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.
In the aftermath of Elias' death, Alan finds ways to cope. As Sam digs Elias' grave, Alan imagines himself in a session with his former therapist, Charlie, who advises Alan to address with Sam how his mother was partially responsible for the abuse he suffered as a child. Alan convinces Sam not to bury Elias' body, but to leave it somewhere it will be found, as that is the nicer thing to do for Elias' relatives. As Sam gets ready to take the body, Alan writes Sam's name on a piece of paper and stuffs it into Elias' mouth for the police to find.
7
"Kaddish"
Gwyneth Horder-Payton
Joel Fields & Joe Weisberg
October 4, 2022 (2022-10-04)
Alan continues to disassociate, experiencing visions of a concentration camp and a series of flashbacks to events in his own life. Sam returns to find Alan attempting to recite the Kaddish for his wife but struggling to remember the words. Later, Sam tracks down his elementary school's therapist, Mr. Buchella, and asks if he will be his therapist. Mr. Buchella tells Sam he will consider it, but needs a few days to do so.
8
"Ezra"
Chris Long
Joel Fields & Joe Weisberg
October 11, 2022 (2022-10-11)
Alan imagines having dialogue with his therapist Charlie. He goes through his various family problems that stem from his son being an orthodox Jew with imaginary Charlie. His son Ezra actively looks for him and is worried, he even changes his rigidity about following Jewish prescriptive traditions in small measures. Sam gets agitated after confronting his boss at work, and later that evening stalks and murders his boss in a back alley. Sam informs Alan that he is changing his therapist.
9
"Auschwitz"
Chris Long
Joel Fields & Joe Weisberg
October 18, 2022 (2022-10-18)
Alan continues to hallucinate having meaningful talks with Charlie while sharpening an ointment tube to a blade. In a session, he says to Sam that he has to find meaning to his life and has to build relationships, and as a first step he has to rebuild his relationship with Mary, his ex-wife. When Sam complains that it doesn't work, Alan confronts him by saying that the real object of killing is not his victims or their actions but his father. Sam takes the message wrongly and decides to kill his father.
10
"The Cantor's Husband"
Chris Long
Joel Fields & Joe Weisberg
October 25, 2022 (2022-10-25)
Sam confronts his father about his childhood abuse, and almost kills him before stopping himself and leaving. Alan says it was because Sam doesn't want to become like his father and because Sam is changing as a person who can tolerate other people's shortcomings. He further says it's time to let him go. Sam doesn't feel like honoring his agreement with Alan and prepares for making Alan stay there longer and hints it would be years. Alan isn't ready for it. In the next day's session, he says to Sam that the only proper option for Sam is now institutionalization and that he has to turn in himself. Sam doesn't agree. Alan tries to hurt Sam's mother but ends up being killed by Sam. Alan's family receives a letter written by him from Sam. Sam decides to lock up himself where Alan was locked in and gives the key to his mother.
Production
Development
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]
Casting
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
Filming for The Patient began in mid-January 2022 in Los Angeles.[9]
Release
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]
Reception
Critical response
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]
^"The Patient - Production List". Film & Television Industry Alliance. December 6, 2021. Archived from the original on September 20, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
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