Netflix’s 6-Episode Thriller Miniseries Is the Perfect Harlan Coben Replacement

Sometimes mindless entertainment has a negative connotation, but the truth is, it offers a brilliant opportunity to shut your brain off and become completely immersed in a story. It’s why audiences seek out the high-stakes, bingeworthy mysteries Harlan Coben has become known for. Every series starts with a sizzling hook and every episode ends with a cliffhanger to keep you glued to your seat, making his body of work designed for low-friction, popcorn entertainment.

If you enjoy the nonstop twists and turns in Coben’s large catalog, there is a Netflix show with the same DNA, but with the dial turned up. Based on Sarah Pinborough‘s novel, the Steve Lightfoot-created psychological thriller Behind Her Eyes begins as a seemingly ordinary love triangle involving single mother Louise Barnsley (Simona Brown), her boss Dr. David Ferguson (Tom Bateman), and his wife Adele (Eve Hewson). Like Coben’s masterpieces, Behind Her Eyes is a domestic thriller that pushes typical narrative boundaries, and you’ll be eager to watch it again as soon as you finish.

‘Behind Her Eyes’ Goes From Domestic Thriller to Sci-Fi Masterpiece

In Behind Her Eyes, Louise becomes caught in a tense, slightly steamy love triangle, torn between her secret relationship with David and her growing friendship with Adele. As Louise grows closer to them, she begins to question the truth behind David’s controlling nature and Louise’s erratic behavior. After sharing her personal journey, Adele teaches Louise to practice lucid dreaming and astral projection. Through flashbacks, viewers learn about the dangerous dynamic between Adele and Rob Hoyle (Robert Aramayo), a friend from her time in a psychiatric facility.

At its core, Behind Her Eyes is a relationship-driven drama in which Lightfoot establishes four fully rounded characters, each with an ounce of mystery, that keep you fascinated by their actions. Louise is your typical struggling single mother seeking freedom from the past, only to find herself caught in a dangerous situation of her own making. Adele appears as a victim of an abusive relationship, but the deeper her backstory goes, the more it’s clear the Adele of the past is vastly different than the Adele of the present. But what changed? Dave is painted as a potential antagonist, but perception isn’t necessarily reality. Behind Her Eyes rewards keen-eyed viewers who pay close attention.

Behind Her Eyes follows the same formula that has made Coben’s shows streaming hits, relying on a steady stream of twists leading to a wild final act that completely recontextualizes the story. It’s so good, you’ll be eager to go back to the start and see if you can spot any clues. Unlike Coben’s shows, Behind Her Eyes completely breaks genre conventions once it shifts into a supernatural thriller, making it even more surprising.

‘Behind Her Eyes’ Features Tour de Force Performances

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Image via Netflix

Image via Netflix

Image via Netflix

Image via Netflix

Image via Netflix

The brilliance of Behind Her Eyes is that it doesn’t rely on a formulaic trope as its driving force; it lets the central mystery do the heavy lifting as its skilled quartet of actors brings the twisty material to life. At the center of the love triangle, Brown gives warmth, humor, and relatability to Louise that makes her endearing, despite her mistakes. As a woman who suffers from night terrors, Brown conveys visceral terror, yet pushes past the fear to some truly beautifully grounded moments. They’re especially strong in her moments of pure love with her son, Adam (Tyler Howitt). Bateman delivers a compelling performance, bringing constant tension to his scenes. David is emotionally exhausted, but his true depth isn’t unveiled until the flashbacks begin, allowing the show to introduce a subtle manipulation of perspective.

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A far cry from her parts in Bad Sisters and The Perfect Couple, Hewson delivers her most complex role yet, with chilling ambiguity and tactical emotional restraint. Revisiting her performance through a second viewing will make you realize just how sensational it is. Aramayo, meanwhile, becomes a brilliant narrative addition who’s eerily charismatic in all the best ways. Behind Her Eyes is a slick, high-suspense psychological thriller that tosses logic out the window, with a tightly plotted six episodes that will drive you to watch from the beginning to see if you can spot the twists before they happen.

Behind Her Eyes