THE STRANGER

UK, 2020, 8X 50, Colour.

Richard Armitage, Shaun Dooley, Siobhan Finneran, Jacob Dudman, Misha Handley, Jennifer Saunders, Paul Kaye, Dervla Kirwan, Kadiff Kirwan, Anthony Head, Hannah John-Kamen, Stephen Rea.

Directed by Daniel O'Hara, Hannah Quinn.

Harlan Coben is one of the most popular American crime writers. He has been publishing novels since 1991. His novel, Tell No One, was adapted for the screen, the action transferred to France.

In recent years, there have been quite a number of miniseries adaptations of Harlan Coben novels. Interestingly, they have not been made in the United States. Harlan Coben each series himself has acted as one of the executive producers of each series. They are adaptations of stand alone novels although one in production, is an adaptation of one of his Myron Bolitar stories  Stay Close.

Devotees of the novels will have no difficulty in enjoying the series.

This thriller is set in the UK, in a provincial city. The focus is on the anguish of a man whose wife disappears, suggestions of dishonesty despite her reputation as a prominent teacher and imported citizen in the town. Richard Armitage plays the husband, continued anguish (parallel with the hero of The Woods searching for his dead sister, parallel with the father searching for his daughter in Safe).

The plot is full of complications, gradual revelation is of interconnections with characters, a young woman whose mission it is to accost people, getting money so that she will not receive reveal the truth. She is the stranger (Hannah John-Kamen) This leads to a number of subplots – all with a very strong supporting cast.

1. The adaptation of a Harlan Coben novel? British setting? Characters?
2. The effect of the miniseries, the eight episodes, exposition, situations, mystery, plots and subplots, intertwining, suspense, resolution?
3. The setting of the British country city? Location photography, the streets, shops, churches? Police precincts? Homes, school? The countryside at night, during the day? The visit to London? Atmosphere?
4. The main focus on Adam Price, lawyer, marriage to Corrine, his two boys? The happy family? At school, Corinne as the popular teacher? The boys and sport? Their friends?
5. The approach of The Stranger, her story for Adam, the information about Corrine, the fake pregnancies, the documentation, his search on the Internet? The range of material available for fake pregnancies? Confronting Corinne? Admitting the truth? Stating that it was more complicated? Adam and his shock, the clash with Corrine, the text, leaving? The rest of the series with Adam distraught, obsessed with searching for his wife, ends and means? The boys, their attachment to their mother, texting, searching, sad?
6. The scene in the fields, drinking and drugs, youth? Dante fleeing naked? Collapsing? The mystery of the alpaca, decapitated, in the street, the head disappearing? The involvement of the three friends? The drugs? Mike and his hallucination, his killing the alpaca, the return, the head, taking it home, the police pursuit, his being arrested, interrogated, his explanations? Fears for Daisy and for Tom? The meetings, plans, explanations? Daisy’s younger sister and the videos? Her moods? The mother, her work at the school, concerned? Tom deceiving his father?
7. The police, Joanne, detective, expertise, her age, separating from her husband, the reasons, his later appearing, wanting a reconciliation? Her friendship with Heidi? The cafe, the chats, the gift of the cake? Heidi, the cafe, her work and staff, her husband, her daughter? The plans for the 2 to go on holidays? The Stranger and the information, asking for money? Heidi going to see her daughter, their discussion, the revelation about her prostitution? Her return, Patrick Katz and his visit, challenge, shooting her knee, killing her? Joanne, her grief, the investigation?
8. Joanne, Wes as her partner, his style, humorous, eating, supportive, his skills as a detective? And working with Katz on the case? Eventually everything coming together, Katz and his deception on the investigation, destroying the evidence, planting evidence, the revelation about his motivation and concern for his daughter, his wife and the illness, his connection with the financial fraud, being paid? Joanne and the confrontation, his wife, the gun, the police, his arrest, and the manipulation of his being blamed for Corinne’s death?
9. Adam and Killane, the demolition of houses, Killane and his staying, having Adam as his lawyer, the revelation that Adam’s father was in charge of the company? Adam, his visits, getting cut Killane to find the missing women? The information? The buildup to the demolition, Killane and his appeal, Adam’s father and his visits and trying to persuade Killane? The discovery of the body, the revelation of the truth about the murder, Killane and the alienation from his child, his attempted suicide in hospital, the revelation that The Stranger was his daughter, her motivations, discovering that Adam’s father was her father?
10. Doug Tripp, the cheery neighbour, Michael’s father, across the street from the prices, friendship, helping the search, car, stakeouts, at the soccer matches? The phone call with Corinne? The accusations about money stolen from the soccer club? The years that the group and put into it? Bob, the coach, angers, suspicions? Tripp involving him? The caretaker, autistic, noting all the details, helping, liking Corinne? The revelation of his being in the woods with the axe, his grudge against Dante, pursuing him?
11. Dante, taken to hospital, the further investigation, his parents, Joanne’s visits, the friends at the hospital? His recovering, the interview and explanation of what it happened?
12. The Stranger, her approach to Adam, the approach to Heidi and the demands for money, approaching Adam’s father, approaching the father whose son was taking steroids and his violent reaction? Her friend, driving her, the office, their home, the wall and the pictures? Her motivation, revealing secrets, thinking honesty was best? The consequences?
13. Adam, his continued lines pursuit, tracking down the woman, pregnancies and her explanations? The fines, the location spotting, everybody going to the station, the aqueduct, finding Corinne’s phone? The later explanation with Doug Tripp? Adam and his nightmare of Corinne falling from the aqueduct?
14. Olivia, her illness, at the bonfire, her lies, her motivations, her mother, Kaitz’s father? The friends, the discovery of the rubbish and the rat poison? Tom hiding in Kaitz’s car, the revelation about the poison, the effect on Kaitz?
15. Kaitz and his connection with the businessman, the fraud, his being a client of Heidi’s daughter, the setup at the hotel, Kaitz and his intervention and spoiling the Sting?
16. The final revelation, Doug Tripp and the true story, the robbery, Corinne finding out, his asking for more time, the force email to the family, taking Adam into the countryside, the grade, the truth? Adam shooting him? Joanne arriving? The covering of the truth?
17. Adam and The Stranger, the various encounters, the pursuit into the railway yards? Finding her address, the confrontation, Kaitz following him, Adam getting free from the chains, the fight with Kaitz, The Stranger wounded, her partner killed? Her explanation to Adam about her revealing secrets, the secret of her father and their relationship?
18. Six months later, Adam and the boys, learning to live with the situation, giant and her husband? The Stranger and her looking on?