True-crime fans have raised questions about the production of the new Netflix series, Missing: Dead or Alive.
The four-episode documentary series focuses on the investigations within a South Carolina police department dealing with mysterious disappearances.
As well as witnessing how the officers look into the lives of the people who have vanished under often troubling circumstances, viewers also get insight into the officers’ personal lives and opinions.
At the time of writing, the show is at number three on the most-watched Netflix chart in the UK, following after Queen Charlotte and Firefly Lane.
Despite its popularity, Missing: Dead or Alive has caused some debate on social media over whether some aspects of the documentary are scripted.
“This show feels scripted,” wrote one viewer on Twitter, adding an eyes emoji to emphasise their scepticism.
Another viewer felt similarly and took issue with the show’s “negative” portrayal of the police.
“Just finished episode one of Missing: Dead or Alive on #Netflix and I must be the only one, but I think it’s not good,” the commenter began. “I think it makes the police look bad. They’ve clearly already made up their mind about this man with no actual investigation. Feels scripted and overly dramatic.”
The opening moments of the first episode of Missing: Dead or Alive feature Vicki Rains, a missing persons investigator, making a call to her colleagues informing them of a local resident’s disappearance.
Rains and her colleagues are seen exiting their cars and approaching the missing woman’s home. For one viewer, the set-up was too smooth to be wholly believable.
“The first scene of Missing: Dead or Alive on Netflix weirdly felt scripted. Do they do that for shows involving real crime? It’s not a reenactment either. It just was weird lol,” they wrote.
The viewer admitted that it didn’t put them off watching further, though, adding: “I’mma still watch tho.”
Someone else remarked that the investigators seemed “like amateurs”, writing: “They have completely messed that crime scene up.
“Walking around, no booties, no gloves and left all evidence like the carpet behind after a search warrant. Make it make sense.”
The Independent has reached out to Netflix for comment.
Missing: Dead or Alive is streaming on Netflix now.
