Zero Day

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.

If you're into political thrillers then Zero Day is the show for you. This limited series is headed by an all-star cast led by the legendary Robert De Niro. De Niro gives one of his better performances of his career, the man is just incapable of giving a bad performance and this is no different. He's absolutely brilliant yet again. De Niro is as big as star as there is so for him to do a tv series you know that show would have to be special. While Zero Day isn't the best show that you'll see this year, it's still a very good show that's worth every second watching it. It's going to have most of you on the edge of your seat throughout the series, especially the last couple episodes. Some of it gets a little ridiculous but it's not based off a true story, just turn your brain off and enjoy it for the political thriller it is.

I have this a 6 out of anger after two viewings. It should be at least a 7 or 8 on De Niro's performance alone yet it's clear that this miniseries is a terrifyingly squandered opportunity. It's simply too short for its ambitions and the lack of space results in extremely uneven pacing and lost threads.

The subject is by now well known - in the wake of a cyberattack the US president calls on a former president to lead an investigation that is given obviously unconstitutional powers. It's an obvious parallel to 9/11 that is rubbed in the audience's nose clearly later on.

The series is too short to cover all moving pieces in a deserving way:

• the investigation itself: the technical aspects are largely ignored and require hefty suspension of disbelief. The series pacing picks up when dealing with the investigation itself. However given the issue at hand the investigation is just not present enough
• the political quagmire - obviously political issues are in play both in Washington as well as throughout social media. The series shows the struggle in dealing with them in the context of sensitive investigation but it still feels superficial given that all players in the political aspect have a vested interest in the investigation itself. It would have been an amazing play to have some characters fight the investigation out of public interest.

• character development - this is the most painful point. All/most characters are well acted and interesting and deserve way more development than they get. Their development is uneven and it is what drags pacing down to a crawl. There's no balance in the script at all
• subplots - there are some that are just left hanging. It's not really essential but it's another missed opportunity. Some make sense to leave to the imagination of the audience after providing pertinent details but others just aren't driven into "makes sense" territory at all.

All in all it's a great premise and good structure that gets dismantled on poorly thought out details.

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.

Zero Day presents a fascinating case study in modern limited series storytelling: a project with genuine strengths undermined by structural issues that highlight the challenges of expanding feature-length concepts into episodic television.

Robert De Niro's first major TV role anchors the series with committed gravitas, playing a former president investigating a devastating cyberattack.

The pilot delivers on its promise: a politically balanced thriller that avoids partisan preaching while establishing compelling conspiracy elements.

However, the series quickly reveals its core problem... this feels like a tight two-hour film stretched across six episodes. Ep 2's overlong focus on dementia storylines derails momentum, while Ep 3 treads water with competent but inessential plotting that serves runtime over narrative urgency.

Fortunately, Ep 4-5 course-correct beautifully. The pacing tightens, revelations justify earlier setup, and De Niro elevates his performance to match the heightened stakes. Supporting players Angela Bassett and Jesse Plemons rise to the occasion, delivering the thriller energy the premise demands.

The finale disappointingly plays it safe, offering resolution without the explosive payoff the buildup deserved - a cop-out ending that settles for "good enough" rather than swinging for greatness.

Despite uneven pacing and missed opportunities, Zero Day succeeds as solid political entertainment anchored by De Niro's compelling return to form.

7.5/10 - flawed but worthwhile.