"The Missing" follows Tony, played by James Nesbitt, as a man devastated by the abduction of his young son, Oliver, during a family vacation in France. He becomes a man obsessed, unable to accept that his child may be dead and spends years searching for him. Tony's exhaustive search fractures his marriage to Emily, played by Frances O' Connor and threatens to destroy his life. Tcheky Karyo plays Julien, the French police detective who launched the initial search for the child. Even though he is retired in present day, he too cannot shake the small belief that the child may still be alive. Told using a fascinating narrative puzzle, "The Missing" explores the impact of a child's abduction, the emotional cost of obsession, hope and finding when to let go. This gripping thriller is told simultaneously over multiple time frames and set in France and London. Written by Jiilo_Kim
The Missing isn't going to be to everyone's taste, but if you like suspenseful character driven crime drama then i suggest you give it a try. The premise is simple.. a child is abducted surrounded by mystery, we see the aftermath and we see the obsession of a father who desperately needs closure, the timeline cuts back and forth from the time of the abduction to the present day.. something which is used to great effect to explain how each character got to the point they are now at. Some reviewers have suggested the pacing to be slow, but having watched the first 4 episodes now the pacing for me is well timed, we get some background information, we think we are getting a handle on some of the facts surrounding the case then as the tension builds we are knocked back from the edge of our seats with one swift body blow and our perceptions immediately change. The acting writing and direction for me have been very good. Nesbitt is always watchable. but he portrays Tony's pain and anguish very well indeed it is at times quite literally etched on his face, the supporting cast equally earn their dues. If you want a story that is wrapped up in 40 mins this isn't for you it's all about the journey and the final reveal i am sure will be well worth it.