Watch the trailer for Safe below.

I love to bingewatch new Netflix shows completely blind, and that’s exactly what happened with the platform newest’s offering: Safe. It’s not groundbreaking TV by any means, but it’s definitely worth your time.

A Safe Premise

A co-production between Canal+ and Netflix, Safe was created by famed crime author Harlan Coben, and focuses on a surgeon whose daughter goes missing one eventful night. I won’t reveal anymore, because the beauty of the shows lies in the layers of intrigue that keep piling up into one crazy web of suspicion. Of course we’ve all seen the missing child trope countless times before, but Safe has enough tricks up its sleeve to keep things fresh and addictive. I wasn’t too impressed upon starting the pilot, but found myself completely hooked by the end of its bombshell cliffhanger. Naturally, I bingewatched the rest of the season (it’s 8 episodes in total) pretty quickly. The momentum is constant, and there’s never a dull moment. Bravo!

A Safe Cast

As the show’s lead, Michael C. Hall (yup, Dexter himself) makes for a strong-willed protagonist. His English accent can be a bit distracting, but you feel for his plight and are invested in his story from the start. Even more impressive is Amanda Abbington as Detective Sophie Mason. I’d never seen the actress before but she’s incredible in Safe; her cop role is far from cliché, and the show’s scripts give her a whole lot of meaty material to chew on. I’d love to see Abbington headline her own kickass show in the future.

It’s also worth noting that Safe has a diverse teenage cast, and they’re all perfectly cast. Far too many shows paint their teenage lineup as spoiled stereotypical brats, but the youngsters here are all multi-dimensional and intriguing to watch. That’s a definite win in my book!

A Safe Bet

I do wish Safe took more risks. In this golden age of television, you have to bring out the big guns if you really want to stand out. The most powerful series of the past year haven’t been afraid to really go there with their storytelling (check out my reviews of The Handmaid’s Tale and its anxiety-inducing storytelling, or my take on The Sinner‘s intense insights). The dialogue doesn’t exactly stand out and the premise is not particularly unique, so Safe could have been even more impactful if it was a bit more bold (thankfully the ending is shockingly good. No spoilers here).

Also, how much did Audi pay for its product placement? Because Hall’s car is practically the star of the show!

Conclusion

It might not be cutting-edge TV, but Safe is worth watching thanks to fine performances and addictive plotting.

Nad Rating
B+