Vanished Review: A Desperately Daft Mystery Caper That Even Kaley Cuoco Can't Salvage
Brace yourselves for a whirlwind of overstuffed nonsense, as Vanished delivers three hours of convoluted storytelling split into four 45-minute episodes. This Prime Video series stars Kaley Cuoco, renowned for her role in The Big Bang Theory from 2007 to 2019 and her more recent success in The Flight Attendant. In that earlier hit, Cuoco portrayed an ordinary, albeit functionally alcoholic, stewardess thrust into a web of mystery and danger, showcasing unexpected courage and resourcefulness.
A Pale Imitation of Past Success
In Vanished, Cuoco takes on the role of Alice, an ordinary archaeologist without the alcoholic tendencies, who finds herself in a similarly precarious situation. She becomes entangled in an ever-deepening mystery and faces mortal peril, relying on her wits to stay ahead of adversaries. The plot feels woefully formulaic, lacking the comedic infusion and layered backstories that made The Flight Attendant a standout. Cuoco does her best with limited material, but the script offers little to work with, reducing the narrative to a series of predictable twists.
Alice has maintained a long-distance relationship with Tom, played by Sam Claflin, for four years. Tom is a handsome medic she met under dramatic circumstances, and their romance has been sustained through sporadic hotel meetings across the globe. When Alice is offered a lecturing position at Princeton, prompting thoughts of settling down, Tom hesitates but eventually agrees. To celebrate, he books a luxury hotel stay in Marseille, but disaster strikes when Tom vanishes from the train en route.
Weak Plotting and Underutilized Talent
The investigation into Tom's disappearance is hampered by unconcerned authorities, including a ticket inspector and police inspector Monsieur Drax, who dismiss Alice's concerns. Helene, an investigative reporter played by Karin Viard, assists Alice, but the performance feels oddly disconnected. As Alice delves into Tom's past, she uncovers suspicious hotel bills, phone records, and photos linking him to another woman, leading to encounters with former colleagues and dangerous chases.
Sam Claflin is virtually banished from the screen for most of the series, appearing only in dull flashbacks that fail to capitalize on his talent, such as his role in Daisy Jones and the Six. The show's plotting is so lackluster that it might as well use laminated cards to outline scenarios, offering minimal viewer investment. Despite Cuoco's efforts to inject life into her character, the overall experience feels shallow and uninspired.
Final Verdict: A Slight Distraction at Best
Vanished is slight and daft enough to serve as a mindless distraction after a bad day, but it falls short of delivering engaging entertainment. The series lacks tension, unpredictability, and depth, making it a pale imitation of better mystery capers. Fans of Kaley Cuoco and Sam Claflin will hope for stronger projects in the future, as this offering does little to showcase their abilities. Currently streaming on Prime Video, Vanished is best approached with low expectations.
