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Missing

2009–2010Ended2 seasons15 episodes~45 min/epMidcredits score: 29th percentile of all shows

DS Mary Jane Croft runs the under-resourced Missing Persons Unit.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Missing?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Missing streaming on Acorn TV via Apple TV.

Subscription

via Apple TV

Reception

Is Missing worth watching?

Missing's Midcredits score is the 29th percentile of all shows, from 391 ratings across 2 sources. 66% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

29th percentile

Better received than 29% of shows

24th percentile among Drama25th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)19th
Approval (how many liked it)42nd

Acclaim

Mixed: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

63 /100

19th percentile of all shows

15th percentile among Drama18th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

Big peaks at both ends — people either love this or bounce off it hard.

Approval

How many liked it

66% liked it

42nd percentile of all shows

35th percentile among Drama37th percentile among 2000s
66% rated it 7–1034% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

29th percentile

390 ratings across platforms

17th percentile among Drama21st percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 22% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A simple, undemanding British police procedural with lightweight cases and self-contained episodes.

Fans praised

  • Light, easy-to-watch comfort TV
  • Good cast with well-known British actors
  • Self-contained episodes with uncomplicated plots

Detractors panned

  • Dreary, poorly written characters lacking depth
  • Unrealistic police procedures and absurd dialogue
  • Melodramatic soap-opera tone with clichés

What stands out

PacingDivisive60

Half-hour episodes, leisurely but not exciting

ActingDivisive55

Mixed: some praise familiar faces, others call overacting and wooden performances

Plot and storyDivisive35

Simple, uncomplicated cases resolved too neatly; lack of suspense

Emotional impactDivisive30

Fail to draw in; lacking stakes and catharsis

CharactersDivisive25

Dreary, unlikable leads; grating supporting characters like Danny

DialogueDivisive25

Awkward, unnatural scripting with clichés

OriginalityDivisive25

Tired clichés and formulaic police procedural tropes

TensionDivisive20

No real suspense or thrills

Episodes

2 seasons

Series 2 · 2010 · 10 episodes

  • S2E1
    S2E1

    Series 2, Episode 1

    Mar 15, 201045 min
  • S2E2
    S2E2

    Series 2, Episode 2

    Mar 16, 201045 min
  • S2E3
    S2E3

    Series 2, Episode 3

    Mar 17, 201045 min
  • S2E4
    S2E4

    Series 2, Episode 4

    Mar 18, 201045 min
  • S2E5
    S2E5

    Series 2, Episode 5

    Mar 19, 201045 min
  • S2E6
    S2E6

    Series 2, Episode 6

    Mar 22, 201045 min

Watch experience

What is Missing like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, light and charged — an even-paced watch that leaves you cozy.

Setting

  • Contemporary
  • Realistic
  • Urban
  • Institutional

Feelings

  • Tense
  • Contemplative
  • Hopeful

Story

  • Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.

What it asks of you

  • Even-paced
  • Engaged
  • Heavy
  • Resolved

Themes

  • Family bonds
  • Hope
  • Duty

Style

  • Warm
  • Tender

How it leaves you

  • Cozy
  • Hopeful
ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Heaviest: throughout
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Case of the week plus an arcNew arc each season
ToneThe series treats its cases and characters with gentle seriousness, never undercutting the drama, and aims for a comforting rather than challenging tone.
The rideThe investigative tension and emotional weight of each case remain steady across the series, with occasional moments of hope.
StructureEpisodes follow a conventional beginning (case introduced), middle (investigation), and end (resolution), with no structural experimentation.
Episode formatEach episode focuses on a specific missing-person case, with an underlying serialized arc (likely character-driven) running across the season.
Season formatEach season likely features a new overarching mystery or character arc while the unit continues its work.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Why it leaves you this wayThe show leaves a comforting, low-stakes feeling, with the emotional resolution of the central arc offering gentle hope.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8% (this title): Puzzle 1% (this title) · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Mystery: A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered. · Puzzle: A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).

8% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeEach episode presents a missing person case that the unit must solve, following a clue-by-clue investigation that concludes when the mystery is resolved.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% (this title) · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11% (this title): Justice 14% · Duty 2% (this title) · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5% (this title): Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% (this title) · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsHope · 4% of showsDuty · 2% of shows
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores the emotional toll of missing-person cases on families and the detectives duty-bound to find them, with hope as a driving force.
StanceThe series observes the emotional and procedural reality of missing-person investigations without romanticising or condemning the system.

The world

Orchestral classicalAmbientSupportive music · original score
SettingA busy Missing Persons Unit in a UK city, likely London, with detectives balancing office work and fieldwork.
MusicLikely a subtle, ambient score to underscore the serious tone.

Cast and crew

Who is in Missing?

Cast

Pauline Quirke
as DS Mary Jane Croft
Felix Scott
as DC Jason Doyle
Pooja Shah
as Amy Garnett
Mark Wingett
as Danny Hayworth
Adjoa Andoh
as DCI Lauren Ford
Helen Baker
as Ellen Croft
Roy Hudd
as Jack Croft
Jamie Belman
as DC Josh Kemplin
Paul Albertson
as Damon Clitheroe
Franc Ashman
as Jan Morgan

Crew

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What other shows share a tag with Missing?

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