The true crime series, “Missing: Dead or Alive?” has made its streaming debut today on Netflix. The series delves into the investigations of the Richland County Missing Persons Unit, who work on cases involving missing individuals.
Each episode of the show features a different person who has disappeared without a trace, and explores the events surrounding their vanishing. These are real-life cases, and the show provides a detailed look at the efforts to locate these missing persons.
The series comprises of four episodes, with varying durations ranging from over an hour for the first episode to around 30 minutes for the third episode. Viewers can expect to see police officers taking viewers through the various stages of the investigations, providing detailed accounts of the cases.
In the initial episode, we delve into the disappearance of a 61-year-old woman who has been missing for two months. The woman’s ex-daughter-in-law reported her missing, and the circumstances surrounding her vanishing are highly dubious.
In the second episode, we continue with the same case to bring it to a conclusion before transitioning to another case involving a mother and her 10-year-old child who have gone missing. This time, it’s a kidnapping that is linked to a dispute over custody.
In episode three, after concluding the events of the previous episode, the focus shifts to a tale involving a man who has gone missing. The individual in question is a lottery winner who disappeared while on his way to claim his prize.
The fourth and last episode also follows the same pattern as the previous ones, offering some closure to the previous case before embarking on a final investigation. This last inquiry revolves around a 17-year-old who hasn’t come back home after going to the movies.
The Missing Persons Unit members, who have extensive experience in challenging and extraordinary cases, are the focus of the series. Although the series revolves around missing individuals, it also delves into the officers’ motivations for doing their job.
These officers develop a profound attachment to their work, having witnessed some truly horrific situations over the years, and they understand that many missing people do not have happy endings, frequently due to their close relationships. As Officer Vicki Rains mentions in Episode One, “I’ve witnessed families do the worst things to each other.”
Missing: Dead or Alive? explores the impact of these investigations on the officers who tirelessly seek missing persons. Each new case brings with it the possibility of heartbreak, and the officers must take this potential outcome into account in their day-to-day lives.
It’s worth noting that the focus of this series is on disappearances rather than murder cases (although the first episode may suggest otherwise), with a goal of providing positive outcomes whenever possible. The officers featured in the show strive to safely locate all missing persons, creating a sense of optimism for each investigation and leaving room for a range of possible outcomes.
That being said, Missing: Dead or Alive? also incorporates a darker element to add to the suspense and tension. While some moments of tension may ebb and flow throughout the series, and not all cases are equally compelling, overall the show maintains a consistent tone and approach.
The show Missing: Dead or Alive? is captivating and will appeal to fans of true crime and police investigation reality shows. The first episode hooks viewers quickly, and it’s easy to stay engaged with the series until the end.
Although it’s not the most powerful true crime series and loses momentum halfway through, the show’s approach to examining the cases is intriguing, and highlighting the officers involved adds a necessary emotional element to the series. This feature carries the show from start to finish, making it a decent watch overall.
