"Zero Day" is a must-watch on Netflix this week. This new political thriller miniseries is a big deal for two reasons. First, it's Robert De Niro's first starring TV role ever. Second, it's really good.
Whether or not this show was good, it was going to be the top show to watch this week on the streaming service based on De Niro's star power alone. Adding Jesse Plemons, Connie Britton and Angela Bassett wasn't going to hurt either. But having now watched the entire six-episode limited series, I can confirm it lives up to the hype.
That's not to say the show is perfect. It's got a few flaws and some underwhelming performances from a cast that's probably more star-studded than it needs to be. But the underlying conspiracy elements of the show are compelling and gripping. There was only one major twist I saw coming (don't worry, I'm not spoiling it) making it a satisfying thriller to watch as well.
But maybe you're still undecided on whether or not to watch "Zero Day." Let's get into what I loved and what didn't work for me in Netflix's latest political thriller.
De Niro and other stars shine, but a few fall flat
In "Zero Day" Robert De Niro is former president George Mullen. We learn early in the first episode that Mullen is the last president to have broad appeal from both sides of the aisle, and he comes across as a Bill Clinton/Barack Obama/Joe Biden coded president, though notably his political party is never revealed. It's this respected, unifying characteristic that is why President Evelyn Mitchell brings Mullen in to run the Zero Day Commission and determine who was behind the deadly cyber attack
Using that archetype, De Niro puts on a very good performance. It won't be remembered in the same breath as his performances in "Taxi Driver" or "Raging Bull," but there's one speech in particular in front of a group of clashing protesters where he really embodies the character and you feel like he actually could unite the country in a time of crisis.
However, his political opponent is arguably the best performance of the movie. Matthew Modine plays Speaker of the House Richard Dreyer and he plays the perfect foil to De Niro. Like De Niro's former president Mullen, we never explicitly have his party affiliation revealed, though, by the end of the show, it's strongly implied which side of the aisle he's on. But while Mullen thinks he's trying to save the country, Dreyer paints him as a fascist and is consistently trying to usurp Mullen's role as head of the Zero Day Commission behind the scenes.
Aside from De Niro and Modine, there's a range of performances. Jesse Plemons is great as Roger, Mullen's fixer/aide, but Lizzy Caplan's portrayal of Mullen's Congresswoman daughter Alexandra Mullen was probably my least favorite performance of the series.
In smaller roles, Bill Camp is great as CIA Director Lasch and Clark Gregg is a believable scumbag as the ultra-wealthy shady businessman Robert Lyndon. But Anglea Bassett felt underutilized as President Mitchell. There's nothing wrong with her performance, but as written, she's never given a moment to steal a scene. It's a surprisingly understated role given the caliber of actress she is.
The politics of 'Zero Day' weigh down a well-paced conspiracy
"Zero Day" is a political thriller, so perhaps it's a bit harsh at first glance for me to judge it negatively for being political. But there's a difference between politics and proselytizing.
Some of the political elements work. Mullen being portrayed at first as a unifier who then becomes painted as a fascist and a symbol of government overreach totally works for me. And I love the choice that, while we do get an inclination of some of the various characters' personal politics, nobody ever explicitly is outed as a member of a specific political party.
But when the show tries to tell us what's wrong with society or the state of our U.S. government in the present day, it loses me and derails the moment of the show. In the first two episodes in particular, there's way too much debate over what's right and wrong on the political spectrum/ I'm not saying the show can't or shouldn't be a criticism of government overreach or similar, but there's a lack of subtlety to De Niro's Mullen and his wife Sheila (Joan Allen) or his daughter Alexandra (Caplan) about what's morally right for a politician to do or think.
Verdict: Once you start 'Zero Day' you won't want to stop
Despite the political messaging sometimes derailing the plot, make no mistake — this show is addicting. At just six episodes, it'll be easy to binge-watch in a single sitting and it'll be gone before you know it. Even spacing it out across three nights, I'm a bit bummed that there isn't more to watch, even though the show does a good job of wrapping up all its plotlines and answering (nearly) all its questions.
So start streaming "Zero Day" on Netflix now and enjoy this addictive political thriller. Then once you're done, check out everything else new on Netflix in February 2025.
Stream "Zero Day" on Netflix now
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