It's been two long years since The Missing's kidnap plot played out on our screens - but it's back at last.
Those who tuned in to BBC One's series two premiere tonight (October 12) found a very different show - one without the first series' James Nesbitt at the heart of its mystery.
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Related: The Missing series 2 review
Instead, series two focuses on a new investigation for The Missing's hardboiled detective Julien Baptiste (Tchéky Karyo), now trying to solve the mystery of young Alice Webster's (Abigail Hardingham) disappearance.
Alice suddenly returns to her parents 11 years after being snatched off the roadside - but her reappearance raises more questions than answers. Julien's investigation is told across two timelines - on the ground in the UK and aboard in Iraq.
How did fans take to the new mystery - and did they miss James Nesbitt? Well, yes - but it seems they were much more confused by The Missing's wibbly, wobbly, timey, wimey format:
Even the BBC itself sensed the confusion - and tried to point viewers in the right direction:
In the run-up to The Missing's comeback tonight, its co-creator Jack Williams explained to Digital Spy exactly why the series moved on without James Nesbitt.
"Anything that affects the story you're telling for the sake of getting another one is a really bad idea," Jack said.
"That's really cheap, I think. I get why people do it, because I guess you make more money. But this is a whole new story.
"We could've had Nesbitt looking for his dog. It would've been way easier and people probably would've watched it. But it would've been terrible!"
Can this new mystery grip the nation like the search for Oliver Hughes did in 2014? We'll find out as The Missing continues on BBC One.
Watch a teaser below:
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Justin is a freelance entertainment journalist and writer. He first joined Digital Spy as a freelance entertainment reporter in 2010 and also worked as a sub-editor for the brand, serving as Night News Editor from 2016 to 2024. Over more than a decade, Justin has covered numerous major entertainment events from the US and has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo. He's written for titles across the Hearst network, plus the likes of CBR and Us Weekly.
