Zero Day

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" started with a bang and finished with a crescendo. It was a whodunit on a national scale where just about anyone was a suspect. It was rooted in just enough realism with technology and governmental operations that "Zero Day" could really happen.

What kicked off everything was a one minute network outage. Now, you probably remember when Microsoft had their system glitch in 2024 and the chaos that it caused. Imagine a network outage on a national scale affecting every computer operated and monitored system. The devastating effects would be enormous.

Well, that's what happened in "Zero Day." From there it was a mad scramble by the U. S. government to find who the culprits were and why. As could be expected, habeas corpus was suspended and the President (played by Angela Bassett) created a Zero Day Commission headed by former President George Mullen (Robert De Niro) and imbued the commission with full state of emergency powers. Things were emotionally and politically tense. If the commission failed there would be hell to pay and national confidence in the U. S. government would take a severe hit. Those are very high stakes, but so is national security.

I loved just about every moment of it. Our vantage point as viewers was mostly from George Mullen's perspective, which put us in the driver's seat of the investigation. He made moves that doubtlessly pleased some and angered others, but positively we still wanted answers as much as he did.

Netflix.

There should be more De Niro on TV.

An impressive emblem of the times wrapped in gleaming celluloid, "Zero Day" is the present in ace cinema presentation. Robert De Niro is George Mullen, a former president of the United States who left office for personal reasons riddled with murky gossip and rumors. Convinced out of retirement to head a group in combatting a mysterious and sinister body of hackers who launched a cyber attack that terrified a nation and claimed fatalities in the thousands, Mullen and his crew are in a race against time to outsmart and capture the criminals before the techy goons nail another devastating strike. The intense discussions, heated arguments, compelling brainstorms and intriguing mysteries all build up to an escalating tension that spirals the series to a full and satisfying finish. De Niro is the star and main focus with his endless poker face grimace as he battles naysayers, cyber attacks, colleagues and his own family in his quest to save his country. Joan Allen is the smart and kindly stoic wife who is a quiet bastion to her husband's late life ordeal. Lizzy Caplan's annoying and confused portrayal as the attractive daughter who serves as counterpoint to her father's composed and self-assured decisiveness serves as the irritating factor in this game of politics where she is way over her head. Angela Bassett is the pc quota as the stately and composed president while Matthew Modine is effective as the smug and ambitious antagonist.

With its direct depictions of technology, terrorism, conspiracy theories, fake news, ubiquitous talking heads and the cultural, social and racial divides that dominate contemporary American society, "Zero Day" may very well be the artistic representative of the era. Thrilling, riveting and relevant it's one of the standout television series and is a must see.

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.

Zero Day has a fascinating premise-a cyberattack shaking the nation-and an incredible cast led by Robert De Niro, who brings gravitas and heart to every scene. The performances from the supporting cast are equally strong, making the characters believable and engaging.

Where the series struggles is in its pacing and focus. At times, the story juggles too many political and personal subplots, which can make the narrative feel unfocused. Some dialogue feels overly expository, and the show occasionally loses momentum.

Still, Zero Day remains worth watching for its timely subject matter, strong performances, and intriguing central mystery. While not flawless, it's an engaging political thriller that delivers enough to keep you invested from start to finish.