The Patient

If you look through the offerings that most streaming services have to choose from, it is ... disappointing ... to say the least. Boring. Repetitive, almost. By the third row of these 'pickings', every one of the shows being pushed, look and read the same. IN FACT (true story), I held off from suggesting this as a watch to my husband because I thought it was the doctor/patient series 'The Shrink Next Door' (title which I just now had to look up by remembering that Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell were in it), and which did not interest me. In any case, we passed this up a few times until hubby mentioned Steve Carell was in it, after which we looked it up and began watching. We're now 5 episodes in, and we are both surprised and pleased.

The Patient is not perfect. Then again, very few - if any - TV shows are. It has LESS imperfections, however, than do others. The reason, I think, is because the premise is very simple. Patient abducts psychiatrist (in Synopsis and NOT a spoiler). It is the nuanced performances from everyone involved (yes, including Carell), which elevates it to not only watchable, but interesting.

Also worth mentioning AND DESPITE HOW OTHERS VIEW IT, one of the POSITIVES for me, is that the episodes are very short (30 minutes long) and so, what is a story that could become easily bogged down with filler in order to fulfill certain time or advertising constrictions, moves along fairly well and quickly, with mostly "meat" and few potatoes. Now, that meat is not necessarily the best cut each and every bite, but it IS a satisfying dish - if you give it the patience that a MERE 30 minutes entail.

The Patient 1st and 2nd episode review:

Positives: Steve Carell's show - It's always fun to watch him.

Domhnall's performance is awesome. He played a really cool foodie serial killer. 20 minutes episodes - short episodes.

Negatives: Episodes are kinda slow (1st and 2nd) - feels like a documentary. It would have been better if all 10 episodes were released on the same day.

Overall it's a good time pass show and the concept is really interesting.

I would give this show 3 stars out of 5 for now. I watched this show because of Steve but Domhnall's performance is even better. Will watch the remaining episodes.

Clever concept; interesting characters; well acted and the story moves in a very steady (if often plodding) pace.

Unfortunately it ultimately takes you nowhere and when it ends it leaves you in that empty space. The series is not unlike a train ride to a vacant lot. All the promise that travel brings and a terminus of less than no interest.

What may have been intended as clever or to give a sense of openness to speculate on the "what next" it reflect on lessons learned, or not learned; really just ends in unsatisfactory creative conceit. Too bad really as it could have been quite memorable. Oh well.

Excellent production and SUPERB acting from the two main characters . If this doesn't win awards I will be astounded . At first I worried about the relatively shortness of each episode but somehow it seemed to fit and I couldn't wait for the next episode . Difficult to describe without spoilers but the word that comes to mind is INTRIGUING. I don't know if it was originally a stage play but if not then someone should consider doing so . Multi-layered and moving script tackling many levels of human existence without becoming boring and spiced with not a little suspense and excitement. WELL WORTH WATCHING .

This started out interesting enough, and tense enough, to pull us in. Luckily, the episodes were short. But Episode 10 . . . Not going to post a spoiler here, but we went through a lot only to land on an unsatisfying ending. The show is not without merit, but falls flat relying on undefined characters to bring the conclusion. Steve Carnell has shown himself to be a very versatile actor, equally good in both comedy and drama. If you like his work, you will appreciate what he does here. If you are not a fan, you should pass on this. There's not much else that's worthwhile. Serial killers can be such a drag.