The drama serves as a "downbeat portrait of encroaching senescence," exploring how aging operatives reconcile their past violent actions with their current frailties.

Much of the narrative tension stems from the "impossible truths" uncovered by both Chase and Harper as they face the consequences of choices made decades prior.

Based on Thomas Perry’s 2017 novel, The Old Man follows Dan Chase (Jeff Bridges), a former CIA operative who has lived "off the grid" for thirty years. After killing an intruder in his home, Chase is forced into a cat-and-mouse game with FBI Assistant Director Harold Harper (John Lithgow), a man with whom he shares a complicated and secretive history from the Soviet-Afghan War. 2. Key Themes and Creative Direction