Paramount+'s new psychological thriller Girl Taken holds your hand and pulls you into its eerie madness from the jump. However, somewhere between the sound of shackles, some swoony music and the abduction of the lead character, Girl Taken lets go of said hand and leaves viewers to wonder what happened. What comes next is a sluggish watch.
So why bother with the remaining episodes, you may wonder? Well, as if by some miracle, Girl Taken somehow manages to remain gripping and addictive, in spite of its flaws – thanks, in large, to its cast.
Based on Hollie Overton's novel Baby Doll, the six-part series is centred around Tallulah Evans' 17-year-old Lily, a student who is abducted by her school teacher Rick Hanson (Alfie Allen).
Allen and Evans have a creepy kind of chemistry, necessary to sell a story like this. The unbearably sinister energy between the pair drives the story, and your need as a viewer, to see justice prevail.
The central pair's performances are backed by those of The Feud's Jill Halfpenny as mum Eve, who swings successfully between determination and bleakness, and Delphi Evans, whose painful despair as Lily's twin sister Abby reads as such.
A special shout out to Niamh Walsh, whose delicate performance as Rick's wife Zoe is quietly outstanding and lingers uncomfortably with you.
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The show is an emotionally-charged mix of fragile hope, anguish and guilt. It all feeds the powerful story.
But what really lets the series down is its execution. Hideously bloated, the punchiness of Girl Taken is deflated by redundant scenes that slow the pacing down and side stories that distract from the main narrative.
It's almost surprising how forgivable the strength of the talent and the show's concept makes these issues, considering how much the show drags its heels, especially over some of the most predictable plot points.
Still, Girl Taken has its place in the television landscape. It may not be the most high-brow watch, and it's certainly not perfectly executed. But it does succeed in making you itch for episode after episode, as you crave the resolution of certain plot points in order to see the balance of justice restored.
While the series' most awaited moment feels a little silly, viewers are still left with a sense of satisfying closure. And the finale, though laboured, justifiably earns its sweet end.
All episodes of Girl Taken are available to stream now on Paramount+.
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TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
