Season two of The Old Man is making waves for all the wrong reasons, with critics saying the series feels past its prime just after entering its sophomore year. This show, originally based on Thomas Perry's novel and brought to life by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine, kicked off strong but has steadily lost its punch since the initial episodes.
Jeff Bridges, the show’s leading man, portrays Dan Chase, formerly of the CIA, alongside his counterpart John Lithgow, who plays FBI director Harold Harper. Together, they navigate espionage and family ties, including their quest to find Chase's surrogate daughter, Emily, played by Alia Shawkat. But as the series stretches on, many fans feel the significant stars have been sidelined, leaving just echoes of the thrilling premise they fell in love with.
The second season debuted on September 12, with Chase and Harper venturing deep inside Afghanistan to save Emily from her biological father, Faraz Hamzad. It’s meant to be an exciting reunion fraught with emotional tension, yet the narrative often meanders off track, focusing on less compelling characters and conflicts instead of the seasoned leads.
These narrative choices have critics puzzled; Nick Schager from The Daily Beast notes, “Much of the second episode is dedicated to Emily and Faraz’s tortured dynamic, and it’s a blunder.” Instead of digging deep, the conversations often feel hollow and repetitive, with moments of anguish overshadowed by tedious dialogue.
The absence of Chase and Harper takes the wind out of the show’s sails. Their rapport, once crackling with chemistry, is relegated to background conversations about Emily’s identity and their own parental roles. Yet, the thrilling elements of spy craft and heart-pounding action are sorely missed as their exhilarating missions transform instead to ruminations on family and belonging.
Plotlines revolve around the Taliban’s interest in Faraz, who possesses secrets tied to the lithium mine—vital to U.S. interests—while also wanting to assert his authority over Emily. These geopolitical undercurrents cloud the personal stakes of the story, detracting from the pulse-pounding espionage narrative we expect. Schager criticizes this shift, stating, “More fundamentally, the series’ fixation on Afghanistan politics means it’s no longer really about the aged lone wolf on the run from his past.”
While the story wrestles with questions of identity and family, the method feels disjointed. Emily’s rapid emotional connection to Faraz feels forced, particularly as she mounts risks to protect people she barely knows. Links to her heritage—an emotional fisherman’s net—should feel genuine, but instead appear like contrived plot devices. It’s as if the character, thrust from her life and suddenly feeling at home with Faraz’s family, hops over the necessary emotional beats of doubt and hesitation.
Even as supportive players, Bridges and Lithgow remain captivating when on screen. Yet their audience starved for more action finds little satisfaction: “It’s frustrating,” Schager writes, “that those instances [of action] are few and far between, and fleet and unsatisfying even when they do materialize.” Their roles provide enough glimpses of depth to shine, but the reliance on exposition bulldozes the intensity—the audience feels the loss.
Alia Shawkat’s Emily may be important, but Susan’s growth feels far less intriguing than exploring the titular old man's complexity and darkness. Confine Chase to the periphery for too long, and the energy drains, making once-vibrant characters ghosts of their former selves. The exchanges turn dry, muddled by “writerly dialogue” where each line seems crafted for profundity, sucking away the natural flow of conversation.
This second season's storytelling choices clearly signal we're no longer on the edge of our seats. Waiting for the espionage to kick back is akin to waiting for paint to dry. The pacing drags uninspired, and without the blockbuster stakes we initially craved, the series is limping to the finish line.
The show still has episodes left, but with the latest installments failing to ignite excitement, the anticipation is turning toward apprehension. Season two promises to switch up cast entries, but whether these will breathe new life or deepen the malaise remains uncertain.
At its core, The Old Man struggles against the weight of its aspirations. The breaking themes—family, belonging, and redemption—have muddled the essence of why audiences tuned in: the thrilling ride of Chase evading his past and outsmarting any foe. Fans hope for more action from Bridges and Lithgow rather than philosophical musings on parenthood and identity.
It's evident the heart of the show may have been misplaced or mismanaged, raising questions about the direction selected for both Chase and Harper. With the plot rooted firmly away from the characters we adore, there’s little left to retain its charm, leaving viewers yearning for the tension and excitement once synonymous with the show.
Reviving the thrill may take insight, with engaging twists meant to re-focus on the dynamic between these iconic leads. With several episodes yet to air this season, the cliffhangers will undoubtedly capture attention — but can the narrative redeem itself? Only time will tell.
The wrestling with identity and the quest for belonging aren’t just themes; they’re often personal narratives many can relate to, yet the execution has resulted more as homilies than heartthumping adventures. Here’s hoping The Old Man finds its bearings as it progresses, delivering the proper balance of exploration and edge we came to love.
A season well-launched may likely transform sagging viewership without leaving audiences altogether behind, but regaining footing for Bonds and their family conflicts is central to making the show compelling once more. Stakes may genuinely be high, but if the action doesn’t back it up, viewers may soon find themselves watching anything else but weary old warhorses struggling with the question of which home they belong to.
