The Old Man tv series created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine, premiered recently on the cable service FX. The show is based on the 2017 novel of the same name written by Thomas Perry. The show is an old-school high stakes gripping spy thriller with dramatic elements. The show does remind us of other spy films in the early 2000s like Jason Bourne.
Rating – ★★★★1/2
The Old Man Premise
“Dan Chase is a former CIA operative who has been living off the grid for thirty years. After killing an assassin, Chase is forced into hiding. While in hiding, Chase rents a room from Zoe McDonald, with whom he is forced to partner while on the run. FBI Assistant Director for Counterintelligence, Harold Harper, is called upon to bring Chase in, because of their complicated past. Working alongside Harper is his protégée, Agent Angela Adams, and Agent Raymond Waters, as well as Julian Carson, a highly trained CIA contractor sent to pursue Chase.”
Jeff Bridges plays the lead role as Dan Chase and the show also consists of John Lithgow, E. J. Bonilla, Bill Heck, Alia Shawkat, Leem Lubany, Amy Brenneman, Gbenga Akinnagbe as part of the cast.
How Is It?
The two episodes released and available so far were high on thrills and adrenaline rush. Especially the protagonist Dan Chase character feels like a cross between the protagonists of Taken and Don’t Breathe. Jeff Bridges nailed the role and it’s really fortunate that the actor recovered from both his cancer and Covid diagnosis in the midst of the production of the show last year.
Jon Watts, the director of the Tom Holland’s Spider-Man trilogy had directed the first two episodes and set the right tone for the show. If anything to go by the first two episodes, the show looks to be a promising spy thriller in recent times and a feast for fans who miss the Jason Bourne movies. The cat and mouse chase between the secret agency and the protagonist is very hooking. The grim dark color grading and mood for the show is very immersive.
What Could Have Been Better?
The show takes a while to get going. The first episode feels a bit slow and some conversation scenes in the second episode feels lengthy, but nonetheless the overall thrill provided by the writers overcomes the shortcomings. The two episodes also sometimes remind us a bit more of other spy thriller films we have seen before. This is because the plot is nothing exceptional or out of the box, but the way it unravels on the screen, the performance of the actors and the teleplay is very mucg engaging.
The show is available to watch on FX for viewers in US and Canada. While Disney+ Hotstar is going to release the show in international markets at a later date.
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