Harlan Coben’s Missing You Review: Forgettable But Twisty

In Netflix’s Missing You, Detective Kat Donovan is thrown in for the loop of her life when her disappeared fiance Josh comes out of the woodwork and back into her life. Shocked and confused,d she tries to look deeper into him but the answers that she finds might not be as satisfying as one might expect.

The series has 5 episodes, each with a runtime of around 40 minutes, it’s based on the novel Missing You by Harlan Coben.

Harlan Coben’s Missing You Review

Harlan Coben’s Missing You is nothing spectacular, but funnily enough, it’s becoming somewhat of a tradition to follow every new year with one! The latest release is a crime-thriller miniseries from Netflix and is both sort of mysterious and twisted, while also being so boring and cliched that it leaves you with many questions in the end.

The series is a good time-pass watch for the New Year weekend – it’s twisty, it’s exciting and it doesn’t offer anything of note other than that. There were some moments of curiosity and I was left confused regarding the multiple plot points that it brings forth but it’s good fun for those who are not looking for anything more.

Also Read: Fool Me Once Review: Harlan Coben’s Gripping Adaptation Offers Thrills Amidst Minor Flaws

The series starts with Kat and Josh’s whirlwind romance that ends soon after it starts to get really good and after her father’s traumatic murder, Josh, too, suddenly disappears. It’s easy to relate to Kat – losing your father and your fiance within the course of a few months can’t be easy and her desperation is evident in every decision that she takes. The problem, however, is that the series showcases her problem in the most disappointing and sometimes annoying ways possible, making us question her short-fuse decision-making capabilities at every turn.

Every episode comes with some insane twist that left me thoroughly confused. The series does a good job with this format and I will say that there’s merit there somewhere. But it never really becomes much of a tight-knit watch that leaves you on edge. Every twist feels a bit forced and sometimes unhinged. Moreover, I also felt that the storytelling was very convenient, with almost everyone harbouring a secret of epic proportions around every turn. After a while, it becomes a bit silly to watch and somehow makes you question whether you are stupid.

Also Read: Harlan Coben’s Shelter Review: Tiresome Mystery Thriller

I also find these Harlan Coben shows merging into each other after a while. I mean, sure, it’s nice to watch simple, uncomplicated and dramatic crime-thrillers but it becomes mundane after a while because they are quite similar in more ways than one. The nature of the revelations and the way they open up feel disingenuous and forced, showing a clear pattern across Coben’s adaptations on Netflix. Of course, one can say the small budget is to be blamed, but I do think there’s more to it than just the budget. It’s easy to churn these out it seems and considering viewers lap it up without fail, there’s no one to stop them from falling into our laps.

Also Read: Hold Tight Review: Harlan Coben Series is Weirdly Lukewarm

The series, however, features a great cast who deliver good performances. So that’s always a plus.

Final Thoughts

Missing You pushes out a staggering number of twists and turns that somehow feel a bit fake and convenient after a while, leaving us to wonder what the point of it all is. However, if you’re looking for something simple that will keep you guessing and slack-jawed, this one’s short enough and engaging enough for a one-time watch. But, there’s much merit beyond that.

Also Read: Stay Close (2021) Review: Harlan Coben’s Adaptation Is a Thrilling Binge-Worthy Tale!