When a teenager goes missing, her worried father and his best friend work to find her. “Safe” is that simple on the surface and all the more complicated underneath. Dr. Tom Delaney (Michael C. Hall) lost his wife to cancer a year ago. Now a single father, he is not-so-secretly hooking up with his neighbor, Sophie (Amanda Abbington). Sophie also happens to be Tom’s wife's best friend since their school days, as well as the Detective Sergeant of the local PD. If you love tangled webs, “Safe” is the show for you.
When Tom's distraught daughter Jenny (Amy James-Kelly) disappears after attending a party in their posh gated community, Tom begins a feverish search for her. He knocks on every door he can think of and uncovers quite a few of his neighbors’ secrets in the process. You want Tom to find Jenny, but her behavior warrants a strong talking to and admonishment. Something you know she will never receive if she is found.
In truth, it is the supporting mysteries that steal the spotlight away from the one involving Tom's petulant daughter. The mystery of new detective Emma Castle (Hannah Arterton) and her connection to Tom's friend Pete (Marc Warren) is intriguing. Tom’s friend and colleague is a likable guy, which makes that mystery even more curious. As is the foreboding goings on of the Chahal family and the antics of the Marshall family, led by patriarch JoJo.
Told in seven evenly-paced episodes, “Safe” avoids meandering. It has a lot of questions and no time to waste in between answering them. The performances of the ensemble are all intense and satisfying. Michael C. Hall gives an impressive turn as Tom, while also pulling off a very believable British accent.
It's not all on Hall's shoulders though. The supporting cast helps ground the series, taking it to another level. In a rarity for such a vast ensemble, there are no weak links. Joplin Sibtain gives an incredible and wide-ranging turn as the Chahal’s patriarch, Neil. And Audrey Fleurot is heartrending as Neil's wife, Zoé. The couple's story also boasts a rare relationship arc that makes it especially memorable.
While “Victoria” actor Nigel Lindsay provides some much-needed comedic relief with his standout performance as JoJo Marshall. And Laila Rouass and Amy-Leigh Hickman are equally entertaining as his wife Lauren, and scheming daughter Sia, respectively. The Marshalls are a lot of fun to watch and when “Safe” has to eventually shift its focus away from them, it loses something very special.
“Safe” has an involving premise, complicated characters, and an excellent ensemble. Perfectly suited to Netflix's binge-watching audience, they will have to let it satiate them. “Safe” is a one-off miniseries that ticks off all its boxes before calling it a day and for that reason, viewers can walk away completely satisfied by a job well done.
"Safe" is currently streaming on Netflix.Rating: 7.5/10
[Featured Image by Netflix/Canal+]
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