Forgotten British Crime Drama on Netflix Beats Entire Harlan Coben Collection

Summary

• Netflix continues to produce excellent adaptations of Harlan Coben novels, most recently the hit Fool Me Once.
• But there is a British series with even crazier plot twists.
• Critics and audiences alike loved the show, which aired on BBC One and Starz.

Harlan Coben is undoubtedly the contemporary king of tense thrillers with wild and unexpected twists, and now Netflix is actively working on high-octane live-action adaptations of his novels to become the streaming service's flagship series.

The author's collaboration with Netflix has resulted in nine adaptations already: first The Stranger, then The Woods, The Innocent, Gone For Good, Stay Close, and Hold Tight. And of course, since January 1, the new TV series based on the novel of the same name, Fool Me Once, starring Michelle Keegan and Richard Armitage, has been a hit on the platform.

It immediately shot to the top of the streaming service's most-watched new releases, but critics and viewers were less than thrilled. And now, with new adaptations of Coben's novels in the works, why not turn to another great series in the mystery-thriller genre that has nothing to do with the American author's work, but is no less gripping and full of insane plot twists? Besides, the ratings for the series in question are much higher than for any live-action Harlan Coben adaptation.

A Superb Crime Drama from BBC One

We're talking about The Missing, which aired on BBC One from October 28, 2014 to November 30, 2016 and ran for two seasons and a spin-off. It was created by brothers Harry and Jack Williams, who executive produced the BBC hit Fleabag with Phoebe Waller-Bridge (the series was produced by Two Brothers Pictures, which they founded), and more recently their equally gripping thriller series The Tourist, starring Jamie Dornan and Danielle Macdonald, has been making waves on Netflix.

But back to The Missing. The two-season series is an anthology, and each story is brought together by Detective Julien Baptiste, memorably played by Tchéky Karyo. In the first season, the investigation revolved around a British boy who mysteriously disappeared in France in 2006 while on vacation with his father. In the second season, Baptiste returns to investigate the mysterious return of a girl who disappeared in Germany in 2003.

Excellent Reviews from Critics and Audiences

Both seasons have received rave reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, both seasons received an impressive 93% from critics and 90% from viewers. These are somber yet compelling stories, built around themes of loss and grief. The Missing is a beautiful thriller, and while it does not break many rules, it delivers powerful suspense and equally powerful twists.

Where and How to Watch the Show

Like Harlan Coben's series, The Missing has also slipped into the list of thriller series on Netflix, but unfortunately, it's not available on the streaming service for American users, as it was released in the US on Starz. All in all, there are several options.

Stream

For example, you can stream through the Starz standalone app — a Starz subscription costs $9.99 per month ($2.99 for the first three months). You can also stream Starz programming on other platforms, including Prime Video and The Roku Channel. In the case of Prime, you'll also need a subscription, which costs $14.99 per month, but the service also offers a free 30-day trial.

Buy

Of course, The Missing is also available on most major platforms, including Prime, Vudu, Apple TV and Google Play. On Amazon's service, you'll have to pay $2.99 for an episode of the first season in HD quality, and $6.79 for the entire season. The entire second season is slightly more expensive at $6.99.

VPN

And, of course, you should never discount the possibility of using VPN services to watch the movies and shows on your favorite streaming platforms, including Netflix. In this case, you will have to turn to the UK version of the service.