2006, vacation time. The British Hughes family travels to France with their son Oliver to relax. Unfortunately while underway they run into car trouble and are forced to sleep in the village Chalons du Bois. To make sure they are still having fun father Tony (James Nesbitt) takes his son swimming. It is during the world championships football and therefore it is extremely busy. When Tony goes for a drink with his son, the worst thing that a parent can experience happens: In a few seconds he loses sight of Tony and can’t find him anymore. In a panic, he starts searching, but does so in vain.
Of course has a great Amber-alert like system to find missing children and soon both Tony and his wife Emily (Frances O’Connor) are quickly pulled into the spotlight by the media. Unfortunately that attention doesn’t lead to finding their son. The thing which makes The Missing so unique is that this show doesn’t only tell the storyline from 2006, but also what happens eight years later in 2014. Because of this, you as a viewer already know that Oliver still has not been found. You’d might think this means there is no suspense, but that is not the case. Tony still hasn’t given up though and follows the smallest clues in the hope that he’ll still be able to find his son. It’s not appreciated by the local police as Tony’s obsession means a lot of discomfort for others, who try to leave the past behind them.
Still, former detective Julien Baptiste (Tchéky Karyo) sees a reason to to go and see Tony and possibly reopen the case, although they don’t know if they will ever be able to solve the disappearance. As The Missing only consists of eight episodes and is about two different storylines set during different times there is not a moment to relax. The way those two are intertwined is very well done, slowly feeding the viewer more information about what happened in 2006 and how that has shaped the 2014 versions of Tony and Emily.
This is a show where each character has depth and a motivation to do certain things which are often hidden to others. The heart of the show however are Tony and Emily, with the main focus on Tony who is convincingly portrayed by James Nesbitt. He plays him like a man who can’t let go of the past and shows his frustration in various ways, hoping it will bring back his son. Emily is played by Frances O’Connor as a woman going through various emotions, sometimes blaming her husband, trying to put the past behind her, but also still secretly hoping the moment will come where she can hold her child again.
The Missing manages to thrill from beginning to end. Its story is complex and very emtional and you’ll constantly be hoping that these parents will find their son again. It’s easy to imagine to lose your son/daughter during a small moment when you are not paying attention. Thanks to the amazing acting and the strong script The Missing is a short, but a very powerful series to finish in a couple of nights.
