Netflix has dropped its latest Harlan Coben adaptation, Missing You, on New Year’s Day (Wednesday, January 1). The series arrives hot on the heels of his previous thriller success with Fool Me Once.
Missing You delves into Katy Donovan’s life as she surprisingly encounters her ex-partner Josh on a dating app a decade following his disappearance, according to a Mirror report. The show features Rosalind Eleazar portraying the lead role of Kat, opposite Ashley Walters from Top Boy as the elusive Josh.
The cast also includes Richard Armitage, a Huncote native near Blaby, who takes on the role of DCI Ellis Stagger, marking his fourth project alongside Harlan Coben.
While the performances have been lauded, there’s talk amongst viewers about a lack of spark between Eleazar and Walters, which some feel could hinder the show’s impact. Nick Hilton of The Independent wasn’t completely won over, giving it a modest two-star rating.
Critics say: “Of course, nobody, at this point, watches a Harlan Coben adaptation for the gripping interpersonal chemistry. This is TV 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”, reports Leicestershire Live.
Leicestershire’s Richard Armitage is among the cast of Missing You
(Image: Vishal Sharma/Netflix)
In her scathing critique, Hayley Spencer of The Standard has weighed in on the latest TV drama that’s causing a stir. Noting there’s a “sort of intellectual dishonesty to basing so much of your narrative on faulty information,” she acknowledges viewers are likely to forgive and forget as long as the show delivers its gripping cliffhangers and twists.
It may not be high art but, as Spencer advises, “So as long as you’re not expecting small screen mastery, or indeed the performance of year then do go forth and gobble up this latest Coben drama.”
She even considers it the perfect companion for a lazy post-New Year’s day: “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.”
Yet despite these mediocre reviews, many viewers can’t seem to pull themselves away from their screens. Comments are flowing in as one person plans to start the New Year with what promise: “New Year, same me. Starting the day with a Netflix binge I think. See what Missing You has to offer.”
Another shares an update on their viewing experience: “Currently watching Harlan Coben’s Missing You on Netflix … so far so good.”
Meanwhile, a third viewer eagerly notes: “Started this 2025 series and it is looking good already.”