Panic!: FX’s “The Old Man” – Discussion and Screening

In a media landscape more and more panicked to capture youthful audiences with impatient content, what does the radical act of authentically capturing aging on screen and in storytelling look like? FX’s hit series The Old Man, which recently concluded its second season, holds some answers. The series follows Dan Chase (Jeff Bridges), a retired CIA operative and veteran of the Soviet-Afghan War. Chase’s attempts to live his twilight years in peace and off the grid are thwarted when would-be assassins show up on his doorstep, sparking a cat-and-mouse game that sees Chase evading the grasp of both CIA assistant director Harold Harper (John Lithgow) and Afghan warlord Faraz Hamzad (Navid Negahban). Along the way, Chase attempts to keep his past from tarnishing his newfound relationship with Zoe McDonald (Amy Brenneman), who seems fated to become embroiled in a saga stretching back decades.

The Carsey-Wolf Center is delighted to welcome Jeff Bridges and Amy Brenneman, the award-winning stars of The Old Man, for a pre-screening conversation with director/writer/producer Brad Silberling. Bridges and Brenneman will share their creative perspectives on the series’ treatment of aging and will discuss other aspects of their unique collaboration. A screening of The Old Man season 2, episode 6 will follow their conversation.

All seasons of FX’s The Old Man are now available to stream on Hulu. Photo courtesy of FX Networks.