I Will Find You, the adaptation of a Harlan Coben novel, centres on David Burroughs (Sam Worthington). He is not happy, a state of mind one gets to when one is in prison for allegedly killing his child. That child is Matthew, and even he believes that he’s responsible for murder until someone visits him. That visitor is Rachel Mills (Britt Lower), his sister in law and a journalism professor who thinks David is innocent. And she brings something that may prove her right – a photograph of a boy who looks like Matthew, making David want to escape from prison. She helps him, and as fugitives, tailing them are FBI officers Max Williams (Chi McBride) and Sarah Greer (Logan Browning).

This miniseries is my second foray into the Harlan Coben universe, which always has some man looking for their child. Its title, then feels self aware, and of course David trying to Matthew is difficult because people are conspiring against him. One can simply chalk up that delusion as a coping mechanism but it’s more fun to believe a conspiracy. Miniseries about conspiracies can get unwieldy but thankfully, this one balances things out by keeping things simple at scene level. David and Rachel, instead of leaving the Northeast, stays within that region’s borders to start their own, more competent investigation. I Will Find You has them going into peoples houses, they get parts of an answer, the homeowner dies because… reasons.

Harlan Coben’s miniseries are dumb but never boring, and I Will Find You has one element to thank for that – its cast. There’s a part of me that wanted a version where Worthington switched roles with co-star Milo Ventimiglia. Both can play bewildered detective dad but yes, Ventimiglia makes sense as Hayden Payne, an attorney who also runs a fertility clinic. Hayden, inadvertently, is the one of the series’ points of levity. He’s a rich character with many jobs but somehow makes time for Rachel. It’s also inconceivable that Rachel keeps stringing this rich man alone but that’s what makes this funny. The other actors who feel more intentionally funny are Browning and McBride because of their familiar cop banter.

One more thing about Max and Sarah – they’re actually father and daughter, one of many aspects threatening suspension of disbelief. I Will Find You isn’t worth complaining about except for them and the other supporting characters surprisingly believing David’s conspiracy. And on top of that, most of the supporting characters like David enough to help him. This is, again, despite everyone else believing he’s a child killer. David’s ex-wife Cheryl Dreason (Erin Richards) doesn’t want to help David until he proves worthy of that help from her. And ok fine, there’s one character who doesn’t help David and that’s Hayden’s mother Gertrude (Madeleine Stowe). Maybe I’m tolerating this because I like turning off my brain or maybe because Stowe is always welcome onscreen.

Netflix is the only platform to stream I Will Find You.