled with clichés, predictable twists, and underdeveloped characters that make it difficult to become emotionally invested. The protagonist's motivations are shallow, and the supporting cast is mostly reduced to stereotypical archetypes. The pacing feels uneven, with sluggish exposition dragging down the first act and a rushed finale that resolves conflicts too conveniently.

The dialogue is another weak point. Many lines feel forced and to some extent unnatural. The cast's performances are hindered by a script that fails to provide depth or nuance.

That's all I have about this one.

I regret wasting my time on Missing You. The series was painfully boring and utterly predictable from start to finish. The plot lacked any real depth or originality, and the characters were one-dimensional, making it hard to care about their fates. Every twist was telegraphed so far in advance that it felt like the writers weren't even trying.

What could have been an emotional and gripping story was instead dragged out with repetitive dialogue and unnecessary scenes that added nothing to the narrative. It felt like the show was just filling time rather than delivering meaningful content.

If you're looking for a compelling drama, look elsewhere. Missing You was a complete waste of time.