The Old Man Season 1 Episode 2 Recap

II – Young Harold Harper (Christopher Redman) stands in a remote area waiting on the arrival of young Dan Chase (Bill Heck). When Dan scolds him for failing to bring the guns, Harold tells him that he doesn’t need them. Dan assures him that he needs those specific guns. Harold asks if he realizes the danger, he faces by just being there. He reminds him of the decision he made to get involved in a war against his country’s wishes and take the enemy’s side. Dan assures him that his guy isn’t supporting their enemies but fighting against them. Harold tells him that his strategy will fail. Dan says he is pretty sure he agrees with him, regardless of Langley’s opinion. Harold asks if he believes his opinion of the guy is right while the American government has it wrong. Dans says, “Yes” before pleading for his guns. As Dan climbs on his horse, Harold says when they want him gone, he will be ordered to take care of it.  Dan smirks as he rides away on his horse.

Harold Harper (John Lithgow) and Raymond Waters (E. J. Bonilla) are at the scene from the night before. Waters informs him of the operation being handed over to law enforcement and an organized manhunt launched for Dan. He questions why Dan returned to kill Agent Lam (Rich Ting) and Agent Reynolds (Chris Gann) when he could’ve easily disappeared. Harold suggests Dan was trying to ensure they played by the rules. Waters says maybe Dan wanted him to be in control of the rules that they would have to follow.

Dan Chase (Jeff Bridges) leaves Emily a voicemail. He assures her that he knows she is no longer a child, and their relationship will need to change from here on out. As he talks on the phone, he cut a lock off a security fence leading to a junkyard. After removing a tire from an abandoned vehicle, he flops down for a rest. He promises her that he has no plan to shut her out of his life, even though Dan Chase has been discarded. He admits his condition will prevent him from reaching Los Angles, where the answers to her questions await.

After freshening up, he looks out the window to see a woman approaching. He introduces himself to Zoe (Amy Brenneman) as Peter Caldwell. She informs him that she resides on the property. He explains how he assumed the owner resided somewhere else. She tells him the property is in her ex-husband’s name. When she asks if he is all right, he lies about being side swiped by a teenage driver at a red light. As she prepares to leave, his dogs join him outside. She says the listing specifically stated no pets allowed. He assures her that his dogs are well-mannered. She anxiously voices her concern about the dogs revenging the sofa and her ex-husband blaming her. He offers a cash deposit, but she refuses to let him stay.

As she sets down to eat a microwave dinner, he knocks on the door.

Harold visits Morgan Bote (Joel Grey) to inform him of Faraz Hamzad’s return. When he asks if he knows why Hamzad returned, Morgan questions if it matters. He assures him that it matters a great deal because somebody is readily prepared to assist him in settling a grudge from 30 years ago. Morgan assures him that Hamzad was destined for revenge since the moment of Johnny’s betrayal. He says Hamzad’s hold over the individual doesn’t matter, just that it is effective. After professing his love for him and Johnny, he reminds him of his warning them that their actions had consequences.  Harold comes clean about his attempt to help Johnny escape to keep his name from being added to Hamzad’s revenge list.

Morgan assures him there are more effective ways to keep 30-year-old stories from surfacing than longing for them to disappear. He slides a piece of paper with numbers across the table. He warns him that a New York Times reporter will contact him someday about his story, which will be either good or bad. He suggests doing whatever is necessary to protect his reputation. Harold says if he touches the paper and anyone finds out, he suspects it will result in a bad headline on his obituary.

Dan prepares Zoe a meal while he waits on the tow truck. They discuss cooking. He tells her a tale about a wise man who seldomly spoke because he felt language overshadowed the truth, which lived in silence. She explains how her mother’s scrambled eggs helped when she was having a moment as a child. She asks for more information about his dogs. He assures her that his intention isn’t to cause her any problems. She asks him to cook several times a week and pay two months’ rent in cash. They shake hands.

He lifts up his arm, exposing a large contusion on his side. After struggling to bed, he assures his dogs that they will be all right for a while.

Angela Adams (Alia Shawkat) tells Harold that he should be home with his wife and grandson. He assures her that he just wants to focus on his work. Joe (Kenneth Mitchell) informs him that he was given six aliases for Dan. He says they need a positive identification to monitor his financial activities. Angela asks why he wasn’t aware of it when he was present when it happened. Harold claims Waters kept the information from him. He informs them of Dan having a daughter. Joe asks why he doesn’t know her name if he is positive, she exists. He tells them that he and Dan served together in the past.

Zoe invites Dan out to dinner. Dan and Emily discuss Zoe’s dinner invitation. He suggests Zoe may grow suspicious if he declines. He assures her everything will be all right.

Dan and Zoe compare pill boxes at dinner. He informs her of how his wife, Abbey Chase (Hiam Abbass) died of Huntington’s disease. They discuss their first date, his wife’s death, and her divorce.

Waters complains to Angela that no one wants to liaison with him. He asks if someone is behind it. She admits it was her. When he asks why, she informs him of Harold helping to launch her career, keeping her safe, and teaching her the ropes. He tells her about Faraz Hamzad being a warlord in Afghanistan during the Russian invasion. He says a man in Hamzad’s camp reportedly killed a rival warlord by shooting him between the eyes from 1,100 yards away. He tells her that the people in the Panjshir Valley referred to the madman as Baba-knorkhore. He interprets it to mean “the beast who eats everything.” He claims rumors spread around that Baba-khorkhore was the former CIA agent Dan Chase. He says Faraz Hamzad is looking to get revenge on Dan for an unsettled debt.

She questions how Harold is linked to the story. He informs her that Harold oversaw CIA support for the mujahideen. She assures him that he is sadly mistaken if he believes she will turn on Harold.

Zoe and Dan listen to music on the ride home. As they near a traffic stop, Zoe becomes concerned about drinking wine. He suggests she do what the cops say and continue as normal. Dan gets uncomfortable when the cop asks for his ID. Zoe cuts him off when he tries to explain how he left his wallet. She tells the cop that she and her husband have been long-time residents of the area. Upon the cop’s return, they are asked to get out of the vehicle. Dan looks over to see a cop talking to Zoe before his face is lit up with a flashlight. He imagines killing both cops and Zoe before returning to reality. The cop tells Dan to take over driving because Zoe has alcohol on her breath.

When she invites him in for coffee, he tells her that he doesn’t want to make things weird. She asks if it is okay for her to have a say in the matter. He describes it as being “complicated.” She reaches over and takes his hand. They walk away holding hands.

Harold tells Angela he already had two wives at her age. He suggests she get out, even if she has to pretend to want something out of life. She informs him that Dan’s daughter committed suicide in 2003. Marty (Tai Bennet) drops off a file from Joe. While Harold scans the files, she tells him about Waters’ visit. She asks him to explain the Faraz Hamzad’s story. He says it is unclear if anyone knows the answer.

In what appears to be a dream, Abbey tells Dan the end never turns out as imagined. She tells him in the end, she worried about the struggles he would face if he never took another partner. He pleads with her to not do it. After reminding him of what he did to her, she asks if it’s okay for her to be present when he tells her. She then suggests she be the one to tell her. Dan is startled awake. He checks his phone to see several messages from Emily.

As he gets dressed, he promises his dogs that they will lay low somewhere else. He tells them that he doesn’t want Zoe to be hurt by something he did. When he visits Zoe, she is crying. She informs him of her son being rejected seating because of a bounced check. She contributes the insufficient funds to her ex-husband’s intentional shorting of her alimony check. He offers to make the payment. He makes her scrambled eggs.

Harold makes a call to Julian Carson (Gbenga Akinnagbe). He asks him if he is good at what he does. Julian tells him that Morgan would’ve never given him the number if he wasn’t. Harold assures him that Dan will do whatever it takes to stay alive. Julian suggests he give him some idea of where Dan can be found. Harold provides him with an address in Pennsylvania. He asks him to contact him once it is over as the episode comes to an end.

 

The Old Man Review

The manner in which the show portrays Dan is conflicting. In one sense, he is depicted as a vulnerable senior who is barely capable of performing light activities. In another sense, the depiction is filled with false bravado.

The story takes a 90-degree turn, going from simple to elaborate. Viewers want action, not mumbo jumbo diatribe. Dan’s backstory is uncompelling at best. No man alone would survive a battle against a Russian unit. It is questionable if anyone would dare such a feat, let alone, go through with it.

The story doesn’t flow as well as I would’ve liked. Filler gets in the way. The dialogue and scenarios are long-winded and redundant.

For me, Zoe adds nothing to the show. I prefer a smooth-flowing story. Instead, bits and pieces are added to the storyline, followed by scene after scene of filler.

The episode deserves a 6. Get more The Old Man recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by clicking the link.