FX on Hulu has a new, original limited series that will surely hook fans.The Patient,a psychological thrillercreated by Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg, known for creating FX’sThe Americans,will star Steve Carell and Domhnall Gleeson. The series, first announced in October 2021, is set to premiere at the end of August and will consist of ten half-hour episodes. The President of FX Entertainment, Eric Schrier, stated:
“We are excited that Joe and Joel are back with their next series for FX after the great experience of working with them on six amazing seasons ofThe Americans.Their creative instincts and mastery of plot and character are on display again withThe Patient, which will showcase Steve Carell’s remarkable talents as an actor, producer, and creative collaborator.”
Thecast announcementsbegan in January, with filming starting that same month. Alongside being the creators ofThe Patient,Fields, and Weisberg also serves as the writers of all ten episodes as well as executive producers, along with Caroline Moore, Victor Hsu, and Chris Long, who is also directing the first two episodes. The Patientcomes on the heels of Hulu’s previous limited series that were critically successful such asDopesick, Under the Banner of Heaven,andThe Dropout.
The trailer was released in July, showing Carell’s character in a hostage situation with one of his patients, Gleeson’s character, who happens to be a serial killer. The trailer also shows both characters' tense situations while trying to maintain composure. Based on the trailer, the upcoming series promises to keep viewers on their toes, wondering how it will play out from beginning to end.
And while the trailer reveals some information about the plot and characters, it doesn’t give all the details to spoil before the premiere. Here is everything we know about FX on Hulu’sThe Patient.
The Patient: The Plot
The synopsis for FX on Hulu’sThe Patientis:
“Therapist, Alan Strauss, is held prisoner by a patient, Sam Fortner, who reveals himself to be a serial killer. Sam has an unusual therapeutic demand for Alan: curb his homicidal urges. In order to survive, Alan must unwind Sam’s disturbed mind and stop him from killing again but Sam refuses to address critical topics, like his mother Candace. Alone in captivity, Alan excavates his own past through memories of his old therapist, Charlie, and grapples with waves of his own repressed troubles – the recent death of his wife, Beth, and the painful estrangement from his religious son, Ezra. Over the course of his imprisonment, Alan uncovers not only how deep Sam’s compulsion runs, but also how much work he has to do to repair the rift in his own family.”
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The trailer forThe Patientalso questions whether Alan and Sam will make some type of connection in theirunusual healing journeyas they both have family struggles. Will Alan be able to get through to Sam to let him go as a hostage and possibly understand his disturbing behavior of being a serial killer? Will Alan be able to come to terms with his wife’s death after this ordeal?
The Patient: The Cast
The Patient’scast features Steve Carell, best known for playing Michael Scott inThe Office. While this isn’tCarell’s first dramatic role, having starred inFoxcatcherand most notably Apple TV’sThe Morning Show, the trailer forThe Patientdoes show Carell diving deep into this dramatic and serious part as he is faced with a life-and-death situation.
There was somecontroversy with Carell’s casting, as Alan is Jewish and Carell is not. But creators Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg defended their casting choice in an interview withVariety, saying:
“The Jewish themes are very personal and important to each of us. My dad was a rabbi, so I grew up in that world. Joe grew up with a Jewish family, as well. So we were able to tap into something very personal for us. And, ultimately, I think a big part of our belief as storytellers is that what we’re doing is trying to amplify our common humanity. And that’s something Steve does brilliantly in this part and Domhnall does brilliantly in his part. And we hope that’s ultimately what people take away from the specifics that are in the show.”
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Alongside Carell are Domhnall Gleeson (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), who plays serial killer and patient to Alan, Sam Fortner, Linda Emond (The Gilded Age), who plays Candace, Sam’s mother, and Andrew Leeds as Ezra, Alan’s son. The cast also includes Laura Niemi as Beth, Alan’s recently deceased wife, David Alan Grier as Charlie, Alan’s former therapist and mentor, and Alex Rich, who will play a recurring role.
