Tag: Richard Armitage

Spoiler-Free Review of “Missing You” on Netflix: A Quick Harlan Coben Mystery to Start off the New Year!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“He’s back…”

Harlan Coben’s Missing You premiered on Netflix on January 1st 2025. The limited mystery thriller series features five episodes available to stream now. It stars Rosalind Eleazar, Jessica Plummer, Richard Armitage, and Ashley Walters. Each episode runs for approximately 44-46 minutes.

Detective Kat Donovan is beyond shocked when she finds her ex-fiance on a dating app…the same ex-fiance who disappeared from her life without a trace eleven years ago after her father was murdered, leading her to re-open the case to find out the truth.

Here is the trailer:

Missing You gives us another layered mystery to wrap our minds around, but does it do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

A captivating core mystery.

We had quite a few stories to entangle in this series, but I thought the core mystery was a solid one. It did just enough to keep me coming back for more and it really kept me guessing. I didn’t see the end coming. Harlan Coben is very talented at shocking his audience with his reveals and this series was no exception.

Images courtesy of Netflix

Short and sweet.

Typically, these series are seven or eight episodes long. It was very easy to binge-watch this one in one day since it was only five episodes. This worked in the show’s favor because I really didn’t need any more unnecessary fluff. It was already jam-packed with a lot so the quick approach was effective overall.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Messy opening episodes.

The first two episodes were all over the place and more confusing than normal. I think the series found its way and redeemed itself with episodes 3-5, but it didn’t start off too strong, which was disappointing. It slightly took away from my overall view of the show, but I still thought there were enough entertaining and shocking moments to keep me invested.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in!

Missing You does just enough to give Harlan Coben fans a compelling mystery to tackle with plenty of unpredictable moments.

This was not my favorite Harlan Coben series by far, but I still enjoyed it and was able to binge-watch it very easily.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Missing You in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Obsession” on Netflix: An Erotic Thriller with a lot of intense staring…

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“I’d love for you both to get to know each other…”

Obsession premiered on Netflix on April 13th 2023. The UK erotic thriller series features four episodes available to stream now. It stars Richard Armitage, Charlie Murphy, and Indira Varma. Each episode runs for approximately 38-42 minutes.

A surgeon’s affair with his son’s fiancée turns into an infatuation with irreversible consequences.

Here is the trailer:

Obsession has a promising premise with a familiar leading man, but does it do enough to set itself from other erotic thrillers that have followed a similar formula? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Obsession 2023 no spoilers

Images courtesy of Netflix

A quick watch.

The limited series only has four episodes, which made it very easy to binge-watch in one sitting. The episodes were on the shorter side as well and the pacing was decent enough. There’s a lot of fluff to sit through, but at least it didn’t drag things out for too long…

Richard Armitage.

He’s the only reason why I tuned into this one and I love him in the Harlan Coben thrillers so I was hoping for the best here, but I’m not sure he got to reach his full potential in this particular series. That being said, his presence alone made this watch a little more bearable.

The Cons:

Obsession 2023 no spoilers 1

Images courtesy of Netflix

Weird/crazy laughable moments…

This series isn’t meant to be a comedy and yet I found myself laughing out loud at some of these manic looks between our two main characters. I get that the series was trying to create an erotic thriller based on the balance of control but this was just too over-the-top.

The series didn’t really have many “thrilling” moments either. Sure, we eventually get to a shocking moment, but by that time I was completely bored out of my skull.

There’s sex galore in this one, but the plot just felt really dry and bland. I just couldn’t get into it, which was disappointing.

So am I in or out?

Obsession 2023 no spoilers 3

Images courtesy of Netflix

Unfortunately I’m out on this one…

Obsession doesn’t take as many risks as it should have with the plot, which made this a disappointing and boring watch overall.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Obsession in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Stay Close” on Netflix: Harlan Coben does it again!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Do they know who you were in your previous life?”

Harlan Coben’s Stay Close premiered on Netflix on December 31st 2021. The mystery thriller series features eight episodes available to stream now. It stars Cush Jumbo, Richard Armitage, James Nesbitt, Sarah Parish and Bethany Antonia. Each episode runs for approximately 42-48 minutes.

As Megan prepares for her upcoming wedding, her dangerous past comes back to haunt her, connecting her to a mysterious murder while threatening her new life and family.

Here is the trailer:

Stay Close follows Harlan Coben’s compelling and addicting formula perfectly, but does this series do enough to keep up with The Stranger and The Innocent? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

An engrossing mystery…

I’ve come to expect this from the Harlan Coben mysteries, but this series is no exception. I was immediately pulled in right from the start and each episode did plenty to bring me back for more. This show was so much fun to binge-watch. It kept me guessing the entire time and did a great job of revealing just enough to keep the audience fully invested.

Images courtesy of Netflix

A final twist I didn’t see coming!

I’ve gotten pretty good at piecing together Harlan Coben mysteries, but there is always one final twist that throws me for a loop and this may be the best twist I have seen so far! I am still in shock over it!

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

A lot to keep track of…

If you’re used to Harlan Coben mysteries, then you already know that there will be plenty of sub-plots to make your head spin, but everything eventually connects in the end. I wouldn’t really say this is a con, but you need to pay attention to everything and even if some characters seem slightly ridiculous, they’ll start to grow on you…

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in 100 percent!!!

Stay Close is a fantastic mystery that will keep you guessing. I loved every second of it! I think it absolutely kept up with The Stranger and The Innocent, but it did something new and different as well! The mystery will keep you coming back for more, but this series has so much going for it and it is beyond worthy of your next watch!

Start the year off with an addicting thriller that will make you binge-watch to your heart’s content!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Stay Close in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe.  Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “The Stranger” on Netflix: A Complex Thriller Worthy of your next Binge-Watch

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“A secret revealed is a secret destroyed.”

The Stranger premiered on Netflix on January 31st 2020 with 8 episodes (40-45 minutes in length).  It stars Richard Armitage, Siobhan Finneran, Anthony Head, Dervla Kirwan, and Hannah John-Kamen.

The show is based on the book of the same name by Harlan Coben.  It is a mystery thriller that follows the lives of several families, as secrets are exposed by a stranger, creating a vortex of lies, murder, and a quest to uncover the truth.

This is not the first crime thriller that Netflix has released, but it’s difficult to deliver some worthy twists without over-complicating things.

If you enjoy movies like The Call, The Girl on the Train, and Gone Girl, this new show will make you feel right at home, but does it do enough to stand out as a worthy thrill ride?  Let’s find out…

The Pros:

The Stranger Netflix 4
Images courtesy of Netflix

The mystery will keep you invested and guessing the entire time.

Adam Price basically has his entire life turned upside down when a stranger approaches him with a shattering secret about his wife.  As we begin to uncover the truth with Adam, you will find yourself on the edge of your seat, which makes the watch entertaining and fast-paced.  Unnecessary set-up does not get in the way, as we dive right into the mystery from the opening minutes of the series.

An amazing cast.

Richard Armitage does a fantastic job with his role, but I was also really impressed by Siobhan Finneran’s portrayal of Johanna Griffin.  Let’s not forget that we also have Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum, Anthony Head playing a supporting role to perfection.  The list goes on and on and every single performance was spot on.

The Cons:

The Stranger Netflix Show 1
Images courtesy of Netflix

Way too many sub-plots.

Yes, this is one of those shows where everything connects.  However, we certainly get a lot thrown our way and some of it seems beyond outrageous.  If you pay attention, a lot of the connections and reveals make sense later on, but some of them are actually never explained, so I’m wondering why we didn’t just focus on the main mystery, which was compelling enough.

It’s easy to get lost in this show and perhaps it is too complex for its own good, but there are enough reasons why you should still watch the show in its entirety anyway.

So am I in or out?

The Stranger Netflix Show 2
Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in 100 percent!  While the show may be unnecessarily complex at times, it is the epitome of the perfect weekend binge-watch.  You can watch all eight episodes in one sitting and you will probably want to because each episode leaves you wanting more, as you try to figure out the mystery going on.

I tend to thoroughly enjoy mystery thrillers with a touch of Lifetime drama thrown in and this show exceeded my expectations.  While this isn’t the best show or thriller I have ever seen, it delivers as a quick and entertaining show you can watch while throwing in some unexpected twists and moments that will keep you guessing.

Keep these coming, Netflix!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Stranger in the comments section below.  Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

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**Do you love television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Once Upon a Time, Lost, Charmed, The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural?  Do you enjoy dark fantasy, fairy-tale retellings, paranormal romance, horror, and mystery?  Then you may like my book series, Dreaming of Wonderland…available on Amazon!  Thank you for taking the time to check it out and I appreciate any feedback as well.  I really hope you enjoy!

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