The following contains spoilers for The Old Man season 2, episode 3, “X,” which premiered Thursday, September 19, 2024 on FX.
The second season of FX's action drama series The Old Man travels to Afghanistan, where Emily Chase finally accepts the truth: she is the daughter of the feared warlord Faraz Hamzad. But it is the ramifications of her kidnapping that send ripples through a delicate political balance, bringing a wave of repercussions in return. When former CIA agent Dan Chase and FBI Deputy Director Harold Harper reunite with Emily, they discover they have taken on more than they can chew.
The Old Man Season 2 Episode 3 makes the series more than just a fight between three aging men. Placing Emily at the center of the standoff not only gives the episode the flavor of a dysfunctional family drama, but also brings out the anger of a scorned woman.. Elsewhere, young people clash with each other, providing much-needed energy to counter the geriatric tirade that bogs down the story. Little happens in the plot, aside from some expected twists and turns, reunions, and confrontations. But the episode shines in its buildup of tension, which eventually explodes in a flurry of action and explosion.
The Old Man Season 2, Episode 3 is a messy reunion
Dan Chase Finds More Than He Expected
For some time now, The Old Man centered on a shadow war between Faraz and Dan, with Harold caught in the middle of the storm. Season one showed a desperate Dan trying to keep himself and Emily safe. But his past actions had far-reaching consequences in the present than he ever anticipated. The season of the old 2, Episode 3 takes the story back to where it all began. And with that, things come full circle, as father and daughter are reunited once more. Only now it's harder to tell whether the real reunion is between Dan and Emily, or Emily and her biological father.
The episode picks up where the season premiere left off, specifically with a booming gunshot that echoes through a cave. In Dan's words, that cave is where Emily's mother cut all ties with Faraz and went with Dan to America, holding little Emily in her arms. The fact that he found his kidnapped daughter in that same place gives the story a poetic edge. But at the same time there is a tension so suffocating that you could cut it with a knife. Emily isn't the only one Dan finds in the cave, as he comes face to face with the true bane of his life: Faraz. While the moment doesn't disappoint, the conclusion to this pivotal scene isn't as thrilling as one might expect.
Fans have always wondered who the real “old man” in the series title refers to. But seeing the characters in the same frame together, trying their best to protect Emily, makes one wonder if he's just a placeholder name for the remaining parental figures in her life. As sad as that thought is, the episode makes it even sadder with its incessant bickering between its senior characters. While Jeff Bridges remains superbly composed under pressure and John Lithgow stays in character as an unwitting part of the mess, Their conversations in this episode lack the verve and humor that audiences have seen so far, causing the scenes to drag the story to a standstill.
The Old Man Season 2, Episode 3 Let Emily Chase Decide His Fate
Alia Shawkat Makes the Role Her Own
Alia Shawkat's Emily has spent most of her time in The Old Man Season 1 she was pretending to be someone else or a damsel in distress. She had different names, personalities, and histories with different people as part of her double life, which seemed like the crux of her character. But the Season 2 reveal shook her to the core. A crucial part of the climax of episode 3 is Emily's acceptance of her new name, Parwana Hamzad, because it comes from a heritage she had come to view as an enemy. However, she sees Faraz for what he is: a broken man haunted by his past. In episode 3 Emily consolidates her new opinion of the man she had previously considered only a vengeful ghost.
The most important thing that episode 3 does is give Emily her freedom. Whether she was the daughter of a spy or an FBI agent, Emily has lived most of her life in the shadow of men. The same goes for her brief stay in Afghanistan as a hostage. But living with the Hamzads seems to have left a profound impact on her, making her reckless enough to go back and help those who were once her captors. This is the brightest glimmer of character development. The Old Man has shown so far in any of his characters. Although he still has a long way to go, Emily's courage to chart her future with her own hands was all Episode 3 needed to put an end to its aimless nonsense.
You're terrified of her. You were so sure she was dead. Was it because the alternative is even scarier? – Harold Harper.
Shawkat's expressions are always spot on. The camera never fails to capture her doubtful looks, the fear in her gaze and the anxiety in her eyes. It's clear that her character is going through an internal conflict and her only salvation is to make a choice that is hers alone. It helps that Navid Negahban exudes a quiet energy as her scene partner, letting her have her moment. But it's disappointing not to see more from him in this episode.
The Old Man Season 2, Episode 3 relies on the charisma of its villain
Omar is a compelling but lacking character
The season of the old 2, Episode 3 uses a two-pronged approach. While the main cast is busy mulling over their personal drama, a larger event unfolds in a parallel narrative with much bigger implications for the plot. Taliban spy, Omar, is still determined to uncover the truth behind the kidnapping of an FBI agent. He targets Faraz's family to extract the truth from his sister, Khadija, and it all goes downhill from there. Full of tense confrontations and high-octane action scenes, This is where episode 3 really unleashes its energy and adds pace to the ongoing conflict.
Episode 3 creates tension through its characters rather than through the circumstances of the story. The season premiere cleverly took the story into a political stalemate, bringing some warmth through minor characters like Faruza and her son. The story plays on the personal bond between Emily and this little-known mother-son duo, and in turn, it plays on the audience’s emotions as well. As Omar puts them in his crosshairs, the danger he poses to Hamzad and his family suddenly becomes clearer, with his unbalanced personality rearing its ugly head. The Old Man Season 2, Episode 3 really tries to turn Omar into a despicable villain, and it works, since he himself is the one raising the stakes at every moment.
Artur Zai Barrera plays Omar as the devious man he is, adding a touch of madness to his character in this episode. Although Barrera feels comfortable with the role, Omar, as a character, is forced to bring only chaos to the story. Even in its third episode, The Old Man reveals little of his backstory, other than his firm belief in uncovering the truth. Omar meets his worthy rival in another new character, who remains unnamed, but his deep ties to the Hamzads are reason enough for sparks to fly.
The Old Man Season 2, Episode 3 Has its ups and downs
The action elevates the episode, but its dialogue is disappointing.
Action may not be the name of the game The Old Man Season 2, Episode 3, but there's enough material to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. The episode is violent enough to elicit an emotional response from viewers, while also serving a narrative function. The last season of The Old ManSo far, it's been short on action scenes, and episode 3 starts the same way, until all hell breaks loose.
Unfortunately, the script is disappointing and most of the dialogue scenes are boring to watch. Dan and Harold repeat the same things in circles, as if they were running around a turnaround. That said, the story does change the character dynamics a bit to reflect the turn of events. Emily's affection for Faraz isn't unexpected, but her coldness towards Harold says a lot about their crumbling relationship. It shows the contrast between their respective views of each other, where Emily still sees Harold as her boss, and he can't help but think of her as a surrogate daughter.
I did it. I opened this door. And the danger that came from it will not fall upon you. I will not allow it. – Faraz Hamzad.
The Old Man Season 2, Episode 3 is the culmination of all the twists and turns the story has taken so far. Dan reunites with his daughter, Emily keeps her on her feet, and personal vendettas make everything worse: the episode brings with it some victories and some defeats. However, the latter surpasses any happy ending the audience would have wished for, closing the first chapter of the second season with a whiff of death and destruction.
The Old Man Season 2, Episode 3 now streaming on Hulu.