The Stolen Lady would not waste any time grabbing your consideration and holding you enchanted underneath its artful spell. The tense five-episode miniseries is on par with a few of the finest tv thrillers of the final decade, and a sure-fire go-to for anyone who appreciated Kate Winslet’s slow-burning story, Mare of Easttown, Netflix’s Pricey Youngster, and even Alert: Lacking Individuals Unit.
The story chronicles how one seemingly atypical determination can flip a guardian’s world fully the other way up. Flight attendant Elisa Blix (Denise Gough of Andor and The Witcher 3 in a standout efficiency) agrees to permit her nine-year-old daughter Lucia (Beatrice Cohen) to have an in a single day playdate along with her new finest good friend Josie (Robyn Betteridge). Josie’s mom, Rebecca (Holliday Grainger), is cordial and charming, and lives in a fab trendy dwelling, and my, do not the 2 younger ladies look cute in fairy costumes. “If there’s any drawback, it doesn’t matter what time, name me,” Elisa tells Rebecca earlier than leaving the home. Rebecca smiles. “She’ll be superb.”
Really, she will not. In swift style, the story takes off. The next day, Elisa and dashing hubby Fred (Jim Sturgess of Combine Tape) are in panic mode once they do not hear again from their daughter or Rebecca. A fast jaunt to Rebecca’s home invokes dread. “Nobody lives right here,” says the cleansing lady who opens the door. It is the primary of many WTF moments Rebecca and Fred endure on this compelling and splendidly crafted caper that hooks you in and thrills you each step of the best way.
Intriguing Premise Meets Slick Storytelling
The Stolen Lady
4.5
/5
- Launch Date
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April 16, 2025
- Community
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Disney+
- Writers
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Catherine Moulton
- Glorious episodic tv that builds pressure because it unravels massive twists.
- Robust performances all through, particularly from Denise Gough.
- The uncommon adaptation that takes time to showcase and develop its characters with out sacrificing momentum.
The Stolen Lady was created by Catherine Moulton and Eva Husson from an adaptation of Alex Dahl’s novel, Playdate. Nicola Shindler of Blissful Valley fame is the manager producer. It is a strong adaptation from starting to finish, and audiences will recognize its massive twists, time jumps, and powerful performances.
Early on in Episode 1, the Blixes are dragged by means of a media blitz and police procedures. Detective Inspector Shona Sinclair (Bronagh Waugh) offers empathy but additionally a extra sobering take a look at who Rebecca may very well be. In spite of everything, why would this mom kidnap a toddler? There is a backstory to that, and it is best to find it for your self. The revelations fracture Elisa and lawyer hubby Fred’s seemingly tight bond. It is round this level that Denise Gough begins to command the display, delivering a powerhouse efficiency as a distraught mom and spouse whose world has simply imploded.
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“By some means I at all times find yourself changing into the unhealthy guardian, do not I?” Fred moans at one level when issues change into tense. Elisa sighs deeply. She’s had sufficient at this level, having already instructed the person: “I actually need you not to have random telephone intercourse with some random lady you met on the f***ing web.” Issues get all too actual. Luckily, the script by no means sours, and the creators keep dedicated to character improvement, backstory, and illuminating all of the strengths, quirks, and flaws of its characters throughout.
Excellent Pacing and Sophisticated Characters
“The individuals who took Lucia deliberate it meticulously,” Detective Inspector Sinclair tells the Blixes in one of many early episodes. “Now we have little to go on.” The viewers, nonetheless, will get clued in. We study extra about Elisa and Fred, who’ve a younger boy, Georgie, and stern glares of disapproval from Elisa’s mom. Flashbacks give us a take a look at the place Lucia is — hidden in a trunk, for example — however the miniseries does seize glimpses of sure issues that occurred after Elisa left Rebecca’s home.
When Elisa finds a notice that the kidnapper (or kidnappers) are demanding cash for Lucia, the Blix’s are prepared at hand over the money, however investigators warn them of any hasty strikes with the “ransom letter.” In the meantime, search for Ambika Mod to make a dent right here as Selma, an enthusiastic if not pushy reporter who needs to unravel the case. It is also refreshing that even with the frenzied tempo of the miniseries, it nonetheless manages to take time to showcase the lives of those characters, making them extra relatable and the story that rather more plausible.
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The Plot Thickens… And Thickens
With every passing episode, new particulars and massive reveals emerge, most of them sending Elisa right into a spiral. (Her backstory turns into a wild card, in truth.) Clearly, the “excellent” life she had been residing was all a sham. Search for how properly the creators successfully permit this all to unfold, step-by-step, thereby making each episode really feel ingenious and suspenseful.
Because the story leads us to a Europe-wide manhunt for Lucia, these episodes flip into real nail-biters. Backside line: The Stolen Lady stands out as a result of it by no means dumbs down the plot. It is sensible, slick, taught, and totally entertaining. Queue it up. This one’s a winner. The Stolen Lady launches solely on April 16, 2025, on Disney+ worldwide. Within the U.S., Freeform will roll out episodes weekly at 10:00 p.m. EST starting April 16, 2025, and episodes can be accessible to stream the following day on Hulu.
Watch on Hulu