Día Cero

...and that's the long and short of it. No, it isn't a 10, and but it certainly isn't a 1/10.

There's nothing stand out about the plot, and no edge of the seat moments. As others have said, the confusion that de Niro's character suffers from is hammy, clumsy, overdone and overly-repeated... and it adds nothing to the plot. It's just an annoyance to watch.

Plemmons is ok - not one of his better roles but his portrayal is fine. As is De Niro, just fine in his role but nothing special - sometimes even a little one dimensional (though the script may be to blame for that).

Angela Bassett is woeful though, unbelievable as a sitting president. Again that may be down to the script - her character trying to push urgency with no real necessity behind it. "I'm holding a press conference in 2 days so you need results by then" is the same line used in 70's police series/ films, where the Captain shouts "You've got 48 hours or it's your badge".

It was watchable, but I managed to follow the whole thing while working at home.

Just a bit average really.

Zero Day is a gripping and suspenseful series that stands out with its captivating storyline and stellar performances, especially from Robert De Niro. Set in a high-stakes environment where secrets and betrayal are at the forefront, the show does an excellent job of building tension and intrigue throughout. De Niro's portrayal of his character adds layers of complexity, grounding the narrative with his trademark depth. While the pacing may feel deliberate at times, it effectively adds to the build-up of suspense.

The series touches on timely themes of power, deception, and the fine line between justice and revenge, making it relevant and thought-provoking. The writing is sharp, with each episode weaving a rich tapestry of mystery and drama. The overall production quality is high, and the direction keeps you on edge, urging you to keep watching.

While the show may not offer an entirely groundbreaking plot, it's undeniably entertaining and keeps you invested until the very end. Overall, Zero Day is an intense, engaging series that will appeal to fans of thrillers, offering a solid 8/10 for its performances, storytelling, and tension-building.

The series starts well but loses its pace soon after in the name of investigation. The audience keeps wondering when the actual investigation would take place, as it focuses on everything from personal demons to surrounding pressures except the core investigation. It takes until Episode 5 (out of 6 episodes) for the series to truly get going, and the last two episodes are undoubtedly the best of this series.

Robert De Niro excels, and I think there's no doubt about his acting prowess. However, I feel a powerful actor like Angela Bassett was underutilized, and somehow her performance isn't up to the mark, possibly due to a sub-par script and weak dialogues.

Overall, it's a slow, uneventful series that has a very interesting and engaging plot on paper, but the makers fail to capitalize on it. It only truly excels because of the powerful acting and the strength of its final two episodes.

Zero Day is as good as you would expect it to be with a cast this good. Everything about this series is good from the writing to the cinematography but it's the acting that really sets it apart. It's loaded with talent like Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons, Connie Britton, Lizzy Caplan, Dan Stevens, Joan Allen, Angela Bassett, Clark Gregg, etc. Everyone I just named is good enough to be a lead for a good show but for them all to come together for this makes this worth watching. This miniseries is only 6 episodes so it's an easy binge and you're going to want to binge it so make sure you give yourself enough time before you start it because you won't want to stop. It has plenty of mystery and twists to keep everyone entertained. I'll be shocked if this doesn't get nominated for some awards, especially De Niro. He was fantastic in this. I definitely recommend watching this.

Opens well, gets the hook sequence underway quite quickly, but then subsides into the standard formula of who was it and conspiracies that are going to play out til the last episode. It's slick but not intelligent. There's enough to keep you watching to see where its going, De Niro is great, but it just feels too cheesy. I'm impressed by location shots and I get it references current political sentiment in a benign sort of way. It also is an easy one to see telegraphed character moves.

Some scenes are a bit altruistic, which don't seem to gel with the real worlds happening of the story, but overall it's one of they few new stories that you will keep going until you while the mystery of who done it, and the key characters multiple facades come undone.