Netflix viewers don’t have long to watch ‘gripping’ British crime drama

A ‘compelling’ crime thriller that many viewers rushed to binge-watch will only be up on Netflix for two more weeks.

First airing in 2014, The Missing was a British anthology drama written by brothers Harry and Jack Williams.

The first season followed the search for a missing boy in France, with the case led by detective Julien Baptiste, played by Tchéky Karyo.

The story unfolded after Tony Hughes (James Nesbitt) and his wife Emily (Frances O’Connor) travelled to France from the UK with their five-year-old son Oliver (Oliver Hunt).

Set in 2006, the family were in the country during the FIFA World Cup and lost their son while watching a football game in a crowded outdoor bar.

The series then followed them over years as they tried to figure out what happened to their kidnapped child.

With a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the series has many fans.

In its review the New York Times wrote: ‘The Missing is imaginatively written, well cast, chillingly believable and quite addictive.’

‘It is a riveting, heartbreaking, fascinating drama, taking a subject that could easily have been turned into a Lifetime TV Movie melodrama and making it real with its subtle, character-driven grace notes and the breakneck speed of its elaborate plotting,’ Time shared.

‘It’s very good, a swift-moving crime thriller that also takes the time to measure the effects of the crime on Tony and Emily’s marriage, their state of mind, and the lives of the French townspeople who were drawn into the investigation and may be again,’ RogerEbert.com added.

Meanwhile viewers called it ‘captivating’, ‘suspenseful’ and ‘underrated’.

It was then followed by a second season in 2016, which then followed a missing girl in Germany and starred David Morrisey and Keeley Hawes as her parents.

The Missing then led to a spin-off series – Baptiste – being released in 2019.

However, fans wanting to rewatch the show, or those wanting to dive in for the first time, will only be able to do so until April 12 – when the series will be taken down from Netflix.

In an interview with the BBC, the Williams brothers spoke about incorporating the thriller element into the character-driven drama.

‘There’s so much good TV, you need a reason to come back. You need a reason to keep watching. When we write, we really try to think about how to end an episode in a place that makes me want to come back and write the next one,’ Jack said.

‘And you have to do it in a way that isn’t cheap, that’s important to the story, and helpful to moving forward with our characters,’ Harry added.

The Missing is on Netflix until April 12.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

MORE: Forgotten Stephen Graham drama hailed ‘stupendous’ soars up Netflix chart after Adolescence

MORE: Netflix just released 3 episodes of The Traitors rival to binge now

MORE: Adolescence writer blasts false claim Netflix drama is ‘based on true story’