Run Away is a slow burner and honestly, it needs to be. This isn’t the kind of story you rush, because every layer is there for a reason.
At the centre of it all is Simon Greene (James Nesbitt), a successful, devoted husband and father of three whose solid, comfortable life starts to unravel when his eldest daughter Paige (Ellie de Lange) disappears after falling into drug use. Things escalate quickly when Simon also becomes a suspect in a murder investigation, leaving him fighting on two fronts: proving his innocence and bringing his daughter home.
What I appreciated most is how the story deliberately leads us down certain paths. Nothing feels accidental. Paige’s storyline begins in a very real and uncomfortable place university life, drugs, and sexual assault. It’s handled as a recurring theme, and it highlights how many young women don’t speak out because of shame and embarrassment. In Paige’s case, that silence becomes life-changing. Her trauma spirals into addiction and ultimately pushes her toward what looks like a “new beginning,” but one that is anything but hopeful. The fact that this happens to a university student makes it hit harder it’s not what people expect, and that’s the point.
The detectives, however, added very little to the plot for me. Alfred Enoch, who plays lead detective Isaac Fagbenle (and who many will recognise from Harry Potter and How to Get Away With Murder), is a brilliant actor, but the writing let him down. I often found myself watching him purely because he’s easy on the eye, not because his character was driving the story forward and that’s a shame.
Ruth Jones, on the other hand, was a standout. Her character, Elena, had real range and depth, and she felt far more invested in the case than the actual police. She consistently came close to uncovering the truth, and her performance grounded the show emotionally.
The cult storyline is classic but effective. A male leader preying on vulnerable women at their lowest point, manipulating them under the guise of protection and purpose it’s cult behaviour 101, and it works here. The twist involving selected members being persuaded to kill people on a list was genuinely unsettling.
Maeve and Jon (played by the actors behind Dee Dee and Ash) were particularly effective. Their performances were cold, robotic, and stripped of emotion, perfectly capturing what complete indoctrination looks like.
James Nesbitt was solid as Simon Greene, and while I usually enjoy his performances, this wasn’t his strongest role. It worked, but it didn’t blow me away. Connor Porter, who played Luther, impressed me far more he brought intensity and presence whenever he was on screen.
Overall, Run Away isn’t the best Harlan Coben adaptation, but it is a great watch.
Dark, frustrating, and intentionally slow, it stays with you and that alone makes it worth your time.