The Old Man Recap: Taken

As a long-time fan of action-packed spy dramas, I must admit that this latest episode of ‘The Old Man‘ has truly lived up to my expectations. The tension between Zoe and Chase is palpable, and their moral dilemmas make for compelling viewing. It’s fascinating to see how they both possess the power to manipulate others, yet struggle with the consequences of their actions.

This episode isn’t really a “filler,” but the interesting parts were mainly saved for the last ten minutes. This is particularly noticeable whenever Gbenga Akinnagbe’s character, Julian Carson, appears. Although Carson is part of the main cast, his character in season two hasn’t been fully developed yet. However, at least we now know that Morgan Bote sent that crucial email to him just before it was too late!

In essence, this episode was more about waiting than action, but our wait paid off richly as the climax unfolded, revealing another insightful soliloquy from the Old Man. It appears that Russian oligarch Suleyman Pavlovich, who had ordered Emily Chase’s assassination, is involved in a clandestine international mineral deposit consortium with hostile nations. He needed the Hamzad family erased to secure control of the Afghanistan mine, and now he wants Henry and Marcia Dixon (also known as Dan Chase and Zoe McDonald) eliminated to demonstrate his allegiance to the cartel. The Dixons symbolize his connections to the United States (they own a share in Pavlovich’s company) and the CIA (their association with Dan Chase during the Soviet-Afghanistan war is significant).

Not only does this unfold further, but it’s revealed that Harold Harper’s mysterious former spouse, Marion, is tied to the cartel as well. To add to the twist, the episode ends with Dan Chase willingly being captured by Pavlovich’s mercenaries. If you’ve been exposed to poison, you need to find your way to where the antidote is – it’s just basic science.

After escaping as the lone survivor from Angela Adams’ numerous kidnappings, Julian Carson has been striving to leave his turbulent past in the rearview mirror. He initiates his recovery in “XIII” by courting the amiable bus passenger he had a brief encounter with the previous season, who was still on crutches at the time. However, things appear to be going smoothly until Harold Harper unexpectedly appears and insists on seeing an email he claims Morgan Bote sent to him prior to his death. If you’re curious about how Harper managed to link Bote and Carson, here’s a brief recap: Initially, Harper hired Carson to eliminate Chase, having learned the assassin’s name from Bote. This means Harper was aware that Carson was part of Bote’s inner circle.

Carson’s continuous claims that he didn’t get any message from Bote support Harper’s idea that indeed, he did receive the email. The storyline involving threats to a new girlfriend and offers of immunity unfolds, but we’ll have to wait until the end of the episode for this plot thread to be resolved.

For now, let’s shift our focus towards London, where Chase and Zoe are registering at a luxurious hotel under the names Henry and Marcia Dixon. Interestingly, Mr. Dixon seems quite insistent about his room number preferences, which is rather unusual. Meanwhile, Chase is grappling with intense anxiety attacks following Emily’s murder. Despite their intensity, these panic attacks are proving to be a hindrance for him as he strives to maintain a clear mind essential for Operation Get Answers and the elimination of Suleyman Pavlovich.

Tomorrow, Zoe will encounter Nina Kruger, Faraz Hamzad’s lawyer, at Rowena King’s bar in London, to get information she felt uneasy disclosing over the phone. Meanwhile, Chase keeps tabs on them from a concealed location. In today’s tech-savvy era, isn’t it odd that people wouldn’t notice this public, one-sided conversation between Zoe and Chase via her earpiece? I think this is a bit careless spy work here. As Zoe waits for Nina, she quizzes Chase about his finances due to Morgan Bote’s curiosity over his financial skills. A name, Lou Barlow, comes up during their chat, which makes Chase uncomfortable. I must admit, you’ve got my attention now. Who is Lou Barlow and why is he significant?

Chase concludes that they’ll need to discuss the matter some other day since it appears Nina won’t be present. Anna’s evasive response makes it clear that the Dixons must now take matters into their own hands and locate Hamzad’s lawyer directly.

This involves making Anna extremely frightened, causing her to call Nina, allowing Chase to track the phone’s location. Chase begins constructing what he calls a “laser rifle” and installing a locator device in their hotel room. It now appears that Henry Dixon’s unusual room number demands were not just him being a wealthy snob; instead, he wanted to be situated opposite Anna’s apartment. Zoe, who aspires to be a spy, is annoyed because Chase created an intricate Plan B before they even left the U.S., without telling her. To Chase, he thinks he’s simply taking the tedious “extra features” tasks off Zoe’s plate. Since they both received similar training from Bote, Chase believes that Zoe already comprehends the challenging aspects of intelligence work.

From her hotel room, Zoe observes as Chase confronts Anna outside her apartment. The camera captures Jeff Bridges from a low angle, enhancing his intimidating demeanor. The operation proceeds smoothly, but it’s at this moment that Zoe understands (once more) the dark side of intelligence work. As Chase’s makeshift tracking device works in tandem with Zoe aiming her “laser rifle” at this hapless woman, Zoe feels an overwhelming sense of remorse. Her role now includes witnessing a terrified Anna pleading with Nina over the phone for aid, then collapsing to the floor sobbing. This unfortunate turn of events is due to Chase skillfully using his ruthlessness and compassion to obtain what he required.

What terrifies Zoe the most isn’t just that Chase has the ability to bring people down, but it’s the fact that she possesses the same power. After Chase comes back to their hotel room, Zoe spends time contemplating how she had once hurt him in a similar manner. She’s filled with deep regret over their actions towards a defenseless woman, wishing it was more difficult to play these cruel mental games. Although Zoe enjoys the excitement of being a spy, unlike members of the Chase family, she hasn’t mastered the art of suppressing her emotions completely yet.

Arriving at the location given by Nina’s phone – a secluded cottage outside London with an eerie feel, worsened when I found Nina weak and unresponsive in front of the television – I quickly took action against her captor. However, there was a chilling explanation for why he wore a gas mask.

After taking Nina outside, Chase explains to Zoe that she’s been poisoned by an indoor substance, suggesting they both might have been affected as well. Worsening the situation is the fact that their Unnamed Russian Captor had an antidote, but it has now been destroyed. On her final breath, Nina reveals the whereabouts of a concealed USB drive (which Chase manages to retrieve, this time donning a gas mask).

The video found on the USB drive serves as Nina’s desperate plea, echoing “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope.” This message clearly explains Suleyman Pavlovich’s grudge against Henry and Marcia Dixon, who are the last barriers preventing him from gaining access to a ruthless rare-earth-metal cartel capable of dominating the global market.

In simpler terms, the issue here is that if both Nina Kruger and Dan Chase have been fatally poisoned, it’s no good for anyone. Therefore, Chase believes capturing himself by Pavlovich’s team is his only chance for an antidote. Zoe, recalling a similar feeling from the season one finale, fears Chase is leaving her again. However, this time, Chase assures her like Jamie Fraser would, vowing to return to her. It seems this man will say whatever he needs to convince a woman to follow his lead.

In the closing moments of the episode, Chase, Carson, and Harper find themselves separately from Pavlovich’s henchmen at a diner. Before Carson undergoes his shocking transformation, he and Harper share a moment, bound by their shared predicament of living within the confines of secrecy and deceit. Despite this, they are both dedicated to their tasks, unwilling to let Morgan Bote’s life be in vain.

It’s then when Carson reveals what was in Bote’s last email – a picture showing Suleyman Pavlovich, some Chinese entrepreneurs, and Marion (Janet McTeer), who is Harper’s former spouse.

Cue the dun, dun, dun!!!!!

That’s, Like, Your Opinion, Man

Was Zoe meant to use the “laser rifle” against Anna? Did she actually do it? To be honest, the advanced features of the gadgets that Chase constructed are a bit confusing to me.

As a movie enthusiast, I’m finding myself puzzled about this gadget that Chase has constructed. Could someone fill me in as I’ve never seen anything like it before, Donny.

• Who else still thinks Emily Chase is still alive?

It’s quite striking, isn’t it, how different all those London views are compared to Southern California. (Note: The movie “The Old Man” was actually filmed in Santa Clarita, California.)

2024-10-11 07:54

The Old Man Recap: Taken

That’s, Like, Your Opinion, Man

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