If there was ever any doubt that Jeff Bridges, John Lithgow and Alia Shawkat had the stamina and endurance to continue the action-packed, fast-paced spy games of The Old Man, through the first couple of episodes of Season 2 at least, they have proven to still have the energy necessary to extend one of my favorite TV shows in recent years. And for that, I am thankful.
The season premiere, “VIII,” finally brings an ongoing storyline where Bridges’ former CIA operative, Dan Chase, and Lithgow’s former FBI Assistant Director, Harold Harper, share more than one scene together (that was a minor complaint from Season 1).
For the moment, at least, the cat-and-mouse games extending from their complicated past have been placed on hold while they work together to free FBI Agent Angela Adams (Chase’s adopted daughter and Harper’s professional protégée, played by Shawkat), who’s been kidnapped by a tribal crime lord in Afghanistan, Faraz Hamzad (Navid Negahban).
If this spy thriller sounds complex, well, it is, slightly, but so many flashbacks ease the viewer into the storyline. And if you survived the rollercoaster ride of Season 1, you shouldn’t have any problems with the second season.
An impressive amount of onscreen acting is what this series features, along with many slick stunts. And did I mention the show’s evolving protagonist/antagonist (depending on your point of view) is nearly 75 years old? Bridges still looks great and fills the shoes nicely as an older Jason Bourne. Much like Bourne, The Old Man is also an adaptation of a bestselling book (Thomas Perry wrote the original source material for this show).
Episode 2, “IX,” features Adams chasing the ghosts of her past (an ongoing theme for each of the main characters), as she FINALLY learns about her true identity, which has been previously hidden for multiple decades. Freshly formed family ties knot up her serpentine story, to say the least, as Shawkat acts her ass off. I fully expect the actress to receive an Emmy nomination from this episode, alone, for next year’s ceremony.
“Wherever this leads… we’re in this together, now.”
Both episodes end with powerfully unfair cliffhangers, demanding the viewer to watch the follow-up episode to learn what happens next, so I deem them both to be successfully crafted. The series is filled with international intrigue that feels like it’s ripped straight from the headlines, as the war on terror knows no boundaries. And even though I haven’t read Perry’s 2017 novel, the ongoing story elements feel like this show has already escaped the pages of the original novel, branching out into something else, entirely.
This is now an action-based ghost story, where everyone is haunted by their past.
The Old Man has already withstood many obstacles; I’m pleasantly surprised Season 2 even received the green light. Production on the first season was originally halted while Bridges underwent chemotherapy for lymphoma. Now in remission, his cancer scare was followed by suspension of the season due to COVID-19 and later, the WGA work stoppage. Season 2 is confirmed to have only eight episodes, and I need to see more from this show, right now.
Deep within enemy territory, with threats of Taliban spies everywhere, Chase’s superpower is swimming through government regulation and surviving the secondary bullshit along the way. As a living legend, his brutally violent past endeavors may have finally caught up to him, but somehow, even his age doesn’t detract from this ultimate mission.
Bridges wears the role of Dan Chase with ease, as if it’s his favorite hoodie, which is incredibly comfortable and well worn. I’m looking forward to watching more of his grumbling and growling adventures as the season continues!