Pop Culture Happy Hour – Episode: Zero Day

Hosts: Linda Holmes & Guest: Eric Deggans
Release Date: February 25, 2025

In this episode of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour, arts journalist Linda Holmes is joined by NPR’s TV critic, Eric Deggans, to discuss the recently released Netflix series Zero Day. The conversation delves into the show's narrative, character development, thematic elements, and overall execution, providing listeners with a comprehensive critique of the series.

Introduction to Zero Day

Linda Holmes opens the discussion by introducing Zero Day, a Netflix series described as a paranoid political thriller tailored for contemporary audiences. The plot centers around a catastrophic cyber-attack that temporarily cripples the United States’ infrastructure, leading to widespread chaos and loss of life. The government forms the Zero Day Commission to investigate the attack and prevent future occurrences. The series features a star-studded cast including Robert De Niro as former President George Mullen, Angela Bassett as the current President Lizzy Kaplan, Jesse Plemons, Connie Britton, Joan Allen, Matthew Modine, and Dan Stevens.

Linda Holmes [00:33]: "The Netflix series Zero Day begins with a terrifying moment in which everything in the United States goes briefly offline. [...] With a cast headed by Robert De Niro and Angela Bassett, the show hopes to be a paranoid political thriller for our times."

Initial Impressions

Eric Deggans shares his initial expectations and subsequent reactions to the series, expressing disappointment despite appreciating certain elements.

Eric Deggans [04:25]: "I have to say I didn't like it as much as I wanted to. And there were elements of it that I really did like."

He highlights his interest in political thrillers and the unique angle of centering the story around an older, retired president grappling with mental challenges.

Plot Elements: Mind Control vs. Dementia vs. Stress

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on the ambiguity surrounding the protagonist’s motivations and mental state. The series hints at various explanations for former President George Mullen’s actions post-attack, leaving viewers uncertain whether his behavior is due to mind control, cognitive decline, or overwhelming stress.

Robert De Niro as George Mullen [03:30]: "I do not render judgment on the extent of the powers I have been granted. They are unprecedented, as is this danger. But I do offer you my solemn vow we will only employ them insofar as they are absolutely necessary."

Eric and Linda debate whether the series effectively explores these themes or leaves them unresolved, impacting the show's overall coherence.

Eric Deggans [05:14]: "You know, he's having problems with perhaps his cognition, and it's hard to tell if he has access to something that is communicating to him, special information on what is actually happening here or whether he's slowly losing his mind."

Linda Holmes [05:45]: "Is it mind control? Is it dementia? [...] They're trying so hard to avoid any actual political relevance."

Critique of Political Depth and Partisanship

Linda Holmes critiques the series for its handling of political themes, noting a lack of substantive political positions among characters. She argues that the show’s reluctance to assign clear political identities to its characters results in a phony and inauthentic portrayal of political dynamics.

Linda Holmes [06:19]: "I don't know that you can make a political thriller that is about political acts like signing laws, holding commissions, making reports, and be as resolute as these people are about never suggesting what the substantive politics of any of these people are."

Eric draws parallels to earlier political dramas, such as The West Wing, highlighting a trend of avoiding deep political conflict, which diminishes the series' tension and realism.

Eric Deggans [08:11]: "I have to say that was the one thing that always brought me up short when I would watch the West Wing, [...] And I was just gonna say we're seeing that here to the nth degree."

Pacing and Structure: The “Streameritis” Phenomenon

The hosts discuss the show’s pacing, attributing flaws to what Eric terms “streameritis”—a tendency of streaming platforms to stretch narratives across multiple episodes to maximize viewer engagement. This results in episodes that feel padded with irrelevant scenes and red herrings, detracting from the main storyline and leading to viewer frustration.

Eric Deggans [10:25]: "They felt like there was a lot of stuff in there sort of designed to stretch out the story and keep people engaged over multiple episodes when they could have done this in maybe three episodes."

Linda Holmes [16:23]: "You want everything to matter. [...] at the end to go chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, and kind of fall into place together."

Character Performances and Utilization of Cast

While acknowledging the impressive ensemble cast, both Linda and Eric critique the underutilization of characters, particularly Angela Bassett’s role as President Lizzy Kaplan. They argue that despite her acting prowess, her character lacks depth and meaningful interaction, limiting her impact on the narrative.

Eric Deggans [10:04]: "Angela Bassett's playing the President. She doesn't get to do much except [...] Occasionally say stern things to Robert De Niro."

They also discuss how star power may lead to character inclusion without sufficient narrative purpose, exemplified by Dan Stevens’ character, which adds unnecessary subplots that do not contribute significantly to the main plot.

Linda Holmes [09:11]: "You don't need it. You could have made this whole thing a movie, I think, and probably retained most of what is potentially fun about it."

Behind the Scenes: Show Business Realities

Eric provides insight into the challenges faced by showrunners in the streaming landscape. He explains that the pressure to engage viewers over multiple episodes often leads to compromised storytelling, where plotlines are artificially extended to fit episode counts rather than serving the story’s natural progression.

Eric Deggans [15:22]: "They're constantly pushing them to delay payoff moments in episodes [...] And the result for the viewer is that you're watching episodes where nothing of real import happens."

This behind-the-scenes perspective sheds light on why Zero Day may suffer from narrative inefficiencies and lack of resolution.

Conclusion and Overall Impressions

Despite the promising premise and high-caliber cast, both hosts express disappointment with Zero Day. Linda critiques the series for its lack of political authenticity and unresolved plot elements, while Eric highlights the detrimental effects of poor pacing and overstuffed character arcs. They concur that the show fails to deliver a satisfying thriller experience, leaving much to be desired in its execution.

Linda Holmes [16:37]: "Neither one of us, big fan of Zero day, but Robert De Niro remains Robert De Niro."

Linda invites listeners to share their thoughts on the series, signaling an open-ended ending to their critique.

Notable Quotes:

• Robert De Niro as George Mullen [03:30]: "I do not render judgment on the extent of the powers I have been granted. They are unprecedented, as is this danger. But I do offer you my solemn vow we will only employ them insofar as they are absolutely necessary."

• Linda Holmes [05:41]: "Like, is it part of his makeup that he wanted to do this to people and have these powers and flex these powers? Or was it because of mind control?"

• Joan Allen as George’s Wife [13:57]: "It causes memory loss, temporary confusion. How about a sudden affinity for fascism? Is that on the list?"

Production Credits:

• Produced by: Hafsa Fathoma and Liz Metzger
• Edited by: Mike Katsif
• Supervising Producer: Jessica Reedy
• Theme Music: Provided by Come In

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