Zero Day: A Star-Studded Misfire on Netflix

From Night Agent to Zero Day: A Familiar Formula Falls Flat

Netflix, riding high on the surprising success of the pulpy political thriller "The Night Agent," seems to be doubling down on the formula with "Zero Day." This new limited series echoes its predecessor's sometimes baffling plot twists, clunky dialogue, and a visual palette that could best be described as "government beige." It even shares a thematic thread with another Netflix hit, "Leave the World Behind," exploring the aftermath of a catastrophic cyberattack.

The key difference? While "The Night Agent" relied on a largely unknown cast (save for a bewildering, wig-clad Hong Chau), "Zero Day" boasts a lineup of A-listers, headlined by executive producer and star, Robert De Niro.

De Niro's Disappointing Small Screen Debut

Directed by Lesli Linka Glatter ("Love & Death") and created by Eric Newman ("Narcos") alongside journalists Noah Oppenheim and Michael S. Schmidt, "Zero Day" has serious talent behind the camera. However, the real draw is De Niro taking on his first-ever leading television role at 81. The baffling part? This is the project that lured the two-time Oscar winner to the small screen: a convoluted, six-episode slog that feels simultaneously drawn out and rushed.

De Niro portrays George Mullen, a former president pulled out of retirement to lead a commission investigating a nationwide cyberattack. Mullen’s lauded as the last president to achieve bipartisan support, a detail that foreshadows the series’ obsession with centrism and both-sidesism, even drawing a false equivalence between right-wing misinformation and the left’s embrace of pronouns.

A Stellar Cast Lost in the Muddle

De Niro’s presence explains the impressive supporting cast, including Angela Bassett as the current president, Jesse Plemons as Mullen’s aide, and Matthew Modine as the Speaker of the House. Connie Britton, Lizzie Caplan, Dan Stevens, Gaby Hoffman, and Bill Camp round out the ensemble. It's a testament to the show's overwhelming blandness that none of these accomplished actors manage to deliver a performance that transcends the purely functional.

A Missed Opportunity for Character Exploration

If "Zero Day" manages to develop any idea before abandoning it, it's the exploration of Mullen's grief over the death of his son. The series hints at Mullen's fragile mental state, opening with a flash-forward of him in a state of panicked confusion. However, the scene's context is revealed almost immediately, diminishing its impact. While the sight of an aging president, seemingly a Democrat, struggling cognitively is unsettling, De Niro’s performance remains too reserved to evoke much emotional resonance. The series also struggles to define Mullen’s character, flipping him between respected leader and disgraced figure without convincingly portraying either.

A Visual and Narrative Mess

Visually, "Zero Day" is as murky as its plot. The twists, when they arrive, lack both impactful setup and meaningful consequences. While it shares a structural resemblance to "The Night Agent," it lacks the propulsive energy that can elevate even a guilty pleasure. "Zero Day" possesses the cast of a prestige series but the look and feel of disposable pulp. Sadly, it fails to capitalize on the strengths of either.

Streaming Now

All six episodes of "Zero Day" are currently available on Netflix.