Harlan Coben‘s eagerly awaited new series ‘Missing You’ has arrived on Netflix, but it hasn’t been without its criticisms. The show, which debuted on New Year’s Day, centres around Katy Donovan, who discovers her former partner on a dating app, despite not having seen him for a decade.
Following the massive success of ‘Fool Me Once’, which starred Michelle Keegan, ‘Missing You’ boasts a glittering cast including Ashley Walters from ‘Top Boy’s, Jessica Plummer from ‘EastEnders’, Rosalind Eleazar, Richard Armitage, and Lisa Faulkner.
Critics have lauded the ensemble, yet there’s been a lukewarm response to the lead actors’ chemistry. Nick Hilton from The Independent was unimpressed, awarding the series a mere two stars.
He commented: “Of course, nobody, at this point, watches a Harlan Coben adaptation for the gripping interpersonal chemistry. This is television for the shattered attention span.
“Every few minutes there’s a new twist to trigger the dopamine receptors in your brain and try to keep you from doom scrolling on Instagram for another few minutes, until the next twist.”
He added: “There’s a sort of intellectual dishonesty to basing so much of your narrative on faulty information, but viewers won’t care so long as the cliffhangers and gasp-inducing revelations keep coming. It’s not subtle, but it is effective.”
The Standard’s Hayley Spencer has branded it the ideal series to kick back with post-New Year celebrations. She said: “So as long as you’re not expecting small screen mastery, or indeed the performance of year (it is the first of January after all) then do go forth and gobble up this latest Coben drama.”
“It will fill the void on this final languid sofa day of the festive season. And give you plenty of opportunities for some second screen-time alongside watching – this is not drama that needs your undivided attention.”
The show has only been available for a few days in 2025, but viewers are already deeply engrossed. One fan tweeted, “New Year, same me. Starting the day with a Netflix binge I think. See what #MissingYou has to offer.”
Another shared their thoughts: “Currently watching @HarlanCoben #MissingYou on Netflix … so far so good :D.” Meanwhile, a third expressed excitement: “Started this 2025 series and it is looking good already #Netflix #Missingyou.”
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