‘Harlan Coben’s Shelter’ Recap: ‘Catch Me If U Can’

8/29/2023

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Jaden Michael as Mickey Bolitar in Episode 102 of ‘Harlan Coben’s Shelter’ – ‘Catch Me If U Can’. (Photo Courtesy of Michael Parmalee/Prime Video.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Two of ‘Harlan Coben’s Shelter’. To revisit the Series Premiere, click here. Also, this piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.

There are a great many elements that go into assembling a great mystery/thriller. For starters, the mystery in question needs to be deep and compelling, and filled with so many questions that we have no choice but to follow the story to have the answers we seek. Plus, it should indeed thrill us and have high stakes that put us on the edge of our seats. Because it is always fun to go on an emotional ride in an emotional manner with characters we care about. And speaking of the characters, that is the last true element that matters when it comes to creating a magnificent mystery/thriller. Because we need to connect with the characters and care about them and root for them every single step of the way and well, that is why the Prime Video series, Harlan Coben’s Shelter is of note.

Because it checks off every box on that checklist, since it has us hooked on the mystery surrounding Mickey Bolitar’s family and friends, and of course… we are indeed worried about his safety and the safety of those that have gone missing. And it just so happens that the next episode in this saga, handled the character aspect of that checklist, splendidly. For shortly after Spoon and Mickey were released from jail in ‘Catch Me If U Can’, Mickey received some outright stunning news. In that, his mother was ready to be released from the mental health facility she was staying within, and that meant… Mickey could finally spend time with her, and heal with her, and for a time… it seemed as though that was going to be the case. Because mom left the facility feeling great and filled with a positive outlook on life, but it didn’t take long for that… to take a hard turn.

For not long after she stepped away from that place of healing, did she more or less… disappear from the world, which put Mickey and his aunt into an outright panic and left them searching hard for her, and they found her eventually. Broken down and crying and well… that entire sequence really did allow for us to care about Mickey deeply and understand his plight and what’s at stake for him here. Because he desperately wants a family life, and he is now the glue holding everything together, and there is a lot or us to relate to there. Since we’ve seen our parents stumble and falter, and we are the ones that have had to prop them up and stay strong ourselves, and it was powerful to watch that play out, and wonderful to know the good that Mickey harbors in his heart, for that will serve him well in the weeks to come as evil looks to do damage.

Speaking of evil, we would be remiss to not point out that it was active and moving in this story, and the mystery continued to build in this tale. Courtesy of the fact that Ema came to learn that there was something quite amiss with her tattoo, and it would seem that the artist responsible for it, knows more than he led on here. Not to mention, Bat Lady’s twisted little henchman worked hard in this story to learn everything possible about Mickey, to the point where breaking and entering and outright stalking became part of the plan to make that happen. And of course, we learned a lot more about who might be responsible for the kidnapping that started this downward spiral, since we were introduced to the Octopus Man, and we also came to learn that he is not a man to be trifled with in the slightest.

All of which served to offer balance to this story, so that we had the perfect combination of creepy and bittersweet and that brought forth, one quality tale. One that was brisk, engaging, and informed us of the fact that this series will indeed be a great mystery/thriller. Because we simply cannot look away, and the mystery continues to grow in all the right (or wrong) ways. But what matters more here, is that the characters were indeed the focus, and we truly were able to learn so much about Mickey and what drives him, and we did also see this universe expand upon Spoon and Ema as well, and even some of Mickey’s classmates. Since that helped us to see that the town Sheriff has some issues, and a past he is struggling with and that may indeed tie into the grand mystery that lurks in this town, and it will be interesting to see what other tidbits and character moments await us as our journey through this eerie world continues along. Until next time.

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