If you haven’t settled down to watch Fool Me Once, then you’re in a minority. Landing on Netflix in time for the New Year’s Day slump, the latest from Harlan Coben’s oeuvre follows army veteran Maya (Corrie’s Michelle Keegan) who has left a trail of death her wake: not only has she lost her sister, brutally murdered during a burglary gone awry, she is now burying her husband – shot dead by thugs on motorbikes. Desperate to find out the truth, our Maya sets out to uncover what’s going on – at times aided (and hampered) by Detective Sami Kierce (Adeel Akhtar).
The eight-part series was an instant hit for Netflix, with Fool Me Once hitting the number one streaming spot in several countries. It also signposted another huge success for Coben, who in 2018, signed a mammoth deal with the streamer to bring 14 of his novels to the small screen. It’s his fourth English language production (following in the footsteps of Safe, The Stranger and Stay Close) to dominate streaming charts – cementing his status as the undisputed King of the Netflix binge (in the UK alone, the first episode has been devoured by over 12 million – and half of that have gone on to polish off the whole series just a week after release).
For those of us unfamiliar with Coben’s work (not that you should be – the American author has sold over 80 million beach-read style books), his mystery novels follow the lives of moneyed east coast families and the secrets that belie their murky underbelly. As Coben’s English-language Netflix adaptations are by a British production company, lots of the Americanisms have been smoothed out with varying degrees of success (sure, Michelle Keegan heads to her local shooting range, no bother). But the massive houses that wouldn’t look out of place on Grand Designs remain; Maya somehow being able to afford a small modern mansion on a soldier's salary. These flashes of luxeness give Coben’s shows an air of placeless (albeit at times jarring) universality, no doubt trying to appeal to Netflix’s global audience.
For the most part, Coben’s series are formulaic – average suburban family is hiding a secret, things are investigated, twists, turns and red herrings are abundant, the truth is exposed and more often than not, someone will die. To keep audiences guessing right up to the climax, some of the plot twists tend to stretch to the point of incredulity (you can’t ever accuse Coben of not being bold). Richard Armitage is also likely to turn up at some point, having starred in three out of four of Coben’s English-language adaptations for some reason.
Let’s be frank – Succession it is not; Coben’s series are often plagued with clunky dialogue, filling in audiences with exposition about as subtle as a flying brick. They’re also often guilty on drawing on tired tropes and stereotypes (venomous mother-in-law? Tick. Alcoholic detective? Tick. Overeager and annoying junior officer? Tick), seeing series often derided by critics. So why do they always race to the top of the Netflix charts?
TV commentator Scott Bryan attributes some of Fool Me Once’s success to its criticisms, as well as a perfectly timed release. “When the weather is bad and you haven't got the cash to hang out with your friends, you're more prone to stay in watching a little bit soapy,” he tells Cosmopolitan UK. “It feels indulgent and an escape.”
Even the snottiest critic can’t deny that Coben’s dramas are incredibly well cast, which will also ensure bums denting sofas; Fool Me Once landed Joanna Lumley as super-bitch psychiatrist Judith Burkett, while Stay Close had legendary comedian Eddie Izzard play a heroin addicted lawyer (of course).
And while the dialogue can often be cringeworthy, it doesn’t hamper the masterful storytelling each series possesses. The simply formed characters and familiar plots can see viewers follow along with minimal effort, inviting us to form our own theories and keep devouring episodes until we uncover whodunnit.
Yes, of course the conclusions are often batshit and divorced from sense – but who cares? Not every television programme needs to be intellectually stimulating to be enjoyable, in the same way mot every meal you eat needs to be a feast. Sometimes, it’s fine to binge on a little junk food TV, and no-one does it better than Harlan Coben. Besides, how else is Richard Armitage meant to pay his mortgage?
Kimberley Bond is a Features Writer at Cosmopolitan. After gaining her MA in Magazine Journalism from the University of Sheffield in 2016, Kimberley first started her career as a showbiz and culture writer, where she interviewed A-Listers (and Z-Listers) on red carpets, at awards ceremonies and at parties.
After the pandemic put a hold on the showbiz circuit, Kimberley turned to features and has written for a number of publications including The Independent, The Telegraph, Evening Standard, Stylist and Glamour amongst countless others.
She’s still a complete celebrity gossip hound, and when she’s not scrolling through the sidebar of shame you can find her on X, LinkedIn or in the gym where’s trying and failing to get an arse like JLo.
