Child rearing "nature versus nurture" leads to a superlative mystery mini series
This mini-series reflects a families three generations and how each generations' children grow up vastly different as a result of being reared in vastly different family environments. Mrs. Shullivan and I recorded the six (6) episodes and then binge watched them, simply because after watching the first episode in which a retired Judge named Henry Sullivan (played brilliantly by Peter Coyote) has plotted out a special treasure hunt for his grandson's Anthony 10th year birthday (played by Michael Riendeau), we could not stop wondering what was going to happen next. Anthony can't wait to start his annual treasure hunt that his Grandfather has plotted out for him this year so when he picks up his batch of clues he immediately starts out on his bicycle to commence his new treasure hunt adventure.While Anthony's parents, his Aunt, and his Grandfather who he loves dearly, all wait patiently for Anthony to return successful from this years treasure hunt, the hours pass by and Anthony never returns home. Retired Judge Sullivan contacts the police directly calling in some old favors to assist in the initial frantic search for ten (10) year old missing Anthony.
The remaining five episodes loop seamlessly (and very cleverly I must add) back and forth over three (3) decades, but mainly the back flashes concentrate over the last twelve (12) year span providing the audience with tidbits of the Sullivan family dynamics and their history and how emotionally attached all family members are to the missing ten (10) year old Anthony. Judge Sullivan met his future wife when he was a young prosecuting attorney and the future Mrs. Sullivan was a rape victim, who was carrying her rapists child and she refused to abort the pregnancy as it was her decision to carry this child of rape to full term. Judge Sullivan's wife passed away just a few years ago from cancer and so their two adult children rely on their fond memories of their mother to keep her alive in their minds and in their hearts. Without the matriarch of the Sullivan family being alive during the disappearance of ten (10) year old Anthony, Anthony's parents, his Aunt and grandfather Sullivan, are at each others throats blaming his disappearance on each other.
Gradually the family and the police work together to identify clue by clue but the Sullivan families hope is running out to find Anthony alive as Anthony disappeared two years ago, and the police are not any closer to identifying a prime suspect.
The Disappearance is a first rate suspenseful TV mini-series and I will most certainly add it to my purchase list when it is released on DVD. Mrs. Shullivan and I talked about how good this mini-series was and how it gripped us until the bitter end. This is one of the very best mystery mini-series we have watched in the past few years. I rate this six (6) episode special a 9/10 and it is well worth watching every minute of every episode....at least twice.
score 9/10
Ed-Shullivan 8 November 2017
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3853095/14810
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