--- title: "The Missing: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/the-missing-2014/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/the-missing-2014" critics_score: 88 critics_reviews: 7 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Missing (2014): what the critics said Critics' score 88 from 7 reviews: 7 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. The reviews are uniformly warm. Most critics single out James Nesbitt’s performance as the father, and several call it hard to watch and mean that as a compliment. The dual-timeline structure draws consistent approval for the way it lets the drama trace grief over years rather than weeks, and the consensus is that the series works as both an emotional drama and an investigation thriller, with the pain of the parents kept in front of the mystery rather than behind it. The spread is narrow. Nobody dismisses it, and the reservations are about familiarity rather than failure. The AV Club finds it too close to other crime dramas of its kind and short on a personality of its own, and IndieWire agrees that it handles well-worn territory without rising above it. Both still think it worth an evening. The remaining critics regard it as unusually strong television and are untroubled by the comparisons. ## The Times — Ed Potton Rating 5/5. 29 October 2014. This is a five-star drama and masterpiece of agony that could be another Broadchurch. The premiere is emotional dynamite, deftly plotted across time frames with intense, unwatchable performances from James Nesbitt as the devastated father. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/europe-travel/france/paris/tv-review-the-missing-life-is-toff-v8nl82dff2z) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 29 October 2014. The eight-part thriller is hauntingly brilliant and very human, focusing on profound loss and pain rather than sentimentality. It excels as both an emotional drama and a gripping investigation thriller, with James Nesbitt's raw portrayal of a father's anguish singled out. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/oct/29/the-missing-james-nesbitt-review) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Tim Goodman Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 13 November 2014. The review describes the series as riveting and haunting, a remarkable piece of television that excels in originality over remakes like Gracepoint. It singles out the emotional stages of grief, the dual timelines, and strong performances for praise. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/missing-tv-review-748786/) ## Variety — Brian Lowry Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 November 2014. The critic calls it Starz’s most compelling program, a twisty dark limited series anchored by James Nesbitt’s intense performance as the tormented father. The time-bending narrative and emotional depth from the grieving parents’ perspective stand out as strengths. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2014/tv/reviews/tv-review-the-missing-1201349716/) ## Vulture — Matt Zoller Seitz Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 14 November 2014. The series is exceptional television that precisely evokes the range of responses to trauma through its time-shifting structure and honest emotional depth, making it one of the year's best TV programs despite being hard to watch. It stands out for its beautiful imagery and refusal to judge any character's response as definitively right or wrong. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2014/11/tv-review-the-missing.html) ## IndieWire — Ben Travers Rating B. 12 November 2014. The series is a compelling mystery built on a parent's relentless search, with a dual-timeline structure that keeps viewers engaged through layered questions and strong emotional pull. It handles familiar territory with grace and is worth watching despite not fully transcending the genre. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/article/review-starzs-the-missing-is-compelling-but-is-it-great-20141112) ## The AV Club — Kate Kulzick Rating B. 13 November 2014. The miniseries blends character introspection with thriller pacing through its dual timelines and strong performances from James Nesbitt and Frances O’Connor, while exploring the long-term effects of trauma on multiple characters. It delivers satisfying momentum and revelations but feels familiar and lacks distinctive personality compared to similar crime dramas. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-missing-blends-character-piece-introspection-with-t-1798181917) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/the-missing-2014.md