ITV hasn’t been putting a step wrong with the shows that it’s been adding thanks to its deal with Disney+, which allows the two networks to broadcast the other’s shows. One of the latest additions to ITV’s library is The Old Man, an action thriller starring the likes of Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow. However, there is a major catch for fans of the series, which originally aired on FX between 2022 and 2024, as fans are only able to stream the debut season, although this is the season that many viewers preferred.
What is The Old Man About?
Based on the book of the same name by Thomas Perry, The Old Man follows Dan Chase (Jeff Bridges), a former CIA operative and Vietnam War veteran who goes on the run after an attacker attempts to murder him. Harold Harper (John Lithgow), the FBI’s Assistant-Director for Counterintelligence, is tasked with capturing Dan, however, his motives are murky as he hires hitman Julian Carson (Gbenga Akinnagbe) to kill Dan.
The official synopsis for the series reads: “A retired CIA agent is hunted by both the agency he once worked for and his own nightmares, when an unknown man suddenly visits him after nearly three decades.”
What did fans make of The Old Man?
While fan response for the first season was positive, it became a lot more mixed when the second season aired in 2024. One viewer wrote: “Season 1 was great. In fact, the first number of episodes were just epic, Jeff Bridges is sublime. It keeps you totally glued to see what happens next. Good background story and he is basically kicking [expletive], which less face it, is what we want to see from this so-called Old Man. season 2 has started off like a completely different show, slow, boring, bad story, I would almost stretch to say, bad acting from Lithgow. Just all around really the opposite to everything that was great about season 1. Very disappointing so far. It’s looking like they should have just made a miniseries and left it at that.”
A second person added: “Now that was a first episode if there ever was one. Terrific to see Bridges looking well and in such great form. Lithgow, as always, a treasure. This is going to be fun!” while a third penned: “Enjoyed the first season. The pacing, story, and characters were in good form. Costumes, set design, and music are top notch in both seasons. Various elements have become diluted with the 2nd season. The actors still give committed performances, but most of the dialogue is ridiculously ponderous.”
A fourth mused: “I was really looking forward to watching The Old Man ever since I saw the first trailer. I’m a fan of spy thrillers and Jeff Bridges so I had high expectations going in. Well, it not only met those expectations but exceeded them in every way. The acting, writing, directing, etc.,” and a fifth said: “This is one of those rare slowly unfolding gems with high-quality actors.“
Who stars in The Old Man?
The cast is led by iconic actor Jeff Bridges, who plays former CIA operative Dan Chase. Jeff rose to fame in action thrillers like Sea Hunt, King Kong, Tron and Iron Man. The star has earned plenty of accolades for his acting, including winning the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Crazy Heart. Joining Jeff is John Lithgow, who has starred in the likes of Dexter, The Crown, Conclave and 3rd Rock from the Sun. John plays FBI assistant director Harold Harper in the series.
© ITVRounding out the cast are E. J. Bonilla (Guiding Light), Bill Heck (I Know What You Did Last Summer), Leem Lubany (Condor), Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development), Gbenga Akinnagbe (The Wire), Amy Brenneman (Private Practice), Navid Negahban (Legion), Jacqueline Antaramian (Manifest) and Hiam Abbass (Succession).
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