"The Patient"

This ten-part psychological thriller goes quickly, in part due to the fact that these are short episodes, not full hours.  Not sure why but these short takes do allow a level of tension to build.  Steve Carell, who I blasted in "Space Force", rises above in this production.  I've always liked his dramatic work far more than his comedy.  In the serious pieces he is thoughtful and reflective.  You can see pain and struggle etched in his face.  After "Beautiful Boy" I felt that he is perhaps one of the more underrated actors around these days.  He is able to move through darkly written works almost effortlessly, seemingly understated and doing little, but making a tremendous impact.  This is not a happy series.  There is virtually no light here.  Reflections on Judaism, on Carell's character's past, fill up some of the bleak moments but it is regret, not joy.  Taken in small bits, it's worthwhile but I can't say I liked it.  It ends badly.  But then it was never going to end well, was it?