An Eight-Year-Old Thriller Suddenly Becomes a Global Hit on Netflix

A thriller series from 2017 is getting unexpected attention again. According to streaming tracker FlixPatrol, Absentia has suddenly moved into Netflix’s top three TV shows worldwide, even though the show ended several years ago.

The drama first came out on Amazon Prime Video and AXN, with Stana Katic in the lead role. The series ran for three seasons, with new episodes released between 2017 and 2020, before being cancelled in 2021. Even with its end years behind it, the show is now finding a new audience on Netflix.

Absentia follows FBI agent Emily Byrne, who goes missing while chasing a serial killer. Everyone believes she died, but six years later she’s found alive in a remote cabin. She remembers nothing about what happened to her. When she tries to return to her old life, she discovers everything has changed, including her family. On top of that, she becomes tied to new crimes she doesn’t understand.

Critics had mixed feelings when the show first came out. Rotten Tomatoes reports a 50% score for the first season. The site noted that “Absentia sticks too closely to the procedural handbook, leaving its capable lead and mildly intriguing mystery treading water.” Metacritic also lists average reviews, with a score of 59 from its critics.

Even with that reception, the show’s sudden climb on Netflix shows that audiences today are giving it another chance. Older series sometimes rediscover popularity on streaming, and Absentia seems to be the latest example.