Warning! Spoilers Ahead for The Old Man.
Jeff Bridges’ new series The Old Man has had many hurdles on its journey to the screen. Originally beginning pre-production in 2019, The Old Man had already begun filming when the Covid-19 pandemic hit and stalled production. Filming was only able to resume for a few months before The Big Lebowski’s Bridges announced serious health issues in October of 2020 and production was shut down again. Following Bridges’ recovery, the series completed filming and is currently airing on FX. Here’s why Bridges’ real-life health scares may bring a change in the last half of The Old Man season 1 and why the result will only make the show better.
Based on Thomas Perry’s book by the same name, The Old Man follows Dan Chase, an ex-CIA operative that quit the program and disappeared decades before the start of the series. Chase has since built a life for himself, with a wife (who is deceased by the time the series begins) and a grown daughter (revealed in episode 3 to be Being the Ricardos’ Alia Shawkat). But when Chase’s past comes back to claim him, Chase is drawn back into the life and work he left behind and must find new ways to survive despite no longer being the young, capable man he once was.
After being diagnosed with Lymphoma in 2020, Bridges announced his remission one year later. But cancer was only one of Bridges’ health issues: The actor also contracted COVID in 2021. After making a full recovery, Bridges returned to filming The Old Man, however, the series’ first episodes have featured heavy action and fight sequences thus far—elements that will likely decrease substantially following the point of Bridges’ return post health scare. The later episodes of The Old Man will likely focus more on Chase’s cognitive function (something the series has hinted at already) and ability to take care of himself despite his age. This necessary change will actually help add greater depth to Bridges' character, making him much more well-rounded than the stereotypical action star seen earlier. It will also add an element of authenticity to the performance, perhaps shining a light on some of Bridges' own struggles.
The Old Man opens Bridges’ character, Chase, waking numerous times in the night to use the bathroom, a common ailment associated with older men. This works to immediately establish that Chase is dealing with many inescapable elements of aging. When Chase goes to see his doctor, he is concerned about his cognitive function, something that is another great concern for older people. However, while these elements clearly focus on Chase’s age, they are used as examples of how the commonalities of aging do not prevent Chase from remaining a capable and dangerous threat.
Considering Bridges’ past health issues, The Old Man may see a decline in the Bridges-led action in the final episodes of season one and possibly the coming seasons. This, however, is exactly what the series should do, as it is unrealistic to show a 70-year-old man sustaining long-term Jason-Bourne-style action without risking bridging into a disparaging comedy. What is far more interesting is watching an older Jason Bourne-type figure struggle with his mortality and find new ways to survive—a role in which Bridges is uniquely perfect.
Episodes of The Old Man air Thursdays on FX