The Old Man is a thrilling spy drama. This action-packed personal mission drama from the USA is helmed by two old men, Jeff Bridges (Dan Chase) and John Lithgow (Harold Harper).
This gripping spy series recently released Season 2 and expanded its plotline to include another major player. It is based on Thomas Perry’s stand-alone thriller novel The Old Man.
‘The Old Man’ Continues to Captivate Us With Its Suspenseful Spy Tales Involving Two (CIA & FBI) Veterans
Spoiler Free Review of The Old Man (Seasons 1 & Season 2) Series
The trailers
The synopsis and the storyline
The previous Season 1 (2022) of The Old Man series primarily focused on Dan Chase (Jeff Bridges), a retired CIA agent and Harold Harper (John Lithgow), an active FBI official.
Having evaded the CIA for decades, Dan Chase has been living off the grid. His life takes a perilous turn when an assassin attempts to take him out after nearly thirty years, leading Dan Chase to understand that ensuring his future requires him to confront his past. With Dan Chase’s whereabouts revealed, the FBI’s Assistant Director for Counterintelligence, Harold Harper, is brought in to pursue him, due to their complicated and intertwined past. As Dan Chase proves to be a more formidable target for capture than the authorities anticipated, a highly trained special ops contractor is assigned to pursue him. While on the run, Dan Chase rents a room from Zoe McDonald (Amy Brenneman), who finds herself relying on inner strengths she never realized she possessed when she uncovers the truth about her new tenant.
Now in the latest Season 2 (2024) of The Old Man, former CIA operative Dan Chase, played by Jeff Bridges, and ex-FBI Assistant Director Harold Harper, portrayed by John Lithgow, set out to find Angela Adams, enacted by Alia Shawkat, who has been kidnapped. As the tension escalates and secrets are brought to light, Angela Adams faces an identity crisis with serious consequences, while Zoe McDonald, played by Amy Brenneman, takes unexpected actions that lead her into Chase’s world.
We liked this spy tale involving spies and other players from around the globe
The story of Season 1 of this spy tale takes place in the United States of America. And, in this show, we get to hear the terms like CIA, FBI, GRU, DGSE, etc. However, later in season 2, the drama moves beyond the borders of the USA. From Americans, Russians, Chinese and others, almost every powerful geo-political player wants a piece of the pie, or should we say, the Meshbahar precious mineral deposit in Afghanistan. Impressively, this globe-trotting mystery thriller has so many twists and turns, that one has to pay close attention to its ever-changing storyline. Wish we could share the detailed story of the story, but that will ruin your viewing pleasure.
CIA, the Central Intelligence Agency is the foremost agency responsible for foreign intelligence and counterintelligence activities in the United States government.
FBI, the Federal Bureau of Investigation serves as the primary investigative body for the federal government of the United States government.
GRU is the abbreviation for Glavnoye Razvedyvatelnoye Upravlenie, (Russian for Chief Intelligence Office), which is Soviet Military Intelligence.
DGSE, or Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure (French for General Directorate for External Security) , is French Foreign Intelligence.
Still, to be honest, Season 2 of the series somewhat failed to maintain the intensity and urgency, that we saw in Season 1. Also, we understand, that given the harsh ground (political) realities of Afghanistan, its makers could not shoot in Afghanistan. However, they could have made it a more realistic terrain of Afghanistan.
Jeff Bridges & John Lithgow led a wonderful ensemble cast
In ‘The Old Man’ series, we loved the way, both the veteran actors, Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow, have upped their acting performances. Also, Jeff Bridges shines brightly in the very well-choreographed action sequences. Besides, two other old men, the supporting actors, John Lithgow and Navid Negahban, are not too far behind. We enjoyed their performances, as they all pulled it off, convincingly. We also liked the supporting roles of Alia Shawkat (Angela Adams) and Amy Brenneman (Zoe McDonald) in the show. The rest of the ensemble is good too.
Key details
| Genre | Action, Drama, Mystery, Spy, Thriller |
| Original Language | English (USA) |
| Seasons | Two Seasons Season (1) One – June & July 2022 Season (2) Two – September & October 2024 |
| Episodes | Seven (7) Episodes in Season (1) One Eight (8) Episodes in Season (2) Two Fifteen (15) Episodes in Total |
| Creators | Robert Levine & Jonathan E. Steinberg |
| Cast | Jeff Bridges (Dan Chase), John Lithgow (Harold Harper), Alia Shawkat (Angela Adams), Amy Brenneman (Zoe McDonald), Navid Negahban (Faraz Hamzad), Jacqueline Antaramian (Khadija), Rade Serbedzija (Suleyman Pavlovich), Joel Grey (Morgan Bote), Gbenga Akinnagbe (Julian Carson), Hiam Abbass (Abbey Chase), Bill Heck (Young Dan Chase), Pej Vahdat (Young Faraz Hamzad), Leem Lubany (Belour Daadfar/Young Abbey Chase), etc. |
| Network | FX |
The posters
The Nominations for the Awards
| Awards Names | Awards’ Nominations |
|---|---|
| Critics Choice Awards | Jeff Bridges – 2023 Nominee Critics Choice Award – Best Actor in a Drama Series John Lithgow – 2023 Nominee Critics Choice Award – Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Jeff Bridges – 2023 Nominee Primetime Emmy – Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series |
| Golden Globes, USA | Jeff Bridges – 2023 Nominee Golden Globe – Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama John Lithgow – 2023 Nominee Golden Globe – Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical-Comedy or Drama Television Series |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Jeff Bridges – 2023 Nominee Actor – Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series |
| Casting Society of America, USA | 2024 Nominee Artios Award – Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Television Pilot and First Season – Drama – Denise Chamian & Jordana Sapiurka |
Spoilers Alert: Episodes Summary and Bonus Information
Episodes Summary – Season (1) One
I (S1, E1)
When Dan Chase’s past catches up to him, he must flee the town he’s called home for three decades.
II (S1, E2)
Chase finds a temporary hideout, but Harold Harper and the authorities are still after him.
III (S1, E3)
Forced to flee, Chase finally tells Zoe the truth about his past, but it might be too late.
IV (S1, E4)
Both Chase and Harper try to move forward with their plans, but their choices backfire.
V (S1, E5)
Chase and Harper face decisive tests; Zoe finds a new path forward as old stories resurface.
VI (S1, E6)
Chase and Zoe enter the lion’s den; as Harper ends one partnership, another begins.
VII (S1, E7)
Chase is forced to face the consequences of his past choices. Harper learns an impossible truth.
Episodes Summary – Season (2) Two
VIII (S2, E1)
Now in Afghanistan, Dan Chase and Harold Harper have to evade the Taliban to save Emily.
IX (S2, E2)
Emily Chase learns of her true identity as the daughter of Faraz Hamzad while outside forces threaten her and her new family.
X (S2, E3)
Dan and Emily Chase reunite for the first time in many years and must protect the Hamzad village from the Taliban.
XI (S2, E4)
Chase and Harper try to convince Morgan Bote to help Emily, but when Zoe McDonald resurfaces, they realize the story’s much bigger than they thought.
XII (S2, E5)
Chase, Harper and Zoe take refuge in Harper’s house only to receive tragic news.
XIII (S2, E6)
Chase and Zoe must track down Hamzad’s lawyer in London, while Harper must recruit an unlikely partner.
XIV (S2, E7)
Chase is taken captive by Suleyman Pavlovich as he risks everything to save Zoe. Harper must go to the opposite end of the earth to confront his past.
XV (S2, E8)
Everything is on the line as Zoe must save Chase’s life, while Harper’s misstep puts him in peril.
A note about the title “The Old Man”
In Season 1 of this series, it has been implied that either Dan Chase or Harold Harper is “The Old Man.”
Among Afghans, Baba Ghor-Ghori is a revered figure known for his legendary status as a saint who triumphs over demons.
Now in Season 2, we learn that there exists an individual who is much older than both. Morgan Bote, their mentor, is the authentic “Old Man,” the weaver of this intricate tapestry of deceit and falsehoods. Additionally, Faraz Hamzad might also be identified as “The Old Man” in the title, since he is Angela Adams’ biological father.
About the brief modern history of “Afghanistan”
In the history books, Afghanistan has earned the moniker “Graveyard of Empires” because of the various powerful nations that have endeavoured to invade and occupy the land, including the British, Russians, and Americans, all of whom have faced disastrous outcomes.
When Americans (USA) invaded Afghanistan
Afghanistan’s history in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks is defined by a lengthy war and substantial alterations within the country. In response to the attacks, the United States and its coalition partners initiated an invasion to remove the Taliban regime, which was accused of sheltering Al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. The initial military action was executed with speed, leading to the Taliban’s downfall and the establishment of a new government under the leadership of Hamid Karzai. The following years were defined by an extended insurgency from the Taliban and other militant groups, leading to a protracted and costly conflict.
But Afghanistan has to have the last laugh, recently
The Taliban gradually regained their foothold, and by 2021, they had recaptured much of the nation. The United States and its allies began a phased withdrawal of their forces, with the last American troops departing Afghanistan in August 2021. In the aftermath, the Taliban seized power and established a new government, marking the conclusion of a two-decade war that had a lasting impact on Afghanistan and the surrounding region.
The ratings
| Seasons | FM Rating |
|---|---|
| Season 1 | 3.80/5 |
| Season 2 | 3.75/5 |
The conclusion
So far, we enjoyed watching the first two seasons packed with tension-filled fifteen chapters of The Old Man series. Then, once again, like Season 1, even the Season 2 finale concluded with a cliffhanger ending. And it seems that the (old) spies do not get to live a peaceful life for far too long, as their shady past always catches up with them. All in all, it is a fairly engaging and stirring spy show for the marathon watch, over the weekend.
Featured Image of Jeff Bridges (Dan Chase) & John Lithgow (Harold Harper) in Afghanistan.
The Posters and Featured Images of The Old Man (Seasons 1 & Season 2) series are credited to FX.