TV Review: A Man on the Inside (2024)

A Man on the Inside (2024) created by Michael Shur based on the Chilean documentary The Mole Agent

Charles (Ted Danson) is an elderly gentleman who lives alone since his wife died a year ago. He had taught engineering at college, so he lives a regimented and orderly life. His daughter Emily (Mary Elizabeth Ellis) is concerned for him since he has no social life. She encourages him to get a hobby. In his the daily paper he sees an ad from a detective agency that wants someone from 75- to 85-years old for a job. Private investigator Julie (Lilah Richcreek Estrada) has a client whose elderly mother has lost a valuable necklace in a retirement home. The client thinks it was stolen and wants the theft investigated, but stealth is required since the client does not want the mother or the home's staff to know what is going on. Charles is one of many candidates for the position but he's the only old guy who can actually work his cell phone to take pictures and video, so he gets the job. He is excited to be a spy and becomes more socially engaged with the retirement community, which includes making friends, enemies, and unrequited loves. He also does his spy routine.

The show's premise is fun and a bit off-the-wall. It is base on an actual incident in South America that got its own documentary. Danson is very charming in the role and works well with the other actors. Some episodes have a couple of scenes at Emily's home dealing with her good-guy husband (Eugene Cordero) and layabout trio of sons. The bits with them are funny but seem like padding to fill out the episodes.

The writers do a good job creating conflicts and comedic situations, throwing suspicion around and pointing out the foibles of everyone in the story. The blend of comedy and drama works very well here, with a lot of honesty about people's situations and how they deal with their problems, those caused by others and those that are self-inflicted. People resolve their problems in more realistic ways than you would expect. I was really charmed by the end of the show and am looking forward to a second season.

Highly recommended--it's both entertaining and has heart.

As I write (January 2025), this is only available streaming on Netflix.