Missing

EDIT: Currently the rating of the show is 6.5/10. At the time when I wrote the review it was 3.4/10.

I am sorry. IMDb must change their rating system. Fact. It is just impossible for me to believe that this is the actual rating of such a well acted and well filmed action TV-show.

At the time when I am writing this review the show's rating here is 3.4/10.

This review is based on the pilot. Naturally, I am not going rate the entire show. That is why you don't see the eight stars I would give the first episode above my review. However...

The pilot itself is actually very good. Yes, you probably know it is way too similar to one very famous and extremely great action movie with Liam Neeson as the main character.

But...

So WHAT? First, there was going to be a TV-show based on 'Taken'. Sadly, it didn't happen. Instead we will see a sequel directed by one of the worst directors in the history of the action movie genre - the guy who did 'The Transporter 3'.

I wouldn't be surprised if the script written for that TV-show was what "Missing" was based on.

However this time we have Ashley Judd in the leading role. Well, she is not Liam Neeson :) However she is very convincing when it comes to acting and especially when it comes to action sequences. She is actually the most convincing female fighter I have ever seen in a TV-show, and, frankly, I am glad the creators of the show chose more realistic approach to the fights. We jave had enough of "Xena: The Warrior Princess" types of women fighting.

The writing is actually very good. I was surprised how well was the relationship between the mother and her son described, especially considering the fact that they didn't have much time to spend on it, and it is not only that, there is a lot more.

The direction is good too.

Overall a promising pilot. Its' only real flaw is the lack of originality.

But - let's be honest - a show doesn't need originality to be good.

Ashley Judd did an incredible job as an agent/mother looking for her child. The show was well written, exciting and left you wanting more. ABC needs to rethink not renewing for next season;everyone I know who watched the show loved it..... Great Job Ashley Judd...... I can see how the show can spend off this first pilot show in many directions. One being the agency could began by using Ashley aka Rebecca on special assignments, and now that her son knows of his parents past with his obvious intelligent may even be of some assistance as someone working behind the scene to keep his mother safe. This was one of the most thrilling shows of the spring season and I think that it will be a injustice to the viewers to not have closure with a additional season.

I've seen a lot of reviews here on IMDb regarding this show, and all of them seem to be taking this much too seriously. I did so at first too, but then I stopped and wondered: what am I missing? I was missing the point! Have you ever seen "The Long Kiss Goodnight"? The first 1/2 hour I hated it because I thought it tried to be serious, but then I saw that it was just having fun and making fun of the genre by overdoing everything. It's the same with "Missing" :-) Ashley gets beaten and you see her back is all bruised, but the next day all is forgotten. And she is shot one day, next day? Everything OK! So: Look at it as fun action NOT to be taken seriously, THEN you'll be able to enjoy it.

I wholeheartedly CONCUR with "julesrulesny" assessment of the network's pulling the plug on "Missing". Did you see the 2012 Emmy broadcast? You know...the awards show wherein NONE of the four original networks were NOMINATED for awards for TV Drama?!!

They HAD a good thing in Missing and they BLEW IT. It was severely underestimated and might have been a case of self-fulfilling prophecy. As in, "I think I heard a neighbor of my daughter's who said he didn't like it, so let's pull it off the air".

Whatever...Jimmy Kimmel mentioned the absence of the networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS) nominations, tossing it off as the citizenry "wanting to see boobs" which was underestimating the loathing the people of the U.S. have for the original three. If you want good shows, tune in to AMC, Fox, TNT, USA! Screw the networks who are under the thumbs of censors! I worked in the film business for 30 years and have been watching TV Drama for twice that long and MY assessment? Missing...another show too good for TV.

I'm late to the reviewers here, but if you can catch it streaming or reruns, do so. This was intelligently done, with the excitement of some of the better elements of Homeland. Driven mother determined to fix a wrong. Beautifully produced. Sadly, only 10 episodes when it easily should have been a series. Judd was compelling, convincing, and surrounded by a strong supporting cast. Well acted, well written, well produced.