“A Man on the Inside” Defines ‘Short and Sweet’

From Creator Micheal Schur of Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn-99, and The Good Place fame, the comedy series A Man on the Inside released on Netflix November 21, 2024.

The plot follows Charles Nieuwendyk (Ted Danson), a recent widower who seeks a new purpose by working undercover for a private investigator, Julie Kovalenko (Lilah Richcreek Estrada) to identify a jewel thief at the Pacific View Retirement Community. Also starring Stephanie Beatriz as Didi, the retirement community’s manager, and Mary Elizabeth Ellis as Charles’s daughter, Emily, the show blends its star-studded cast with the humor and narrative prowess audiences have come to expect from Schur. 

A Man on the Inside is the definition of short and sweet. Though it consists of only eight episodes, each moment is given attention to detail by the show’s cast and crew. Without spoiling the mystery, the show is ultimately about how grief can be eased through a sense of community.

When we meet Charles at the start of the show, the absence of his late wife is made prevalent by his need for meaningless routine and isolation. He struggles to connect with others, including his daughter, whom he only communicates with by clipping and mailing her newspaper articles he labels as “interesting”. Charles then takes the opportunity to try something new when he sees a newspaper ad looking for seniors to work for a private investigator.  

From there on, the plot becomes about Charles and his developing relationships with the staff and residents of Pacific View. Though the mystery of the missing jewels remains in the background of its characters’ and audience’s mind, the main focus becomes the sense of community that blossoms. The retirement community is filled with big personalities who bring a sense of freedom and humor to the reality of getting older. Between an on-again-off-again romance, impulse purchases, and late nights smoking grass, the retirees know how to have a good time. 

The comedic elements are gracefully interwoven with hard-hitting revelations and losses. As Charles connects more with the people around him, they delve into deep conversations about death, aging, illness, and changing family dynamics. Still, the tone is never bogged down by its emotional vulnerability. Instead, the audience feels the levity and healing that opening up can bring to people in times of grief. The performances given by the main and supporting cast feel exceptionally real, with expressive dialogue that captures the resiliency of the human spirit.

All, of this, of course, happens as Charles (sometimes oafishly) attempts to track down the jewel thief without drawing the attention of Didi, the staff, and the other residents. The use of spy gear and classic investigative techniques draws on the aesthetics of other beloved spy/private investigator television shows.

A Man on the Inside packs a punch in its eight episode season. Between a carefully crafted mystery and an emotional character arc, the combined genius of Schur and Danson leave you anxious for more. 

A Man on the Inside is currently streaming on Netflix. Watch the trailer here: 

Author: Abby Kirby

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