Having read the article about the making of the series I think you are right also that the flashbacks were made to keep Jeff's scenes low. I also think if that was the only reason they existed would be painful to watch and on the whole they were good. I didn't mind the exposition in the flashbacks. It gave flavour to the current scenes and kept it from being another chase the good/bad guy series. Without the flashbacks the show would be another version of 24 or some such show. I also thought the actors in the flashbacks were great. It's the acting that is carrying the show out of the ordinary.
What, they just leave the daughter in Afghanistan? Bridges had some health problems about 3-4 shows into production, and they had to shut down for months while he dealt with chemotherapy and radiation. He's reportedly cancer-free at the moment, but I agree his energy level and speech were (understandably) not great towards the end.
Spoiler: Origins She's about to get answers to all of her questions regarding her origins/past from her biological father, the ones that Dan/Harold wouldn't answer.
Spoiler My theory is that she's been playing Dan the same way she played Harold. She's not only a double agent, she's at least a triple agent. And this has all gone according to her plan.
I thought it was interesting that he looked nothing like Bridges did at that age, yet was instantly recognizable and totally believable as the younger version of the character.
After grabbing me from the start for two episodes, the show lost me after episode four . . . well, pretty much after the realization that the writers were serious about letting Zoe so easily get the better of an international man of mystery man who apparently controlled the fate of nations and amassed great wealth in the process. Zoe was suddenly transformed from a neophyte B&B owner to, apparently, an international woman of mystery who can control the fate of a man who at least used to be able to control the fate of nations and amass great wealth in the process. Meanwhile, Chase has been reduced to an indecisive, doddering old man - hence the title of the series, I suspect - who seems to merely say "f**k" a lot with Dude-like resignation. I wanted to continue with the series just to see if Steve Buscemi would pop up at some point and say "Dude, your phone's ringing" or a blind Asian man would call someone "grasshopper" after a particularly deep and philosophical monologue (and there seem to be plenty of those). But I don't think I'll be able to. I don't think the show is particularly well-written and much of the acting (especially the actress playing Angela) is no better. Do Lithgow and Bridges join forces and escape the plot and start another series together? I don't think I can wait to see if that happens either, but my wife wants to continue with the series and will keep me posted. Maybe the two dogs already have effectively planned their own escape.
That's Joel Grey!!!!!????? Missed that in the credits. At least he's interesting. When my wife is finished with each episode she can give me a summary. Maybe I'll want to jump back in, but I doubt it. We were doing that with Only Murders in the Building, but I became less interested with each episode summary.
I was like you in that I assumed the title was in reference to the Bridges character but then Lithgow specifically called Grey "The Old Man" in one of the later episodes. I looked up Grey and he is 90 now and with Bridges health problems I hope Season 2 is being shot sooner rather than later.
There they stood with the realization sinking in that despite all their resources and ruthlessness they were unable to affect a situation that they never grasped or had any influence over. I'll give it a metaphor out of five.
We're also seeing this with "young Colin Robinson" over on What We Do In The Shadows this season. (Well, if you replace the word, "instantly" with "vaguely"...)
not a fan of the way it ended but if season two is coming hopefully it will clean things up a bit. most probably saw the twist coming but this time i did not. well done.
I agree the first few episodes held my attention, the Zoe part with her besting him strained credibility. I never cared for the Angela character, or believed her acting. Lithgow and Bridges are the best part, don't think a second season interests me.
It started off strong but finished with whimper. At the very end, I was like what... that's it? Another idea that would have been a good two hour movie that they stretched out to make a season.
I wouldn't go that far it wasnt that bad. I love the character and plot development that a series can do. Especially with great actors and writers, and all the rest of the mostly unsung heroes that make a series "Great TV". This would have been just another Action movie, a genre that (IMO) would have wasted the talents of Jeff & John. That said, it's not "great" by any means.