Right now you can watch Absentia in Australia on Netflix and Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel, and in the US on Netflix — and it earns its twists rather than manufacturing them. The 3-season run is exactly the right length for what it is doing. 391 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Stana Katic leads a cast that carries the story without ever feeling mechanical. Put it on tonight on Netflix and see for yourself.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Absentia is worth clearing space for. The plotting gives Absentia its backbone, but it is the characters you come back for. A missing FBI agent reappears six years after being declared dead. Stana Katic and Patrick Heusinger lead a cast that gives the tension real weight. It ran for 3 seasons (2017–2020), and the writing holds up across every one of them. What makes Absentia hold up is that the resolution matters less than how the characters get there. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Crime and mystery fans will find exactly what they are after in Absentia. Fans of Criminal Minds will recognise the sensibility here immediately. Short enough to finish in a weekend, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Watch Stana Katic work — it is a masterclass in the genre. Few crime dramas earn their twists this consistently.

Absentia wrapped up in 2020, created by Matthew Cirulnick and Gaia Violo — and 3 seasons are available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.