The Patient

'The Patient' is an American miniseries of psychological thriller and drama that explores the limits of the human mind when therapy stops being a safe space and becomes a struggle for survival. 

The series was created by Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg, the minds behind The Americans, and produced by FX Productions for distribution on the Hulu platform (and in Spain through Disney+). It features a single season of 10 short episodes, focused almost exclusively on the intense psychological duel between its two protagonists.

It follows Alan Strauss, a psychotherapist who is grieving the recent death of his wife and is trying to find refuge in his work. However, his life changes radically when one of his patients, seemingly discreet and reserved, kidnaps him and reveals his true identity: he is a serial killer who wants to stop killing and demands that Alan "cure" him. Trapped in a basement with no way to escape, the therapist must use his professional knowledge to try to save the lives of his future victims… and his own.

The cast is led by Steve Carell, who plays Alan Strauss with a mix of vulnerability, intelligence, and emotional resilience. Opposite him, Domhnall Gleeson portrays Sam Fortner, the unsettling patient whose apparent normality contrasts with his violent nature. The cast also includes Linda Emond as Alan's wife in memories and dream sequences, and David Alan Grier as Alan's therapist in his inner dialogue.

'The Patient' stood out for its minimalist proposal and its almost theatrical approach, focused on performance and psychological tension rather than action. The series received positive reviews for the performances of its leads and for its exploration of themes such as trauma, guilt, morality, and the complexity of human behavior. All through a claustrophobic atmosphere and its contained pace.