The Old Man, a drama thriller television series, based on Thomas Perry's 2017 novel, was first released on FX in 2022. It stars Jeff Bridges as Dan Chase, an aging octogenarian with experience as an ex-CIA operative, who lives off the grid.
The first season had seven episodes and wrapped up with a cliffhanger. Many had assumed that the sudden twist in the show’s climax scene would be a one-time thing, but then the show itself ended with Dan still running and a shocking revelation about the parentage of his daughter Emily.
The second season of The Old Man premiered on September 12, 2024.
Recap of season 1 of The Old Man
In Season 1 of The Old Man, Chase is on the run from the FBI and the CIA. Several agencies are called into action to catch him. Chase was being pursued throughout the season by both agencies, so that they could capture him before Hamzad.
Then the twist arrives. The US government, working with the warlord, has kidnapped Emily. Chase and Harper must forget their differences, reunite, and rescue Emily after Hamzad renounces his American friends.
The show indirectly hints from the beginning that 'the old man' is Dan Chase, but in Season 1's series finale, a bombshell was dropped: Emily's biological father was actually the Afghan warlord who had been pursuing Chase all series long.
With a few father figures in her life - her mentors, her biological father, and her adoptive dad, Emily seems to be in the category of a different kind of family, one that sets aside the meaning of "old man.".
Who is Dan Chase in The Old Man?
The main character of The Old Man, Dan Chase, is a retired agent of the CIA, who has spent more than 30 years off the grid. Dan is in hiding because he's somehow connected to a troubled past that is entangled with a Russian takeover of Afghanistan.
Dan got involved with Afghan warlord Faraz Hamzad and his wife Abbey, which led him into some dangerous double-crossing that haunts him. Abbey had her secrets too, of being a double agent and knowing secrets of precious minerals that would have a bearing on the balance of power.
Dan helped Belour escape from Hamzad and they sneaked into the US, lived there in secrecy, and brought up their daughter Emily Chase. His dealings with Hamzad and Belour were therefore being watched over by the FBI.
Why is the show named The Old Man?
Old Man is all about the family, truth, and lies. This show promises to keep the viewers on the edge of their seats. The way the creators made The Old Man Season 1 end with so many unanswered questions works perfectly to create interest within the viewers for the next season of FX's thriller.
Right from the start, there was an air of an amply slow-burning tale with many twists and turns to come involving Chase, Harper, and Emily. The characters don't have perfect hero-worship motives. They all possess not one, but several flaws that might even torment and shape them. Trapped in their past, they're emotionally spent from their search for answers and quest for redemption.
The Old Man's world does not revolve around right or wrong. That is more of an old man's thing which comprises grey, complex, and discomfort. In the show, it is hard to catch Dan through these torn-apart scenes, but that is part of the story.
Talking to Deadline, Steinberg said the whole concept behind the show. He said;
“It’s not a cop-out, but I’ve always sort of thought of the old man as more of a concept. Everybody’s got one and it’s relative. He’s their old man. Even old men have an old man.”
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The show's Season 1 along with two episodes from Season 2 titled VIII and IX is now available for viewers to stream on ABC. You can also stream the show on different streaming platforms like Hulu, Disney Plus, and its TV broadcast channel FX at 10 pm ET.
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