Review: Apple TV’s ‘Last Seen’: Patrick Brammall Leads Gripping New Mystery Thriller
Reel Perspectives
September 10, 2026
What would you do if the person you spent more than a decade mourning suddenly called you on the phone? That terrifying question sits at the heart of Apple TV’s newest thriller, “Last Seen,” a six-episode mystery that pulls viewers into a desperate search for answers.
Premiering September 9, the Australian thriller stars Patrick Brammall as Ian Ridley, a former police detective whose life was shattered when his young daughter, Maggie, disappeared without a trace 11 years earlier. Now working as an emergency dispatcher, Ian has never truly accepted that his daughter is gone. His world is turned upside down when he receives a frantic call from a teenage girl he becomes convinced is Maggie. For Ian, the possibility that his daughter could still be alive is enough to reignite an obsession that could cost him everything.
Ian's search becomes even more complicated when a long buried clue surrounding a missing girl emerges, forcing him to confront questions about what happened to Maggie and whether the truth has been hiding in plain sight. Instead of simply waiting for authorities to solve the mystery, Ian throws himself into the investigation, determined to follow every lead no matter how dangerous the journey becomes.
This is where “Last Seen” begins to separate itself from the typical missing person thriller. This isn't simply a series about finding a lost child. It is about grief, guilt, obsession and the lengths a parent will go when there is even the smallest possibility that their child might still be alive.
Brammall brings a completely different energy to the role of Ian than audiences may expect from his previous work, giving the character a rawness that makes his desperation impossible to ignore. Around him is an intriguing ensemble that includes Brendan Cowell as Henry Reid, Maxine Peake as Jenna Reid, Jessica Wren as Debbie McGuire, Daniel Henshall as Donald Reid, Chloe Jean Lourdes as Sarah Reid and Zahra Newman as Isabel “Izzy” Pena.
The supporting characters are more than window dressing, with their own connections, secrets and unanswered questions adding additional layers to Ian's investigation. As the mystery expands, viewers are left wondering who can be trusted and whether Ian's determination to find Maggie is bringing him closer to the truth or deeper into something far more dangerous.
The series is directed and executive produced by Christian Schwochow, with acclaimed writer and executive producer Kris Mrksa adapting the series from Ryan David Jahn's novel The Dispatcher. The production also marks Apple's first series made entirely in Australia, giving the thriller a distinct setting and atmosphere while maintaining the polished cinematic feel.
The premiere arrived with two episodes, and follows new episodes each Wednesday through October 7. With each epsiode peeling back another layer of Ian's investigation, “Last Seen” is the kind of mystery designed to keep viewers guessing and questioning just how much they really know about the people at the center of the story.
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