
Man on the Inside–Outside In

In this Netflix crowd-pleaser, Man on the Inside opens with a retired curmudgeonly college professor, Charles (Ted Danson) who has recently lost his wife to dementia. Out of boredom and grief, he responds to an ad from a private investigator, (Lilah Richcreek Estrada). Someone in an upscale San Francisco retirement home has had a valuable necklace stolen and her son wants the necklace back. The PI decides to hire Charles not only because he’ll fit in well as one of the few older male residents but also because he just may have the skills needed to identify the thief.
His somewhat estranged daughter is happy that her father may relieve his loneliness and grief by engaging in this detective work. At first Charles is socially awkward in this assisted living facility of wealthy dowagers and a few old men like himself. But the more well-established residents are eager to welcome the newcomer, or at least, most of them are. Soon, Charles fosters close friendships with residents, especially Caleb (Stephen McKinley Henderson of “Fences”). Can friendships be nurtured while Charles is disguising his true identity?
Man on the Inside is primarily a story about aging, loss, and friendship, more than the “Only Murders in the Building” light mystery fare. Exploring the experience of old age through the issues of loneliness, social and familial connections, grief/loss, death, and dementia there is still dashes of humor in solving the mystery of the missing necklace.
Man on the Inside is an easy show to binge-watch for an insight into how elderly life has its good times too.
Availability: Netflix
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