Patrick Dempsey Returns In Memory Of A Killer Thriller

Patrick Dempsey has returned to television in a role that’s a far cry from his days as a network heartthrob. In Fox’s new drama Memory of a Killer, which debuted its two-night premiere on January 25 and 26, 2026, Dempsey stars as Angelo Flannery—also known as Angelo Doyle—a man whose life is split cleanly down the middle. By day, he’s a small-town photocopier salesman and devoted father. By night, he’s a feared New York City hitman. But the wall between these two worlds is beginning to crumble, and not just because of the usual threats that come with a life of crime.

The show’s central twist—and the source of its title—is Angelo’s battle with early-onset Alzheimer’s, a disease that threatens to unravel both his double life and his very sense of self. According to Gold Derby, co-showrunner Aaron Zelman explained, “Part of that is, of course, something seems to be going wrong with his memory, hence the name of the show, and it seems to be having an effect on how he sees himself, how he sees what he does for a living.” It’s a premise that asks: How long can a man outsmart the world when he can’t trust his own mind?

The series is inspired by the 1995 Belgian novel and 2003 film De Zaak Alzheimer, but the American adaptation brings its own flavor and pacing. The first episode aired Thursday, January 25, at 9 p.m. Eastern, with episode two following on Friday night. For those who missed the debut, catching up is easy: both episodes are available to stream live and on demand for free through Fubo and DIRECTV’s free trials, while Sling TV offers a range of passes—from a $4.99 Day Pass to a $199.99 Season Pass—making the show accessible to cord-cutters and traditional viewers alike. Fubo’s packages range from $73.99 to $103.99 per month, DIRECTV’s from $69.99 to $159.99, and Sling TV offers both Blue and Orange packages with different streaming limits.

Dempsey’s transformation into a tightly wound assassin is the main draw, but the supporting cast brings depth and texture to the story. Michael Imperioli plays Dutch, Angelo’s oldest friend and the restaurateur whose kitchen doubles as a criminal command center. Odeya Rush is Maria, Angelo’s pregnant daughter who believes her father is just a humble salesman. Daniel David Stewart appears as Jeff, Maria’s husband, while Richard Harmon plays Joe, an ambitious young hitman. Gina Torres takes on the role of Special Agent Linda Grant, an FBI agent with a nose for trouble, and Peter Gadiot is Dave, a local detective and friend from Angelo’s everyday life.

One of the show’s most striking visual motifs is Angelo’s use of cars to signal his dual identity. In his family life, he drives a nondescript station wagon; in his criminal life, a slick black Porsche. As Zelman told Gold Derby, “The way that the car represents his alter ego, if you will, is really fun. We like to play with that.” Dempsey, an avid racer off-screen, performed his own driving for the premiere, adding a layer of authenticity to the high-speed sequences.

But it’s not all style over substance. The heart of Memory of a Killer lies in its exploration of identity, memory, and the cost of compartmentalization. Angelo’s carefully constructed world is threatened not just by outside enemies, but by his own failing mind. The showrunners, Aaron Zelman and Glenn Kessler, who took over production in November 2025, have made it a point to portray Alzheimer’s with realism and sensitivity. They consult with a neurologist to ensure that Angelo’s symptoms progress in a believable way. “We’re very clear and realistic about what’s possible and what’s not possible given the timeline,” Zelman said. “So these things can be done, but at what point does it become a liability to your own safety, especially if you do a job that involves life or death outcomes?”

The show’s plot is anything but simple. In the pilot, Angelo takes out a hit on the brother of a mob boss and, against Dutch’s wishes, later kills the mob boss himself—Carl Mosher—potentially igniting a mob war. Meanwhile, the man who killed Angelo’s wife has been released from prison and has threatened Maria, adding a personal and emotional layer to the danger. As Pajiba noted, “By the end of the episode, someone—it’s not clear who—also tries to take out Angelo’s pregnant daughter.” Angelo’s compartmentalization is further complicated by his genetic legacy: his brother, who is in a care facility with Alzheimer’s, rarely speaks, hinting at the fate that may await Angelo himself.

Special Agent Linda Grant, played by Gina Torres, is introduced as a formidable opponent. She ties bullets used in an attempt on Maria’s life to a murder in another state and quickly suspects that Angelo is not who he appears to be. “She’s a force to be reckoned with. She’s very good at her job, and she’s sniffing out that things don’t seem quite right with Angelo,” Zelman confirmed. “Let’s just say she’s a dog with a bone. She’s not gonna let it go.”

The show also introduces a shadowy antagonist known only as “The Ferryman,” who hires a hitman to target Maria. Angelo kills the would-be assassin, but not before learning he’s up against a much larger and more elusive threat. The writers promise that this plot thread will continue to weave through the season, adding layers of intrigue and danger.

For all its twists and turns, Memory of a Killer doesn’t shy away from its emotional core. Angelo’s fierce protectiveness of his daughter and unborn grandchild is a driving force, even as his mind betrays him. The showrunners are keen to explore how the pressure of maintaining a double life—and the onset of Alzheimer’s—affects not just Angelo’s safety, but his relationships and sense of self. “There’s basically three things in our lives: We’ve got our work, we’ve got our family, and we’ve got our love lives,” Zelman said. “These are the things that we wanted to explore with Angelo’s character.”

Critics have noted that the premiere packs a lot into its opening hour, perhaps too much. Pajiba observed, “The series stuffs so much into the pilot that I’m concerned the rest of the season will too often sit in idle, having burned all the rubber in the premiere.” Still, Dempsey’s performance—balancing the competing demands of his two lives and the growing cracks in his memory—has been widely praised. The show’s success will likely hinge on its ability to maintain that tension without stretching its premise too thin.

As the season continues, viewers can expect more action, more psychological drama, and a deeper dive into the relationships that define Angelo’s world. The third episode, airing February 2, 2026, is titled “Samurai,” a nod to the show’s exploration of costume, persona, and the battle armor we all wear to face the world. Whether Angelo can keep his worlds separate—or whether his crumbling memory will bring everything crashing down—remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure: in Memory of a Killer, the greatest enemy may not be a rival mobster or a relentless FBI agent, but the mind itself.