Writing a review of this show requires some knowledge of the context and content
Synopsis
Charles, a retired man, gets a new lease on life when he answers a private investigator’s call and becomes the mole in an undercover investigation of a nursing home. Based on the Chilean documentary “El Agente Topo.” A remake of the film El agente topo (2020).
His boss, Lilah Richcreek Estrada as Julie, is a black-and-white, whatever-will-it-solve-the-case, sarcastic foil to Danson’s kind-hearted and square-headed Charles
The fact that three seniors deal with the challenges of assisted living made this a funnier and more impactful series of classic sitcom plot devices, Charles takes a job as an undercover detective at a residential care facility (what used to be called a “seniors’ home”) to solve a jewelry theft. The two quickly fall out with the facility’s director (well-played by Stephanie Beatriz Didi), Charles’ daughter Emily (Mary Elizabeth Ellis) and the various residents and their many silly problems.
There are also deadpan jokes and comments about assisted living
There are several poorly conceived plots that focus on the older women being out of place in the other stories and the grossly disrespectful (and interchangeable) three teenagers. Charles’ daughter’s sons are annoying and off-putting residents, especially Caleb, played by Stephen McKinley Henderson.
Charles and his boss Julie’s awkward banter is fun
And while daughter Emily’s home life isn’t terribly interesting, it does set up a couple of great scenes between her and Charles in later episodes. The ending isn’t terribly hard to figure out (who stole what and what happens to him).
Overall, I recommend it, especially for viewers over forty
Charles), but the emotional parts of Charles waking up and coming to terms with his wife’s death are very worthwhile. There are some small parts played by older stars (Sally Struthers, Veronica Cartwright), which might make older viewers smile, but it’s mostly wasted on pointless jokes about old people and sex.