Archive · 30 Oct 2025
Harlan Coben's 'Lazarus' is an Embarrassingly Compelling Thriller
Imagine a TV show about a family where the dad, who is a doctor, seems to kill himself.
But his son, who is also a doctor, doesn't believe it.
The son starts seeing ghosts of his dad and his dad's old patients.
These ghosts help him look into old, unsolved murder cases.
It turns out his dad might have been murdered too, and it could be connected to the unsolved murder of the son's sister from a long time ago.
The show is full of twists and turns, even if it sometimes feels a bit silly or over-the-top.
It's the kind of show that's hard to stop watching, even when you know it's a little ridiculous.
"Lazarus" is a new six-part thriller series on Amazon Prime based on Harlan Coben's novel.
Bill Nighy and Sam Claflin play father and son psychiatrists, Jonathan and Joel Lazarus.
The series begins with Jonathan's apparent suicide, prompting Joel to investigate his father's death.
Joel starts seeing spectral visitors, including his deceased father, who draw him into cold-case murders.
Despite its convoluted plot and clichés, the series is described as 'embarrassingly compelling' and addictive.
- Who
- Bill Nighy and Sam Claflin as psychiatrists Jonathan and Joel Lazarus.
- What
- A new six-part TV thriller series based on Harlan Coben's novel 'Lazarus'.
- When
- The series begins with the apparent suicide of Jonathan Lazarus, 25 years after the unsolved murder of Joel's sister.
- Where
- The series is available on Amazon Prime.
- Why
- Jonathan's apparent suicide leads Joel to investigate his father's death and a series of cold-case murders potentially linked to his sister's murder.
Criticism
Praise
Plot and Believability
Criticism
The plot is often "ridiculous", "convoluted", "clichéd", with "far too many scenes where suspects stand lurking in dark corners or stare moodily from under hoods" and "dreadful dialogue."
Praise
The plot is "extravagantly plotted" and "precision-engineered to hook you in", making the series "embarrassingly compelling" and addictive.
Actor Usage
Criticism
Bill Nighy is "under-used".
Praise
TV adaptations of Coben's thrillers tend to attract A-list casts, and the actors are often more believable than the plot lines.
- Streaming Service
- Amazon Prime
- Number of Episodes
- Six
- Stars
- Bill Nighy, Sam Claflin
- Based on
- Harlan Coben novel