Looking for a gripping psychological thriller to become obsessed with? ITVX has just added The Patient to its collection of binge-worthy shows – and you might want to put it on your watchlist this week.
The psychological thriller, which stars Steve Carell and Domhnall Gleeson, follows a serial killer who kidnaps his therapist to help him subdue his urge to kill.
© FX PRODUCTIONS / Alamy Stock PhotoThe series, which boasts a Rotten Tomatoes score of 89 per cent, comes from Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg, who created the award-winning spy thriller, The Americans.
Steve made his name as a comedic actor and is perhaps best known for his brilliant portrayal of Michael Scott in the hit series The Office, which in my opinion, is one of the best sitcoms of all time. But The Patient is a reminder that his acting talents extend far beyond comedy as he showcases his dramatic chops.
© Getty ImagesFind out more about the series below…
What is The Patient about?
The story follows therapist Alan Strauss (Steve Carell), who is held prisoner by a patient, Sam Fortner (Domhnall Gleeson), who reveals himself to be a serial killer.
The synopsis continues: "Sam has an unusual therapeutic demand for Alan: curb his homicidal urges. In order to survive, Alan must unwind Sam's disturbed mind and stop him from killing again... but Sam refuses to address critical topics, like his mother Candace (Linda Emond).
© Suzanne Tenner / ©FX on Hulu / Courtesy Everett Collection / Alamy Stock Photo"Alone in captivity, Alan excavates his own past through memories of his old therapist, Charlie (David Alan Grier), and grapples with waves of his own repressed troubles – the recent death of his wife, Beth (Laura Niemi), and the painful estrangement from his religious son, Ezra (Andrew Leeds).
"Over the course of his imprisonment, Alan uncovers not only how deep Sam's compulsion runs, but also how much work he has to do to repair the rift in his own family. With time running out, Alan fights desperately to stop Sam before Alan becomes complicit in Sam's murders or worse – becomes a target himself."
What have viewers and critics said about The Patient?
Viewers have hailed the series as "gripping" and a "must-watch". One person wrote on social media: "Some exceptional acting performances from Carell and Gleeson and David Alan Grier truly the whole cast is so good. The writing was gripping and propulsive. A must watch," while another added: "#ThePatient is gripping from the very first episode."
A third viewer penned: "#ThePatient on @DisneyPlus is just brilliant. Gripping, intense, emotional. @SteveCarell is superb. Highly recommend."
© Variety via Getty ImagesThe series was met with positive reviews from critics, with The Guardian hailing Steve Carell's performance as "absolutely faultless" in its three-star review, while The Independent described the series as "intelligent and unusual," handing out four stars.
How to watch The Patient
All episodes of The Patient are available to stream on ITVX and Disney+.
