After three decades working with older adults, and after becoming a member of this demographic myself, I know firsthand how insidious and pervasive ageism can be. I’ve documented numerous examples of the negative effects of ageism in my columns for Times of San Diego.
In the holiday season, it’s a joy to report on a positive development and a powerful sign of change thanks to a delighted and thought-provoking new Netflix series with powerful lessons on the importance of human connection. It’s the ideal entertainment to enjoy with your family and friends during this holiday season.
The eight-part series “A Man on the Inside” is getting rave reviews and positive audience response, sitting firmly in the top ten-most-watched shows on Netflix. The Los Angeles Times recently named the series on its best shows of 2024 list.
Award-winning actor Ted Danson, age 76, plays Charles, a widowed professor who finds himself with little to occupy his time after retiring. Goaded by his daughter to “find something to do,” Danson ends up working undercover at a retirement community to help solve the theft of a missing necklace.
Along with the central mystery, the show’s themes explore what it means to grow older and to consider the richness of what life has still has to offer. These meaningful issues are wrapped in a truly funny comedy, played for wonderful laughs by a genius cast of older actors, including Sally Struthers, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Susan Ruttan and John Getz as residents of the fictional Pacific View retirement community in San Francisco.
In Episode 1, Danson’s character Charles spends his first night at Pacific View getting drunk and high, waking up hungover with his clothes on from the night before and cold pizza sticking to the back of his suit. And why wouldn’t he, as someone who enjoyed his young adult years during the swinging 1970s?
The incident sets the tone for the series, highlighting through humor the contrast between society’s expectations for older adults versus their wide range of experiences, and personalities full of life which haven’t changed just because there are more candles on your birthday cake.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Danson himself wondered if he could keep his accomplished acting career going at a time when many people are retired, 40 years after he became famous for playing bartender Sam Malone in “Cheers,”
Danson says he was intrigued by what “A Man on the Inside” attempts to unpack: that older people still have plenty more to contribute to the world and derive a better quality of life through such a sense of belonging. It wasn’t until later that he wondered whether he was the right fit for the role.
“I’m a silly man who remains youthful by being silly. So will this fit with my age and what we think of when we think of retirement homes?” said Danson.
Danson’s character struggles at first with technology but quickly adapts as he leans into his role. As he develops friendships with the Pacific View residents, the characters confront the reality of being dismissed and misunderstood, but refuse to give in. Along with the laughs, there are unexpectedly poignant moments that really hit home.
Producer Mike Schur, who worked with Danson on the series “The Good Place,” based the series on the true story of a man who went undercover in a similar case in Chile depicted in the 2020 documentary, “The Mole Agent.”
On Dec. 9, Danson was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best Actor in a Limited Series for Television for his role. He will also receive the Carol Burnett Award, a lifetime achievement award from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, presented since 2019 to an honoree who has made outstanding contributions to television on or off the screen, based on their body of work and the lasting impact of their achievements. The Golden Globes Awards take place on January 5, 2025.
Happily, “A Man On The Inside” isn’t alone in busting ageist stereotypes. The 2024 version of the 1980s crime drama “Matlock” and the award-winning “Hacks” are drawing large audiences along with their excellent reviews.
Shows like these and their appreciative audiences are behind a positive shift shown in a 2024 AARP study looking at the ways older adults 50-plus are portrayed. The negative portrayals in online media and marketing images dropped from 28% in 2018 to 10% in 2023.
The 50-plus population is pictured as more active and independent, less fearful, and more likely to use technology, reflecting a growing recognition of older adults’ active lifestyles and valuable engagement in society.
Perhaps you’re thinking, “it’s just a television show.” But popular culture has the power to help shift perceptions of marginalized groups of people based on gender, race, and age, including older adults. It’s thrilling to see creators using their skills to develop entertainment depicting the changing nature of contemporary life.
Based on the reviews and ratings success of “A Man On The Inside,” we’re likely to get even more shows offering older adult characters. I’m looking forward to Season 2 with Ted Danson and his friends at Pacific View.
Paul Downey is CEO of Serving Seniors, a San Diego-based nonprofit that helps seniors in poverty live healthy and fulfilling lives.
