The Disney+ Action Thriller Series Proves Your Past Always Catches Up
Though Jeff Bridges is most well known for portraying “The Dude” in 1998’s The Big Lebowski, we mustn’t forget about his contributions to the thriller genre over the decades. If you haven’t been keeping an eye on what Bridges has been up to the past few years, we strongly recommend checking out the FX on Hulu series, The Old Man, which can currently be streamed on the Hulu section of Disney+.
But we urge you to be careful because like 1999’s Arlington Road, The Old Man will have you biting your fingernails down to the knuckles while constantly looking over your shoulder as the suspense never lets up.
Jeff Bridges Is A Former CIA Operative On The Run
The Old Man’s story centers on former CIA operative and Afghanistan veteran Dan Chase (Jeff Bridges), who is suddenly rocked out of retirement when an intruder attempts to extract him from hiding. When his off-the-grid living situation is discovered, Chase kills an intruder and immediately finds himself on the run.
Matters get complicated when his former colleague and friend, FBI Assistant Director of Counterintelligence Harold Harper (John Lithgow), is tasked with hunting him down because there are loose ends that need to be tied up in regard to a rogue fugitive that they have both encountered in the past while working together.
Dan Chase’s Past Catches Up To Him
But just because Chase is out of the game doesn’t mean that he’s an easy target in The Old Man. He may be retired from the CIA, but that doesn’t mean that his skills have been dulled with age. Knowing this, Harper recruits the help of FBI agents, CIA officers, and a mercenary to locate and kill Chase.
Deciding to lay low while he figures out his next move, Chase rents a room from a woman named Zoe McDonald (Amy Brenneman), who reluctantly and unwittingly becomes his accomplice when his secret past slowly but surely reveals itself.
Fans Can’t Get Enough Of Jeff Bridges
The Old Man was an immediate hit upon its premiere, and has received a 97 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes for its first season. More importantly, critics universally agree that Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow make for a perfect pair of friends turned foes in this gripping drama. Falling into the patterns typical of the character archetypes found in the thriller genre, The Old Man offers a refreshing take on a man who wants to put his past behind him, but realizes that he eventually has to face the music.
Season 2 Is On Its Way
The Old Man, despite its acclaim, is not without criticism. The primary bone that critics have to pick with the series is that it is slow to start, as there is a lot of expository ground to cover. But it’s worth noting that The Old Man was renewed for a second season shortly after its premiere in 2022.
Now that the foundation has been laid out, we can reasonably expect the same level of mystery and suspense in season 2, and with that, pacing that’s a little more engaging for those who feel that season 1 lacks momentum.
Stream The Old Man On Disney+ And Hulu
Season 2 of The Old Man is slated for a late 2024 premiere, but outside of that update the series’ production status has yet to be confirmed. In the meantime, you can catch up on the first seven episodes to prepare for what’s to come. Just make sure you’re subscribed to both Hulu and Disney+ so you can stream the title immediately.
