ABC's "Missing" is a ridiculous mess

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

"Missing" is not a comedy, but it is utterly ridiculous.

Actually, if this new ABC series (Thursday, 7 p.m., Ch. 4) about a ex-CIA operative/mom (Ashley Judd) trying to rescue her kidnapped son was a comedy, it would be more entertaining. And the outlandish events would make more sense.

Judd stars as Becca Winstone, whose husband (Sean Bean) died in a suspicious car explosion a decade ago.

(Really, aren't almost all car explosions suspicious?)

Becca is concerned when her 18-year-old son, Michael (Nick Eversman) heads off to Europe for school. But she lets him go. And he's promptly kidnapped.

She goes off the deep end, turning into a female Rambo, destroying everything in her way. She doesn't have super powers ... but if she did, that would make more sense than "Missing."

Judd doesn't do herself any favors. She's not believable as the ideal mother or as Rambo, delivering a wooden performance that would make Sylvester Stallone proud.

Beyond the utterly unbelievable action and the ridiculous dialogue, the show is fundamentally flawed. If Becca rescues her son, the show ends. So we know she's not going to rescue her son.

If she dies, the show ends. So we know she's not going to die.

So there's no suspense.

About the only reason to watch "Missing" is to see the European scenery - it was shot on location.

But you can see better scenery watching "The Amazing Race," and you don't have to put up with a show as dumb as "Missing."