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Departure is storming Netflix’s charts despite some viewers previously criticising the episodes.
The TV series, which stars the late Hollywood icon Christopher Plummer and The Good Wife actor Archie Panjabi, is currently in the number four spot on top 10 programmes in the UK.
It originally ran from 2019 to 2022 and was available to watch on Universal TV, but has now been acquired by Netflix so more people can catch up (or rewatch). It’s clearly proving to be popular with the streamers’ subscribers making it one of the top-watched shows of 2025 already.
The show is a conspiracy theory drama, which aims to resolve the mystery behind a missing plane filled with passengers.
However, not everyone has always been positive about the Peacock original drama set in Canada.
While critics gave it a very respectable 80% on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences have given it a substantially lower 44%.
It was Plummer’s final acting project (Picture: Peacock)
‘Almost seemed like satire at times. Poorly written. Cheesy lines. Over the top music,’ Sinead wrote dismissively.
Colin C weighed in: ‘So bad, dialogue awful, acting wooden, storyline ridiculous and timelines that made no sense at all. Gave up during episode 2; thought it was insulting to the intelligence.’
Graham N held no punches: ‘Appalling drivel. The acting is wooden – perhaps because the script is so bad. Full of twists – which are pathetically “artificial” and not even logical. Lots of expository dialogue, and incredibly unlikely coincidences. Totally lacking in tension – largely because it’s so unbelievable. In the end I just didn’t care about any of the protagonists. Avoid.’
The reactions are mixed (Picture: Peacock)
Not everyone agrees (clearly) with many also using the platform to praise the episodes.
‘Just found this show and I’m loving it. I just keep wanting more at the end of each episode. This is epic!!! #departure,’ said Oshane. Another person agreed, writing: ‘Not sure what people didn’t like about this to get a sub 50% score. Both this and the second season are well written with strong performances form the leads and stories that while they may stretch the boundaries a bit are still entertaining.’
On X, account Gettagripfolks quickly got into the flow of the show: ‘I’m watching #Departure on #Netflix. Thriller about a missing transatlantic flight. Spies, double agents and stuff. Ep1 sufficiently gripping to go straight to Ep2.’
Flight 716 goes missing and the investigators must solve the mystery (Picture: Peacock)
For those uninitiated, accident investigator Kendra Malley (Archie), who is recently widowed, must quickly solve the mystery as to why Flight 716 and the 256 people on board went missing. As she works through the possibilities of terrorism, pilot error, or other suspicious reasons, the audience are also kept guessing.
It featured The Sound of Music’s Plummer as senior manager of the Transport Safety and Investigations Bureau, Howard Lawson, in what what be his final role.
In his final scene in season two, Howard discloses that he has a secret illness and movingly tells Kendra: ‘When you’re close to the end, things you thought were important turn out to be not important in the least, in the end all that matters are the people that you’d care for, the lives you affected.’
Plummer died peacefully at his Connecticut home aged 91 in 2021.
Before his death Archie, 52, spoke of what an honour it was to work with Plummer.
‘He’s a phenomenal actor and has incredible screen presence. Kendra and Howard have an interesting chemistry,’ she told TV & Satellite magazine.
‘Because Christopher’s witty, charming and intelligent, it was easy to strike up a bond and we improvised a lot. Sometimes you shouldn’t meet your heroes but meeting Christopher exceeded my expectations.’
Departure is available to watch on Netflix.
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