Just One Look is another twisty mystery from the mind of Harlan Coben, brought to life in this Polish-language Netflix miniseries. Set in Warsaw and packed with lies, disappearances and buried secrets, it’s very much in the familiar Coben wheelhouse—fast-paced, emotionally fraught, and built to keep you guessing. But does it bring anything new to the table, or is it just another riff on the same theme? Let’s get into it. (Spoilers ahead—seriously, if you haven’t watched it yet and want to go in blind, come back later.)
The series follows Greta Rembiewska, played with subtle brilliance by Maria Dębska, a jewellery designer living a seemingly idyllic life with her husband Jacek and their two children. But things quickly unravel when Greta receives a mysterious photo showing Jacek standing among unfamiliar people—with one of the faces ominously crossed out. When she confronts him, Jacek vanishes without a word. What follows is a six-episode deep dive into Greta’s forgotten past, involving a deadly concert fire that she barely survived fifteen years earlier, memory loss, and a host of well-kept secrets.
As Greta digs deeper, aided by a grief-stricken prosecutor named Borys, the truth becomes increasingly twisted. It turns out the man she thought was Jacek is actually an imposter named Szymon, who has been living under her roof and raising her children under false pretences. Meanwhile, Sandra—Jacek’s sister and a lawyer—emerges as the true villain, orchestrating the original fire to benefit from the music royalties of her brother’s hit song.
The acting in the series is one of its strongest suits, especially from Maria Dębska, who delivers a layered and emotionally charged performance as Greta. She plays a woman haunted by memory loss and betrayal without ever slipping into melodrama, which grounds the entire series. Cezary Łukaszewicz, as Szymon posing as Jacek, gives a more subdued performance but carries just enough menace and mystery to keep you second-guessing his motives.
Mirosław Zbrojewicz as Prosecutor Borys adds weight and complexity, as a man equally determined and morally ambiguous in his pursuit of the truth. Some of the supporting characters, however, aren’t given as much depth. Jimmy D., the pop star whose concert was the site of the original fire, deserved far more screen time—his story felt like a missed opportunity. And while Sandra’s villainy is ultimately revealed, her motivations come off a bit thin and undercooked.
Visually, the series is sleek and stylish. Directors Marek Lechki and Monika Filipowicz use Warsaw’s urban landscape to great effect, contrasting the polished surfaces of Greta’s home life with the grittier spaces tied to her past. There’s a recurring use of flashbacks that works well in the beginning, helping to fill in the missing pieces of Greta’s memory. But as the episodes roll on, the flashback device starts to wear thin—it becomes more repetitive than revelatory. Still, the cinematography is striking, and the series has a cool, moody atmosphere that suits the noir-ish tone of the story.
At its core, Just One Look explores themes of memory, identity, betrayal and manipulation. Greta’s journey is less about discovering what happened and more about rediscovering who she really is. There’s a sense that every character is playing a game of smoke and mirrors—some with good intentions, others not so much. Even Borys, who initially seems like an ally, is revealed to have used Greta to solve his daughter’s murder. In the end, Greta doesn’t just uncover the truth—she reclaims her own agency.
When it comes to originality, though, the series is a bit of a mixed bag. If you’ve seen other Harlan Coben adaptations on Netflix—like Stay Close or The Stranger—then Just One Look will feel familiar. It’s a polished mystery with high production values, but it doesn’t stray far from the usual formula. That said, the Polish setting does give it a slightly fresh flavour, and the decision to tell the story from a woman’s point of view adds emotional depth. The emotional impact hits strongest in the final two episodes, where Greta comes face-to-face with the truth about her past and must make peace with the fact that everything she believed was a lie.
Viewer response has been somewhat divided. Critics have praised Dębska’s performance and the series’ suspenseful pacing, and on Rotten Tomatoes, the show sits at a solid 100% from early critical reviews. But the audience score tells a different story—just 33%—with many viewers expressing frustration over the confusing twists, shallow secondary characters, and predictable plot turns. A lot of people have also pointed out that the English dubbing doesn’t do the original acting justice. If you’re going to watch, the general consensus is: stick with the Polish audio and use subtitles. The emotional nuance is much sharper that way.
All in all, Just One Look is an enjoyable watch if you’re in the mood for a twisty, slightly pulpy mystery that doesn’t overstay its welcome. It’s got strong performances, a few memorable reveals, and a decent emotional core. But it also leans heavily on Coben’s tried-and-true formula, which means if you’ve seen one or two of these before, you’ll likely guess the ending before Greta does. It’s entertaining, sure—but once the smoke clears, you may find there’s not much new under the ashes.
Worth a watch, especially for fans of Coben’s work, but don’t expect a reinvention of the genre. Just one look might be enough.
