Netflix’s #2 Show Is a Sleeper Hit That Viewers Are Now Fully Obsessed With

And there are three whole seasons

Published Nov 17, 2025

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4:18pm

Elena Nenkova

It's official: thrillers are having a major moment in the streaming world. They've been consistently the genre dominating the charts, whether you’re watching The Beast in Me on Netflix, The Girlfriend on Prime Video or The Hand That Rocks The Cradle on Hulu.

But listen up, because a new title has been rapidly climbing Netflix's Top 10 shows list and here's the twist: it's not a shiny, brand-new limited series. In fact, this show is nearly a decade old, yet viewers (both longtime fans and people discovering it for the first time) are completely obsessed, driving it all the way up to the number two spot on Netflix. The sleeper hit I'm talking about? Absentia.

2017 Sony Pictures Television

The high-stakes drama follows FBI special agent Emily Byrne, who vanishes without a trace while hunting a notorious Boston serial killer and is ultimately declared dead in absentia. Fast-forward six years: she's discovered barely alive in a remote cabin with zero memory of her missing years. She returns home only to find her husband has remarried and her young son is being raised by his new wife. The bad news keeps coming, though, as Emily quickly finds herself entangled as a suspect in a fresh wave of murders.

If that sounds appealing to you, you're not alone. Absentia also has audiences raving about the show online.

"I’m 25 minutes into Absentia and it might be the greatest show I’ve ever seen," one person shared on X. "The last time I had this feeling was watching the first episode of Manifest. Hopefully this feeling lasts longer than back then."

Another viewer dished out some simple advice, writing, "Absentia is on Netflix and trust me yall must watch it."

And a third gushed to their followers, "GUYYYSSS!! Absentia is on Netflix now. If you haven't seen the show, go watch it. It will blow your mind. Amazing storyline and phenomenal job by everyone specially stana. And to all who's rewatching, enjoy!"

Absentia originally made its debut on September 25, 2017, via Amazon Prime Video. It successfully ran for three seasons before it was canceled in May 2021.

Four years later it's clear, the series saw its end way too soon.

All three seasons of Absentia are streaming now on Netflix.

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Danielle Long

Assistant Editor, News and Entertainment

Writes breaking news and entertainment content
Covers award show red carpets and movie premieres
Has earned two Edward R. Murrow Awards

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