ITV’s Vanishing Act: viewers make same complaint about new true crime drama

ITV’s new crime drama, Vanishing Act, arrived on ITV1 on Monday night – and viewers have taken to social media with the same complaint. 

The new three-part series tells the shocking true story of Melissa Caddick, an Australian conwoman who defrauded clients out of millions before mysteriously vanishing. 

While many viewers were gripped by the opening episode, others couldn’t help but take issue with the narration throughout the drama. 

“#VanishingAct not feeling this. Don’t like her constantly talking all the way through. Will try and stick with it though,” one person penned, while another added: “An awful lot of narration so far #vanishingact.”

A third person wrote: “#VanishingAct So far this is rubbish and all this narration is so annoying! Thinking of giving up. Has anyone seen it before and if so does she talk all through it and does it actually start getting good at some point?” while another confused viewer added: “So is she narrating this from beyond the grave if she’s presumed dead?”

Incorporating narration throughout all three episodes is a stylistic choice that makes it clear to the viewer that the show isn’t a docuseries but a drama. While in real life, a coroner’s inquest ruled that there were no definitive findings about her death, the character Melissa [Kate Atkinson] tells viewers that if they believe she took her own life, they’ll “believe anything”. 

Not all viewers complained about the first episode, however. Many also took to social media to praise the compelling series. 

© Tony Mott/ITV

One person wrote: “Brilliant opening episode of #VanishingAct. Sharp writing, snappy direction and a cracking true story of deception,” while another simply penned: “Loving it!”

A third person tweeted: “#VanishingAct starting on ITV now. One of the best dramas I’ve seen this year. I was obsessed with the story of Melissa Caddick when it was happening. Defo worth watching!” 

Other viewers applauded Kate Atkinson’s performance as Melissa, with one person writing: “Loving this #VanishingAct drama on ITV1. Kate Atkinson is great in the lead role,” while another added: “This Melissa Caddick story is interesting. Kate Atkinson is doing great in this #VanishingAct.”

© Tony Mott/ITV

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For those unfamiliar with the story of Melissa Caddick, the financial adviser went missing from her home in the affluent area of Dover Heights in Sydney in November 2020. 

Three months later, her severed foot was found inside her running trainer, which washed up on a beach on the south coast of New South Wales.

Two days before Melissa’s disappearance, the authorities had raided her home on suspicion of a fraud scheme. 

© Freemantle Media /ITV

The 49-year-old had allegedly taken between $20m and $30m from investors, friends and family members who believed she was investing their money in Australian Stock Exchange-listed equities using CommSec portfolios. Little did they know the cash was partly being used to fund her luxurious lifestyle. 

Vanishing Act continues on Tuesday 19 December on ITV1 at 9pm. The entire series is available to stream on ITVX.