"Zero Day" is an immersive political thriller led by Robert DeNiro

The Real Perspectives

February 21, 2025

Netflix

"Zero Day," Netflix's latest political thriller, starring Robert DeNiro, who also doubles as executive producer in his first major role in a TV series, arrived on Netflix on February 20, delivering tour-de-force performances from the iconic actor and star-studded cast in this gripping thriller.

De Niro, who plays George Mullen, a popular and highly respected former U.S. President, is called out of retirement to help the current president and lead the Zero Day Commission to find the source of a deadly cyberattack that claimed thousands of lives, producing global chaos only to discover a vast web of lies and conspiracies in the six-episode series. Can Mullen successfully lead the investigation while battling his personal demons is also at the center of the series.  

There is so much to unpack in "Zero Day" that mirrors our own political climate with vigor and determination. Created by Eric Newman, Noah Oppenheim, and Michael Schmidt and directed by Lesli Linka Glatter, the series has a firm grip, taking us deeper into a world filled with lies, deceit, and political manipulation, revealing just how susceptible Americans... viewers are to misinformation masqueraded as truth, perpetrated to sell dangerous agendas that only benefit the wealthy. Fueled by the media techs, politicians and Wall Street, this all feels a little too close to home.

Netflix

The series boasts an impressive star-studded cast that includes:

• Robert De Niro  (The Irishman) as George Mullen

• Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) as Evelyn Mitchell

• Lizzy Caplan (Fleishman Is in Trouble, Fatal Attraction)as Alexandra Mullen

• Jesse Plemons (The Power of the Dog, Fargo) as Roger Carlson

• Joan Allen  (The Bourne Ultimatum, The Contender) as Sheila Mullen

• Connie Britton (White Lotus, Friday Night Lights)as Valerie Whitesell

• Bill Camp (The Queen's Gambit, The Night Of)  as Jeremy Lasch

• Dan Stevens  (Gaslit, Beauty and the Beast) as Ecan Green

• Matthew Modine (Stranger Things, Oppenheimer) as Richard Dreyer

• McKinley Belcher III (We Won This City, Ozark) as Carl Otieno

• Gaby Hoffmann (Transparent, Girls) as Monica Kidder

• Clark Gregg (Painkiller, Florida Man) as Robert Lyndon

• Mark Ivanir (Away, Barry) as Natan

The series offers a complex narrative interweaving politics, interpersonal relationships, greed, and ambition and asks when is enough, enough especially when the call is coming from inside the house. In a sea of lies and corruption, the series is both compelling and nuanced and depicts the duplicitous sides of politics, those at the top, those at the bottom, and the casualties... which are essentially the people. "Zero Day" offers a thought-provoking exploration of power dynamics and the fragility of democracy. The powerful ensemble cast further elevates the series, making the exponential threat feel terrifying and real.

"Zero Day" is a must-watch for fans of political thrillers, offering a blend of suspense, intrigue, and drama that is entertaining and thought-provoking.

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All episodes of Zero Day is currently available on Netflix.

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