Critic Reviews

Four episodes in, the filmmakers of “The Old Man” have crafted a dazzlingly intense dramatic thriller that ranks up there with the best TV of the year so far.

What’s offered in the preview to critics of season two is excellent, engaging, and full of tense magnetism. Frankly, we’re hoping this is the end for the series, so it goes out on top with a big, wounding, powerful bang.

Based on the first four episodes that were given to critics, it’s too early to tell if The Old Man will be the indisputable masterpiece is promises to be. Regardless, one thing is clear: FX has something special on its hands.

The Old Man is thrilling more often than not, and it's anchored by tremendous lead performances that make it a worthwhile watch for anyone who needs a true adult political thriller in their life.

It is a show that never rests on its laurels, confronting and confounding in equal measure. While it is a little rough around the edges, much like Bridges himself, it still never lacks a sharp sense of tact and tension that transcends beyond any constrictions.

The result is an engaging and sometimes thrilling two-hander.

With danger always lurking, Bridges convinces us that underestimating this well-seasoned spy has deadly consequences, while the terrific Brenneman startles us by refusing to play the damsel in distress. [13 Jun - 3 Jul 2022, p.4]

The seriousness of the show’s approach to Chase, and Bridges’s excellence in the role, are what set “The Old Man” apart, but it’s also (through Week 4) a well-above-average if unusually pensive and introspective spy thriller. ... The episodes have texture and an unforced urgency. As a bonus there’s John Lithgow, who gives an expertly entertaining performance as Chase’s primary nemesis.

It’s more than up to the challenge it establishes for itself, generating immediate intrigue and engagement through Bridges’ performance as a seventysomething with a skill set that would make James Bond blush.

The performances are all impeccable, from the main players to the well-furnished minor ones (Grey in what amounts to a cameo, and when we get a glimpse of Harper’s wife, the great Jessica Harper). But it’s Bridges’ show. When the story leaves him for too long, you itch for his return.