Apple TV is adding another tense crime drama to its lineup with Last Seen, a new Australian thriller starring Patrick Brammall. The six-episode series follows a former police detective whose daughter vanished 11 years earlier, only for a distress call to pull him back into the case he never stopped believing in.
The series was previously known as The Dispatcher and is adapted from Ryan David Jahn’s book of the same name. Apple TV has now shared the first look at the show and confirmed that Last Seen will premiere globally on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
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Here are the details:
- Series: Last Seen
- Episodes: 6
- Genre: Australian crime thriller, mystery drama
- Premiere date: Wednesday, September 9, 2026
- Launch format: First two episodes on premiere day
- Finale date: Wednesday, October 7, 2026
- Main cast: Patrick Brammall, Maxine Peake, Brendan Cowell, Daniel Henshall, Jessica Wren, Zahra Newman and Chloe Jean Lourdes
Plot
No major spoilers ahead.
Last Seen centers on Ian Ridley, played by Patrick Brammall, a police detective whose life collapsed when his young daughter, Maggie, disappeared without a trace. Eleven years later, Ian is no longer working as a detective. He is now a police dispatcher, but emotionally, he is still trapped inside the same unanswered case.
The story turns when Ian receives a distress call from a teenage girl. He becomes convinced the caller is Maggie, now older and possibly still alive. That single call gives him the hope he has been holding onto for more than a decade, but it also pushes him into dangerous territory.
What makes the setup interesting is that Ian is not starting from a clean place. He is a father, a former detective and a broken man who may be hearing what he desperately wants to hear. The series seems ready to build its tension around one painful question: is Maggie really back, or is Ian’s grief leading him toward another disaster?
The Australian setting should also give the show a different texture from the usual American or British missing-person thriller. With the series filmed in Victoria, the story has room to use quieter locations, police radio tension and family trauma rather than relying only on big chase scenes.
FAQs
When does Last Seen premiere on Apple TV?
Last Seen premieres globally on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
How many episodes does Last Seen have?
The thriller has six episodes.
Will all episodes release at once?
No. Apple TV will release the first two episodes on September 9, followed by one new episode every Wednesday until October 7, 2026.
Who stars in Last Seen?
Patrick Brammall leads the cast as Ian Ridley. The series also stars Maxine Peake, Brendan Cowell, Daniel Henshall, Jessica Wren, Zahra Newman and Chloe Jean Lourdes.
What book is Last Seen based on?
The series is adapted from The Dispatcher by Ryan David Jahn.
Is Last Seen a movie or a series?
Last Seen is a limited thriller series, not a movie.
Apple TV is available in the US for $12.99 per month, with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. Last Seen looks like one to watch if you enjoy mystery dramas built around grief, obsession and one call that changes everything.
What do you plan to watch first on Apple TV this September? Let us know in the comments.
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