In Netflix’s A Man On The Inside, Ted Danson stars as Charles, a retired professor who goes undercover in a retirement community to solve the mystery of a missing family heirloom.
Based on Maite Alberdi’s documentary The Mole Agent, the series—launching today—may initially appear to be a standalone investigation. However, Danson and showrunner Mike Schur are hoping for more stories. In the season finale [SPOILER ALERT], Danson’s character, Charles, receives a call from private investigator Julie, played by Lilah Richcreek Estrada. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I have another job for you,” she says. “Say no more,” Charles replies before hanging up. “Actually, I need you to say more. But whatever it is, I’m in,” he adds, calling her back.
This moment sets the stage for a potential second season. Schur explained to Deadline, “We’re sort of in a ‘fingers crossed’ situation, taking it one step at a time. But I will say that there are plenty of ideas from me and the writers about where we could take the show in the future. Fingers crossed, we’ll see.” Danson, crossing his fingers, added, “Dear Lord, yes.”
In A Man On The Inside, Danson’s Charles answers a classified ad from Julie, leading him to go undercover at the Pacific View Retirement Home in San Francisco to investigate the disappearance of a family heirloom. Everyone at the retirement home, from residents to staff, is a potential suspect, and Charles must solve the case while avoiding detection from Didi (Stephanie Beatriz), the sharp and watchful director of the facility.
However, staying under the radar proves challenging, as the warm and approachable Charles quickly bonds with his fellow residents. His role as a ‘man on the inside’ not only takes him on a journey to uncover the truth but also helps him reconnect with his daughter, Emily (Mary Elizabeth Ellis), reminding him that there’s still more to life.
The series addresses important themes such as ageism, loneliness, and Alzheimer’s dementia. The idea for the series came after The Good Place and Hacks executive producer Morgan Sackett suggested adapting the Chilean documentary The Mole Agent into a scripted series.
A Man On The Inside also features Stephen McKinley Henderson, Sally Struthers, Eugene Cordero, Margaret Avery, John Getz, Susan Ruttan, Lori Tan Chinn, Clyde Kusatsu, Marc Evan Jackson, Jama Williamson, Wyatt Yang, Deuce Basco, Lincoln Lambert, and Kerry O’Malley.
The eight-episode series is produced by Universal Television, with Schur and Sackett serving as executive producers alongside 3 Arts’ David Miner, Micromundo Producciones’ Maite Alberdi and Marcela Santibañez (who were behind the Oscar-nominated documentary), and Motto Pictures’ Julie Goldman and Christopher Clements, who also produced the original documentary.
