Now that I've seen the final episode, I find I have mixed feelings about this mini-series. Contrary to some other reviewers, I didn't think it redundant, in spite of some fairly cliché situations, such as the husband cheating on his pregnant wife or his best friend probably being the real baby daddy - I admit I saw both of those coming a mile off.
On the whole, though, the suspense held up for me, in particular the sequence of events in the hospital surrounding the actual kidnapping. Some revelations were also nicely conveyed: the panned shot near the very end of episode 5 was quite jolting. But there were so many threads left hanging throughout. And the bungled police involvement seemed thoroughly unrealistic, especially in the last episode. Quite the continuity problem, too, with which detective is where, now? Also, how do you 'lose' a guy lamming it on a bridge?! With one officer perfectly able to follow on foot but giving up much too soon AND a squad car more than close enough to overcome the runner?
Another difficulty I had was really caring about most of the protagonists: pouty, spoilt Meghan; her blue-eyed, blond-haired, two-timing hubby; hubby's so-called best friend, who took advantage of a distraught young wife; selfish sailor-boy who has to be scolded by mom and dad into 'doing the right thing.' The one character I can say earned my sympathy along the way was poor, unstable Aggie, played achingly well by Laura Carmichael. What a miserable, horrible life she'd had from the outset, with no support, no one in her corner to look out or fight for her. No wonder she came undone.
Ultimately, it was the voice-overs at the very end, especially Meghan's, that made me change my initial rating from 7 or 8 stars to 6½. One, they're totally unnecessary - unless the writers were looking for a follow-up? Even then, it was an awkward way of going about it, because... Two, the sudden shift in perspective jars with the tone of everything that's come before.
Bottom line: I enjoyed the suspense but found the flaws distracting.
On the whole, though, the suspense held up for me, in particular the sequence of events in the hospital surrounding the actual kidnapping. Some revelations were also nicely conveyed: the panned shot near the very end of episode 5 was quite jolting. But there were so many threads left hanging throughout. And the bungled police involvement seemed thoroughly unrealistic, especially in the last episode. Quite the continuity problem, too, with which detective is where, now? Also, how do you 'lose' a guy lamming it on a bridge?! With one officer perfectly able to follow on foot but giving up much too soon AND a squad car more than close enough to overcome the runner?
Another difficulty I had was really caring about most of the protagonists: pouty, spoilt Meghan; her blue-eyed, blond-haired, two-timing hubby; hubby's so-called best friend, who took advantage of a distraught young wife; selfish sailor-boy who has to be scolded by mom and dad into 'doing the right thing.' The one character I can say earned my sympathy along the way was poor, unstable Aggie, played achingly well by Laura Carmichael. What a miserable, horrible life she'd had from the outset, with no support, no one in her corner to look out or fight for her. No wonder she came undone.
Ultimately, it was the voice-overs at the very end, especially Meghan's, that made me change my initial rating from 7 or 8 stars to 6½. One, they're totally unnecessary - unless the writers were looking for a follow-up? Even then, it was an awkward way of going about it, because... Two, the sudden shift in perspective jars with the tone of everything that's come before.
Bottom line: I enjoyed the suspense but found the flaws distracting.