The Old Man Season 2: Jeff Bridges Drama Dealt a Huge Blow with Divided Rotten Tomatoes Score

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The Old Man Season 2: Jeff Bridges Drama Dealt a Huge Blow with Divided Rotten Tomatoes Score

As a seasoned cinephile who has witnessed the evolution of television over decades, I must admit that my expectations for The Old Man Season 2 were sky-high after the captivating performances and gripping narrative of its first season. However, it seems that this return to FX has left me with a sense of disappointment akin to finding an empty popcorn bag after a movie marathon.

As a devoted fan who eagerly anticipated the second season of my favorite show, I must admit it’s not easy to live up to the near-perfect critical acclaim of the first season. And it seems that the first episode of this new season has been met with mixed reactions from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, earning a 50% Tomatometer score. Although only six reviews have been published thus far, that’s quite a drop compared to the 97% rating that Season 1 held.

Initially premiering in 2022 and garnering impressive viewership along with outstanding reviews, “The Old Man” featured acting heavyweights like Kevin Costner (Bridges) and Jon Lithgow. Although the first season presented a methodical drama, the magnetic performances of its leading actors persuaded many to follow the plot unfold. However, despite spending more screen time together in Season 2’s premiere, it appears that the duo did not captivate audiences quite as powerfully as they had before.

As a movie enthusiast, I’ve been catching up on reviews for the latest season of this show, and it seems like there’s a bit of a divide in opinions. On one hand, Arezou Amin from Collider appreciates that the season is “significantly more grounded,” while Samantha Nelson from The AV Club still finds the series packing a punch with its “signature brutal fights.” However, it appears that for some viewers, the show’s focus on long-form storytelling has resulted in the opening episode feeling too slow. Kaiya Shunyaya from RogerEbert.com claims that the series is “continuing to spiral downhill as it goes on” due to the world not being a “culture that was interested in nurturing longer television seasons.” And Nick Schager from The Daily Beast believes that the “many miscalculations” of the Season 2 debut have left the show feeling like a “creaky shell of its former self.

Jeff Bridges and Jon Lithgow Finally Share Screentime in The Old Man Season 2

Prior to their collaboration in “The Old Man“, acting legends Jeff Bridges and John Lithgow had never shared a screen before. In fact, during the initial season of the show, opportunities for them to interact were relatively scarce as well. According to Lithgow’s interview with TVLine, this was the case.

In our initial season, we seldom collaborated. Yet, that’s what made the first season so impactful – it left you with the anticipation that those seemingly unrelated paths would converge, and indeed, they did.

In essence, during their initial encounters, Lithgow’s character Harold Harper and Bridges’ Dan Chase primarily communicated over the phone. As per Lithgow, it was usually just the script supervisor at the other end of his calls, not Bridges himself. But in Season 2, they bring these two characters closer by involving them in a wild adventure together. Lithgow hinted:

Chase lives a quiet life in Vermont, while Harper works at a desk in Washington. Yet, we’re thrust into an exhilarating wilderness adventure to locate a missing young woman, like searching for a needle in a haystack. This whirlwind experience, I believe, is incredibly thrilling.

It remains uncertain if viewers will stay engaged with “The Old Man” throughout the series to truly experience the promised excitement. However, the anticipation of increased action as the season unfolds might be sufficient to prove that some initial reviews were overly critical.

Every Thursday, the latest episodes from the elderly gentleman become available on FX/Disney+ (Star), based on your geographical location.

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2024-09-13 16:01