2022 American psychological thriller limited series
| The Patient | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Created by | Joel Fields & Joe Weisberg |
| Showrunners | Joel Fields & Joe Weisberg |
| Written by | Joel Fields & Joe Weisberg |
| Starring | |
| Composers | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producer | Michael Maccarone |
| Cinematography |
|
| Editors |
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| Running time | 21–46 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Network | FX on Hulu |
| Release | August 30 (2022-08-30) – October 25, 2022 (2022-10-25) |
The Patient is an American psychological thrillerlimited series created and written by Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg, who also serve as showrunners and are executive producers Chris Long, Caroline Moore, Victor Hsu, and Steve Carell. The series stars Carell alongside Domhnall Gleeson and Linda Emond in lead roles. It premiered on August 30, 2022, on FX on Hulu and concluded on October 25, 2022, after a ten-episode run.
The series follows a therapist (Carell) who is held captive by a patient (Gleeson), seeking unconventional therapy for his homicidal urges. The narrative delves deep into the psychological tension between the characters, focusing on themes of trauma, morality, and control.
The Patient received positive reviews from television critics. Carell's performance earned him a nomination for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie, while Gleeson received nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film and the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries.
A therapist (Steve Carell) is held captive by a serial killer (Domhnall Gleeson) who seeks help to curb his homicidal urges.
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In October 2021, The Patient was officially announced and given a ten-episode order by FX on Hulu. Steve Carell was confirmed as the lead star, playing a therapist held captive by a serial killer, and also served as one of the series' executive producers. The series was created by Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg, who are also credited as showrunners and co-writers for each episode. Other executive producers include Caroline Moore, Victor Hsu and Chris Long, with Long also taking on directing duties for several episodes.[2][3][4][5]
Alongside the announcement of The Patient in October 2021, Steve Carell was confirmed to star in and executive produce the series.[2] In January 2022, Domhnall Gleeson, Linda Emond, Laura Niemi, and Andrew Leeds were added to the cast.[5][6] The following month, Alex Rich and David Alan Grier joined the series in recurring roles.[7][8]
Filming for The Patient began in mid-January 2022 in Los Angeles.[9]
The Patient premiered on August 30, 2022, on FX on Hulu.[10] Internationally, the limited series became available on Disney+ in select regions.[11] Later, it aired on FX on April 27, 2023.[12]
On the review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes, The Patient holds an 89% approval rating, with an average rating of 7.2/10 based on 62 critic reviews. The website's critics consensus reads, "While The Patient might test viewers' patience by overextending its killer conceit, the arguably career-best work by Carell and Domhnall Gleeson make this therapy session worth eavesdropping on."[13] On Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score, the series has a rating of 74 out of 100 based on 30 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews."[14]
For RogerEbert.com, Nick Allen praised The Patient for its gripping performances by Carell and Gleeson, highlighting their nuanced portrayal of psychological tension. However, he critiqued the show’s pacing, stating that it "feels stretched too thin over its runtime." He concluded by saying, "The show is more like a short story that’s been pulled into a novel, with some chapters feeling more filler than thriller."[15] For The Guardian, Rebecca Nicholson commended The Patient for Carell’s "absolutely faultless" performance, praising the intensity he brings to the role. She appreciated the show’s psychological depth but critiqued its slow pacing, noting that it "can be almost unbearably drawn out." Nicholson concluded by calling it "a thriller that grips, but not always tightly enough."[16]
Daniel D'Addario of Variety described The Patient as "grim and well-acted" but criticized it for being "too sparse to fully satisfy." He added that "its slow pace and narrow focus leave it feeling like a psychological exercise rather than a compelling drama."[17] For Slant Magazine Pat Brown described The Patient as a "moody psychological thriller" but criticized it for being "too self-contained," arguing that "its themes of guilt and redemption feel underdeveloped." Brown concluded by saying, "While Steve Carell gives a compelling performance, the series never quite lives up to its tense, thought-provoking premise."[18]
The Patient performed strongly in streaming rankings. According to Whip Media, which tracks viewership data from over 21 million global users via its TV Time app, the series debuted as the ninth most-streamed original in the U.S. during the week of September 4, 2022.[24] It later rose to sixth place by the week of October 9 and climbed to fifth place the week of October 23. By the week of October 30, it reached third place.[25][26][27]
Reelgood, which tracks real-time streaming data from 5 million U.S. users, reported The Patient as the eighth most-watched show by August 31, 2022.[28] By September 9, it had moved up to fourth place.[29] Additionally, JustWatch, which collects data from over 20 million users globally, ranked the series as the third most-streamed in the U.S. between September 5–12.[30]