The Old Man – Season 1 Episode 6 Recap & Review

‘VI’

Dan’s nightmare in the opening scene of The Old Man episode 6 foreshadows the ending of this chapter. A strange man in the shadows takes Emily from him. A younger Abby stands and watches.

On the airplane to Morocco, Dan gives a piece of advice to Zoe: to leave her name, and identity in a place where she can take them back later. She disagrees, saying that once you’re in, there’s no coming back. Cheryl calls Harold with bad news about him. The Bureau is brimming with rumors that Harold harbored a fugitive and abetted her escape. Morgan Bote is at his house and Cheryl hands the phone over to him. Bote is confronted by Harold about putting Emily in his ranks. Bote explains how it all came about.

His proposition to abandon Emily does not sit well with Harold, who demands that Bote drop the plan. Waters, Julian, and his partner Mark wait in Morocco for the mission Bote has given them.

In one of the most pivotal and insightful scenes about Dan, we see him explaining the two-edged sword of how his world works to Zoe. Empathy and ruthlessness – how they are used by people like him to manipulate information. Zoe and Dan plan on attending Pavolvich’s event to convince him about Hamzad. They take a boat to his island. Dan also tells her about how he communicates with Emily through the numbers in their joint bank account.

The current balance indicates that she is coming to his location. But Dan does not know about Harold. Emily and Harold have a chilling conversation about sacrifice and love when Harold questions Dan’s influence and adequacy as a father.

In a very brief flashback, we see Dan freeing Pavlovich to protect Abby. Hamzad doubts her wife’s motives and her role in it. That is probably what forced Dan and Abby to escape all those years back. Dan seats Zoe by the bar to conduct business with Pavlovich. Although he is a bit uncertain of whether or not the former Russian will remember him, it is not the case. Pavlovich recalls their very quick meeting. He tells the former CIA agent how of all the indebtedness he owes others, Dan’s remains the most significant.

Zoe is approached by Nina Kruger at the bar, indicating something “weird” is about to go down. Just then, we see Pavlochich’s tone change. He confirms that Hamzad has gotten to him first and will give him a favour if he delivers Dan.

Despite being outnumbered, Dan is able to escape, deciding not to kill Pavlovich a second time. Back at the airport, Emily and Harold spot a DGST agent. Emily reveals that she is the one who called him to escort Harold back home, in order to keep him safe. Harold reveals Bote’s proposed plan to Emily, who is at once ready to “sacrifice” her identity to protect Harold’s legacy. They have a final embrace, their chances of seeing each other again dwindling.

Just then, as Harold descends the steps, we see Julian ascending them. Harold spots Waters outside the airport and quickly realizes what is going down. Bote has actually put a target on Emily’s back. He did not want Harold’s acquiesce to go ahead with the plan. Bote said he had to “hurt both his sons” in the last episode. And that is how he does that.

Emily is gone when Harold rushes back upstairs to find her. At the dock in the city, Zoe and Dan are surrounded by Harold, who tells Dan that “the old man” has Emily. And they have to get her back.

The Episode Review

This slightly truncated episode did not prevent ‘The Old Man’ from taking another giant step to make it a triumphant victory. With each passing episode, there is an urge to call it one of the best spy-thrillers made in recent years.

It is almost frightening how the creators and writers waste absolutely no time like saving it would reward them in gold. Every element of storytelling is so uniquely different and inspiring in The Old Man that you’d imagine this was the genesis of filmmaking.

Episode six has thrown a conundrum for our leading men, “the fathers”, who will now come up against their own “father” to win their “child” back. It has sprung the series back into action, which was somewhat absent in the last episode.

Despite doing that, episode six still promised hauntingly cinematic scenes written with a golden streak that are at once revealing and overwhelming to watch. Alia Shawkat, Jeff Bridges, and John Lithgow have done a terrific job throughout, but their commemorative act in episode six is one worth remembering.

‘The Old Man’ continues to go strong and keeps reminding us that its conclusion will be a hard one to digest.