Missing: Dead or Alive is the latest true crime offering from streaming giant Netflix. But this series comes with a twist. Instead of focusing on classic whodunit cases or profiling a murderer, Missing: Dead or Alive follows a Missing Person team as they investigate sudden disappearances.
Shot as a fly-on-the-wall documentary, the gripping four-parter follows officers from a South Carolina sheriff’s department as they urgently search for individuals who’ve disappeared under troubling circ*mstances.
Missing: Dead or Alive is largely narrated by investigator Vicki Rains and each chapter focuses on a new baffling case. The resolution to that investigation is explored in the following episode, aside from the series finale.
But how much of the true-crime documentary is actually based on fact? Here is everything you need to know...
What is Missing: Dead or Alive about?
Missing: Dead or Alive is a four-part true crime series that follows officers from Richland Missing Persons Unit in South Carolina as they urgently search for individuals who've disappeared under worrying circ*mstances.
Cameras allow viewers incredible access to the investigations and show how the team tackles individual cases. It is stated in the show that an estimated 1,500 people go missing in America every day and that the first 24 to 48 hours are the most crucial in finding out what's happened to them.
The series is told mainly through the narration of Vicki Rains, who has been a cop for 22 years. She works alongside fellow investigator JP Smith, who focuses on juvenile cases and has been in law enforcement for four decades.
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Vicki and JP's boss, Heidi Jackson, is another key player in Missing: Dead or Alive and oversees the unit and five other departments at Richland.
Each of the four episodes concentrates on a different case and shows the grueling impact the investigations have on the dedicated team. As Vicki Rains says in the official trailer: "You need to keep going... it's like an obsession."
Is Missing: Dead or Alive based on a true story?
Yes, the true crime series is very real and focuses on four missing person cases that all happened between 2019 and 2021.
The documentary gives the audience a front-row seat as the officers go about their duties to try and find and track down missing persons. It shows the cases play out in real-time and the various twists and turns that lead the team to the truth.
However, its fly-on-the-wall nature means have led some viewers to raise questions as to whether some scenes in Missing: Dead or Alive are staged and scripted to add drama.
How many episodes of Missing: Dead or Alive are there?
There are four episodes in the first season of Missing: Dead or Alive, with each one lasting between half an hour and a little over an hour.
You can stream all four episodes of the documentary worldwide now on Netflix.
What case is covered in episode one of Missing: Dead or Alive?
Episode one of Missing: Dead or Alive focuses on the hunt for Lorraine Garcia, a mother who vanished after a trip to the hospital.
Vicki Rains and the team are hopeful they will find Lorraine safe and well, but a police search of her home uncovers disturbing evidence that raises the question of foul play.
On the property, the investigators discover a blood-stained mattress, shovel and a container that smells strongly of bleach.
These concerning finds lead them to interview Lorraine's son, an Iraq War veteran, who according to neighbors had been terrorizing his mother.
The son denies any involvement in Lorraine's sudden disappearance, and despite him being the prime suspect, the officers are determined to keep an open mind.
What case is covered in episode two of Missing: Dead or Alive?
Episode two is all about the disappearance of 10-year-old Amira Watson, who vanishes with her mother on a weekend visit.
Amira's father is desperate for answers about his daughter's whereabouts and turns to Richland's Missing Persons Unit for help.
It transpires Amira has gone missing following a bitter custody battle, and as a family history of disputes is uncovered, the investigating officers have a hard time knowing just who to trust.
What case is covered in episode three of Missing: Dead or Alive?
Next up, is the curious case of David Taylor.
David's truck is found abandoned on the side of the interstate, but David, his mobile phone, and a $10,000 winning lottery ticket, which was in his possession, are nowhere to be seen...
What case is covered in episode four of Missing: Dead or Alive?
The series finale of Missing: Dead or Alive digs deeper into the disappearance of 17-year-old Sierra Stevens.
The teen was reported missing after failing to return home after a trip to the movies and is of great concern to the police.
The team fears Sierra may have fallen prey to sex trafficking — or worse — and embark on a mission to discover her fate.
Is there a trailer for Missing: Dead or Alive?
Yes, the trailer of Missing: Dead or Alive gives an insight into what to expect in the mini-series.
The suspense builds throughout as it shows clips of the officers from the South Carolina police department looking into the disappearances of local residents.
There's an eerie feeling to the trailer, as questions of foul play are raised in the investigations.
There are also brief insights into the officers' dedication to their jobs and their dogged determination to track down those who have seemingly disappeared without a trace.
Will there be a season 2 of Missing: Dead or Alive?
At the time of writing there has been no official announcement from Netflix about whether Missing: Dead or Alive will be recommissioned for a second season. But should this change we will update this feature and let you know.
