Missing You scores lower on Rotten Tomatoes than Harlan Coben's Fool Me Once, despite topping Netflix charts 

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s opinions on Missing You and Fool Me Once.

Since Missing You hit Netflix, people have had all sorts of reactions to it. It's based on a book by Harlan Coben that came out in 2014, and Sean Spencer directed the show. It's about a detective named Kat Donovan who's trying to solve some mysteries related to her ex-fiancé and her dad's murder that's still unsolved. For a while, Missing You was popular and was at the top of Netflix's charts.

But when it comes to critics, it didn't do as well. It only got 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is lower than Fool Me Once's 71%. Fool Me Once is another show based on one of Coben's books, and it came out in early 2024. People couldn't stop watching it because the actors were amazing and there were so many twists one never saw coming and it got over 100 million views worldwide.

Missing You, on the flip side, faced some criticism for having a story that didn't quite hit the mark evenly and characters that didn't get enough depth. It's doing worse than Fool Me Once when you look at what people are saying and the ratings it's getting. This makes some folks wonder if Netflix's plan to adapt more of Harlan Coben's books keeps going strong.

But, even with these issues in Missing You, fans who love Coben's work are still excited and can't wait for Caught to come out in 2025. They're hoping it'll bring back the good name of his adaptations.

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What led to Missing You’s critical downfall?

Missing You had a lot to live up to, thanks to the hype from successful Harlan Coben adaptations that came before it. But, as soon as it hit the scene, the initial buzz took a bit of a nosedive. Turns out, some critics from RogerEbert.com—they weren't exactly singing its praises.

In fact, they pointed out some big issues with Missing You and called it a:

"Repetitive drama that loses sight of its original premise."

Some have been saying that the show Missing You could've had more depth to its characters, especially when you look at how well Rosalind Eleazar played Kat Donovan. But it seems like they got a bit too carried away with all those plot twists, which watered down the feelings we were supposed to have for the characters.

Whereas Fool Me Once is sitting pretty with better numbers on Rotten Tomatoes, scoring 50% with the critics and a sad 31% with the viewers. What made Fool Me Once more of a hit? It had good acting from Michelle Keegan and Richard Armitage, and people could connect with their characters' stories.

Plus, the script played out tight and The Mirror UK agreed. Missing You stuck close to the book, which some fans liked, but others thought it didn't work as well on screen. It didn't quite capture the subtleties of the book, and that's not ideal when you're trying to tell a story that's supposed to be nuanced.

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The legacy of Fool Me Once is a tough act to follow

Fool Me Once, which hit Netflix on New Year's Day in 2024, turned out to be a binge-worthy hit, with more than 100 million people tuning in from all over the world. The Manchester Evening News agreed to the hype too. They said that Michelle Keegan, playing the part of Maya Stern, brought weight to the show. Her acting made everything shine brighter, and she had quite the chemistry with Armitage.

This show hits the spot with the way it combines nail-biting tension and relationships that feel like they could be happening to people you know, which is what Harlan Coben is famous for in his books. It's got a solid 71% on Rotten Tomatoes, and regular viewers seem to think it's good too. But Missing You had a harder time keeping up with that high standard.

When you look at the big picture, the difference between these two series shows just how tough it can be to keep things interesting when you're part of a big franchise. Since Missing You is the ninth time Netflix has turned one of Harlan Coben's books into a show, people were expecting it to be just as amazing as the ones before, but it just couldn't quite pull it off.

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Which Harlan Coben adaptation is coming to Netflix next?

After the lukewarm reception of Missing You, Netflix is looking ahead to its next Harlan Coben adaptation, Caught. They announced it back in March of 2024. This one is based on his book from 2010 and will have a Spanish-speaking cast with stars like Soledad Villamil and Alberto Ammann.

The show's going to be about a journalist on a quest to find a missing girl down in Patagonia, Argentina. To keep things real, Coben's own company, Final Twist Productions, is staying in the loop through the whole thing. They're filming it in Argentina too, which should make for some authentic scenes.

DigitalSpy says Caught is a big change from other adaptations of Coben's work. It's not just the words they're using that are different, but the whole feel of the story and where it's set is new. Fans are looking forward to this because they're hoping it'll breathe some fresh life into the story and give us the drama and heart-tugging moments that Coben is known for.

Now that Coben has a deal with Netflix and five more of his books are lined up to be turned into shows, a lot is riding on this one to keep things going strong. People are eager to see if Caught can win back any viewers who might have lost faith in the adaptations.

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If you want to check out Missing You and Fool Me Once, find them on Netflix.