Harlan Coben’s Netflix adaptations have been some of the most popular and critically acclaimed drama shows of the past two years, and his latest outing Just One Look is no different. The show follows a woman named Greta who must confront her husband’s dark secrets when a single photo throws everything she thought she knew about her marriage into question. Just One Look is perfect for Harlan Coben fans and newcomers alike, using this gripping story to explore important themes of honesty and truth.
Harlan Coben’s shows are extremely accessible and endlessly binge-able with their juicy stories and complex characters, which is exactly what makes the author’s books so easy to read. This usually translates very well into the limited series format, giving audiences enough time to connect with these characters and invest themselves in the compelling mysteries that drive them. With Harlan Coben’s next show currently in production, and Just One Look now available on streaming, it’s the perfect time to catch up with his existing works.
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Stay Close (2021)
Starring Cush Jumbo & James Nesbitt
Stay Close
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James Nesbitt
DS Michael Broome
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Richard Armitage
Ray Levine
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Sarah Parish
Lorraine Griggs
Stay Close may not be Harlan Coben’s most critically acclaimed TV series to date, but it’s certainly one of his most gripping and compelling. Based on the author’s 2012 novel of the same name, the show follows three different characters whose lives intersect in dangerous and inconspicuous ways. The most impressive thing about Harlan Coben’s stories is how intricately he manages to write these characters’ backstories, with every single detail serving a clear purpose that rarely makes itself known before the narrative’s final moments. Stay Close may be the strongest example of this, and the show adapts it brilliantly.
Related
What Netflix’s Next Harlan Coben Show Is After Missing You & When Will It Be Released?
Netflix’s latest Harlan Coben TV show, Missing You, will be followed by another Harlan Coben adaptation, premiering on the streamer later this year.
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Fool Me Once (2024)
Starring Michelle Keegan & Richard Armitage
Stay Close
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James Nesbitt
DS Michael Broome
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Richard Armitage
Ray Levine
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Sarah Parish
Lorraine Griggs
Fool Me Once was a huge streaming hit in 2024, surpassing some of Netflix’s most well-known and beloved shows with its complex story and compelling characters. The show is a fairly loose adaptation of Coben’s 2016 novel, which tells the story of a grieving woman who catches a glimpse of her supposedly dead husband on a security camera inside her own home. What follows is some of Coben’s most inventive and boundary-pushing storytelling, leaving just enough clues for the audience to remain interested while ensuring the truth is always just out of reach.
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The Woods (2020)
Starring Grzegorz Damiecki & Wiktoria Filus
The Woods
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Grzegorz Damiecki
Pawel Kopinski
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Agnieszka Grochowska
LAura Goldsztajn
The Woods is one of Harlan Coben’s earlier Netflix series, and it has a much darker and grittier tone than many of his recent adaptations. Set in Poland, the story follows a legal prosecutor whose case is turned upside-down when new evidence comes to light about his sister’s disappearance many years earlier. The show constantly shifts between current-day drama and childhood flashbacks to tell its story on two fronts, giving it a very unique structure that helps elevate the narrative. It’s one of Coben’s most creative shows, and it’s a very loyal adaptation of the original novel.
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Safe (2018)
Starring Michael C. Hall & Amanda Abbington
Safe is one of the few Harlan Coben shows that isn’t based on an original novel, and that’s potentially why it works so well. Some of Coben’s more literary tropes don’t always translate perfectly to the screen, but Safe doesn’t suffer from any of that. Its story is tight and effective, never wasting any time and consistently moving at a strong pace. Of all of Harlan Coben’s TV shows, Safe definitely feels the most original; its narrative about missing children and neighborhood secrecy may be familiar to fans of his books, but the show constantly subverts expectations.
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The Innocent (2021)
Starring Mario Casas & Aura Garrido
The Innocent
- Release Date
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2021 – 2020
- Network
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Netflix
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Alexandra Jiménez
Lorena Ortiz
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The Innocent may be Netflix’s most authentic and down-to-earth Harlan Coben adaptation so far, and it’s all the better for it. Instead of leaning into the absurdity of some of the author’s more far-fetched storylines, this show is very grounded in reality and never shies away from the darker aspects of his narratives. This particular show focuses on a man whose previous crimes return to haunt him following an accidental killing that turns his world upside down and brings his relationships with his loved ones into question. It’s a very compelling show that speaks to several important themes and issues.
Just One Look
- Release Date
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March 5, 2025
- Network
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Netflix
- Directors
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Marek Lechki
Cast
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Cezary Łukaszewicz
Uncredited
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