The Old Man (TV series)
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | June 16, 2022 |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Television series |
The Old Man is a U.S. television series in the action and thriller categories, adapted from Thomas Perry's 2017 novel The Old Man. Created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine, the show debuted on FX on June 16, 2022, launching with a seven-episode first season. Following its initial run, the series was renewed for a second season, which began airing on September 12, 2024. However, in December 2024, the show was officially canceled after completing two seasons.
Premise
The storyline follows Dan Chase, a former CIA agent and Vietnam War veteran who also served in Afghanistan. After he kills an intruder in his home, Chase decides to go into hiding. He takes up residence renting a room from Zoe McDonald, who becomes an unwilling ally during his flight.
The manhunt for Chase is spearheaded by Harold Harper, the FBI Assistant Director for Counterintelligence, due to Chase’s complicated background involving the Soviet–Afghan War. Assisting Harper are FBI agent Angela Adams, CIA operative Raymond Waters, and Julian Carson, a hired assassin tasked with eliminating Chase.
Main
- Jeff Bridges portrays Dan Chase / Henry Dixon / Johnny Kohler / Peter Caldwell / Lou Barlow
- John Lithgow appears as Harold Harper
- E. J. Bonilla plays Raymond Waters (season 1)
- Bill Heck acts as young Johnny Kohler / Dan Chase (season 1; guest season 2)
- Leem Lubany features as young Belour Hamzad (née Daadfar) (season 1; guest season 2)
- Alia Shawkat is Angela Adams / Emily Chase / Parwana Hamzad
- Gbenga Akinnagbe plays Julian Carson
- Amy Brenneman appears as Zoe McDonald / Marcia Dixon
- Navid Negahban portrays Faraz Hamzad (season 2; guest season 1)
- Jacqueline Antaramian acts as Khadija (season 2; guest season 1)
Recurring
- Hiam Abbass as Belour Hamzad (née Daadfar) / Abbey Chase (season 1)
- Jessica Harper plays Cheryl Harper (season 1; guest season 2)
- Joel Grey appears as Morgan Bote (season 1; guest season 2)
- Kenneth Mitchell as Joe (season 1)
- Pej Vahdat portrays young Faraz Hamzad (season 1; guest season 2)
- Noor Razooky acts as young Khadija (season 1)
- Echo Kellum appears as Mike (season 1)
- Rade Serbedzija features as Suleyman Pavlovic (season 2; guest season 1)
- Janet McTeer plays Marion (season 2)
- Artur Zai Barrera acts as Omar (season 2)
- Sara Seyed portrays Faruza (season 2)
- Amir Malaklou appears as Tarik (season 2)
Guest
- Nelson Franklin plays Dr. Howard (season 1)
- Christopher Redman appears as young Harold Harper (season 1)
- Jessica Parker Kennedy features as Woman at Bus Stop
- Rowena King acts as Nina Kruger
- Jordan Bridges portrays Zachary (season 1)
- Faran Tahir appears as Abdellaatif Rahmani (season 1)
- Brad Beyer plays Chip Harper (season 2)
- Ana Mulvoy-Ten acts as Anna Rollins (season 2)
- Nikolai Nikolaeff features as Fedotov (season 2)
- John Ales appears as Ben (season 2)
- Nick Boraine portrays Pete (season 2)
- Daniyar acts as Pavel (season 2)
Production
In July 2019, FX announced the series with a pilot order starring Jeff Bridges. By September of that year, Jon Watts was attached to direct the pilot and serve as an executive producer, while John Lithgow and Amy Brenneman joined the cast. The following month, Alia Shawkat was added to the lineup. In November, Bob Iger revealed that the show would be available on FX on Hulu, with Austin Stowell cast to play a younger version of Dan Chase.
In February 2020, Kenneth Mitchell confirmed his involvement in the project. The following month saw Bill Heck replacing Austin Stowell in the role of young Dan Chase, alongside Gbenga Akinnagbe, Leem Lubany, and E. J. Bonilla joining the main cast. Later that year in December, Navid Negahban and Pej Vahdat were announced for recurring roles.
Production was halted midway through March 2020 due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, having completed approximately two-thirds of filming. Work resumed toward the end of that year with three episodes remaining; however, filming was again paused when Jeff Bridges was diagnosed with lymphoma in October and began treatment. During this period, production continued briefly for scenes not involving his character. Bridges announced his remission in September 2021, allowing production to recommence in February 2022.
The initial season consisted of seven episodes. The soundtrack was composed by T Bone Burnett and Patrick Warren and included incidental tracks from artists such as Elvis Costello, Charlie Parker, and Robert Plant.
On June 27, 2022, FX renewed The Old Man for a second season. Filming for this follow-up was interrupted in May 2023 due to the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike. Ultimately, on December 17, 2024, FX canceled the series after two seasons.
Release
The show debuted on June 16, 2022, airing on FX across the United States and Canada. Subsequently, it became available on Disney+ (Star) starting July 13, 2022, in Australia and New Zealand, as well as on Star+ throughout Latin America and on Disney+ Hotstar in India. The second installment of the series premiered on FX on September 12, 2024.
Critical response
During its first season, Rotten Tomatoes recorded a 97% approval rating with an average score of 7.4 out of 10 based on 61 critic reviews, highlighting Jeff Bridges' commanding presence in this gripping thriller. Meanwhile, Metacritic assigned a score of 72 out of 100 from 27 critics, reflecting "generally favorable reviews."
The sophomore season experienced a drop in critical acclaim; Rotten Tomatoes showed a 64% approval rating with an average score of 6.5 from 14 critics, acknowledging that while Bridges and John Lithgow continued to deliver strong performances, the season was perceived as somewhat drawn out. Metacritic rated it 66 out of 100 based on nine reviews, also categorized as "generally favorable."
Ratings
The Old Man launched on June 16 with its initial two episodes becoming the most-watched cable series premiere since January 2021, surpassing over sixty cable dramas and comedies. Additionally, it set a record for the highest viewership for an FX series debut on Hulu during its opening weekend.
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Australian Cinematographers Society Awards | Telefeatures, TV Dramas & Mini Series | Jules O'Loughlin | Template:Won |
| 2023 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Actor in a Drama Series | Jeff Bridges | Template:Nominated |
| Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | John Lithgow | Template:Nominated | ||
| 28th Critics' Choice Awards | Best Actor in a Drama Series | Jeff Bridges | Template:Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | John Lithgow | Template:Nominated | ||
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series | Jeff Bridges | Template:Nominated | |
| 27th Satellite Awards | Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie | Jeff Bridges | Template:Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie | John Lithgow | Template:Won | ||
| Best Miniseries and Limited Series | The Old Man | Template:Nominated | ||
| AARP Movies for Grownups Awards | Best Actor - Television | Jeff Bridges | Template:Won | |
| Best Television Series | The Old Man | Template:Won | ||
| American Society of Cinematographers Awards | Episode of a One-Hour Television Series – Commercial | Jules O'Loughlin | Template:Won | |
| Visual Effects Society Awards | Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode | Erik Henry, Matt Robken, Jamie Klein, Sylvain Theroux, J.D. Streett | Template:Nominated | |
| 75th Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | Jeff Bridges | Template:Nominated | |
| Outstanding Cinematography for a Series (One Hour) | Sean Porter (for "I") | Template:Nominated |
|- |2025 |31st Screen Actors Guild Awards |Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series |Jeff Bridges
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