Film Reviews & Movie Analysis

Nothing says Happy New Year like a new Harlan Coben and Netflix team up. Missing You, is the latest adaptation of the bestselling author’s twist-filled thrillers. If you’re a fan of gripping mysteries laced with family secrets, long-buried betrayals, and high-stakes drama, this five-part series might be your next binge-watch.

The pilot episode, Every Breath You Take, introduces us to Detective Inspector Kat Donovan (Rosalind Eleazar), an officer in Westbridge’s Missing Persons unit. Despite her professional success, Kat is haunted by two major mysteries—the unsolved murder of her father and the sudden disappearance of her fiancé, Josh (Ashley Walters), 11 years ago. When she unexpectedly stumbles across Josh’s profile on a dating app, old questions resurface and in a pursuit of the truth, Kat finds herself pulled into a tangled web of secrets.

Looking at character, Kat is an instantly compelling protagonist—smart, badass, and refreshingly well-rounded. Unlike the brooding, workaholic detectives we often see depicted on screen, Kat has a work-life balance. Granted it’s not particularly fulfilling as she still mourns her lost love Josh, but girl – points for trying.

The pilot episode sets up several intriguing plot lines, including:

• The mystery of Josh’s disappearance – Why did he leave without a trace, and why is he suddenly back?
• The truth about Kat’s father’s murder – Monty Leburne (Mark Warren) may be in prison for the crime, but his latest confession gives Kat more questions than answers.
• The missing person case of Rishi Magari – Who is this Rishi (Rudi Dharmalingam), and how is he connected to Kat or a bigger serial arc?

Will the pilot episode convince you watch the entire series?

If you want to hear a full breakdown of the pilot for Missing You, check out The Pilot Principle, where I dive even deeper into the first episode’s strengths, weaknesses, and series expectations.