The Old Man: Episode V Review
The Old Man: Episode V Review
[This review contains spoilers for The Old Man Episode 1-4]
The Old Man has presented itself as a very interesting mystery series with plenty of intrigue surrounding its cast of characters. So I mean to put it lightly when I say this episode didn't really have a lot going on. To the point where, if I'm being honest, I couldn't remember much about it as soon as I fell asleep after watching it Thursday night. This isn't the say the quality dipped or that there weren't a lot of the strong, dialogue-heavy scenes the series has established itself as being so good at presenting. I did think this episode had a lot going for it in terms of both presentation and setup. But with only two episodes remaining this season, the already slow pace of the show grinding to a halt for half the episode (particularly the B-plot) worries me. I know now that the conflict we've seen being built over the last five episodes isn't going to be resolved in the following two, and that the show's recently-confirmed second season will be where the brunt of the heavy reveals takes place. But I am concerned that the series won't end in a place where I would feel confident in saying a second season will be worth checking out.
But as for the fifth episode of the show, it started off with a bang before quietly crawling forward bit by bit. In line with his character, it appears that Harold Harper has discovered that his confidant, Angela, is actually Emily Chase, Dan Chase's daughter using an assumed identity so she can work with the US government. I thought it was neat to see that Harper realized a mole was in on the Chase case due to the events of the Episode 3, and how his mention of Angela's mother in Episode 4 was a deliberate ploy to gauge her emotions while he spoke of her. Harper isn't a stupid man, and I'm glad they used this reveal not only to further the plot, but also to establish just how sharp a mind Harold has between his ears. I'm curious as to how this reveal will impact the plot of the show moving forward, as this episode appeared to meander around it a little more than I would have liked (albeit with some great dialogue between both characters to make up for the lack of consequence).
As for the rest of the plot developments that happen on their end, let's just say that there's a small reveal at the end of the episode that breeds more questions than answers. However, I do hope the series will find time to at least address some of these pile-on mysteries before the end of its first season. I like that the depth and intrigue is building toward something, and I especially enjoy the way everything is being presented here. My only worry has relevance to the pacing, which I find I can't shut up about, but at the same time is still something that concerns me. This episode in particular had Harold and Angela's story not go anywhere until the very end. While it was full of great dialogue (especially a scene where Harold discusses the meaning of one's name), it felt a little underwhelming given the heaviness of Angela's reveal coupled with the later revelation associated with whatever else Chase and Harper are hiding. Good developments? Of course. The Old Man overall is fantastic at its presentation. I just wish in the back of my mind that the presentations were moving forward with a little more speed--or at the very least, that things were continually transpiring despite the slow pace.
(I'm starting to realize I may be losing some in the weeds with the whole "pacing" thing, since slow-paced shows can be quite good, such as The Old Man is. Perhaps more discussion surrounding pacing in television series should be saved for a larger post).
On the other side of the coin we have Dan Chase and his would-be captive Zoe, dealing with the repercussions of Zoe threatening to divorce Dan as their Dixon alter-egos, thus sending his emergency financials into a tailspin. Much of their time in the episode is spent preparing for the next stage of Chase's mission, while at the same time having Chase come to terms with Zoe's decision to be an active part of everything. I feel like this plot development, while expected, is presented rather well. And here, I believe, is where the contrast between Chase and Harper's scenes here come into play. Every scene with Chase in this episode feels important, as each scene plays with the idea of him learning to rely on Zoe while necessary while also making changes for the safety of those he cares about in order to ensure the success of his mission. As previously mentioned, it's slow, but it doesn't feel like filler--every scene feels like a slow burn leading us to something grandiose. I have no doubt in my mind based on the developments in this storyline that Chase and Zoe are in for something incredible next episode.
In addition to the modern-day storyline with Chase is a flashback detailing a bit more regarding his relationship with Abbey and hinting at how things fell out between him and Hamzad due to something the two of them were involved in. I won't spoil it here, as I feel like it was a rather creative direction for the creators of the show to go instead of anything generic. There's a real intrigue building here, and the flashback sequence in this episode does a lot to bolster the oncoming mystery. As for the present-day developments with Chase and Zoe, I feel like the scenes with them gave us time to understand their roles in the story a little bit better. I wasn't quite sure how well they were going to be able to convince me of Zoe's presence adding to the plot, as even now I'm not quite sure how I feel about her inclusion. But now that this episode gave her a little more time to grow into her own, I have an idea as to what her purpose is and am interested to see where the writers take her as the series continues.
While this particular episode of The Old Man was slow and lacked development--enough to give me pause midway through--I feel like much of what transpired was still necessary and interesting enough to keep this a top-notch series. It appears the next episode may be the penultimate of the season, which I hope will provide more answers as to what is going on while also signaling where the series is heading in its confirmed second season. The Old Man brings a lot of quality to the table, so seeing how the tension rises to a breaking point as the show comes to a close is bound to be entertaining and dramatic.
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