Zero Day – Series Review | Netflix

ZERO DAY on Netflix is a new limited series with just six episodes. It’s a highly relevant thriller with a political conspiracy plot. The title refers to a cyber attack with fatal consequences followed by swift reactions. Read our full Zero Day series review here!

ZERO DAY is a new Netflix thriller series. Overall, the production quality is absolutely stellar as is the cast and plot. At times, this series was worthy of a top rating, so it’s a huge recommendation even if we landed just shy of it.

As a political cyber-thriller, this hits a lot harder than I expected due to its relevance and obvious references to the current state of affairs. This limited series has just six episodes and I found it impossible not to binge-watch all episodes.

Continue reading our Zero Day series below. Find it on Netflix from February 20, 2025.

This feels eerily close and all-too-possible

Zero Day is fiction, but this limited series on Netflix still feels very much like the world we’re currently living in. People are divided, and threats are rampant from any and every side. Is it the threat within that we should worry the most about, or those known enemies from far away?!

In this Netflix series, the threat becomes very tangible and no one is unaffected. A cyber attack results in thousands of deaths as everything stops working for exactly one minute. This is prefaced with a message warning that it will happen again.

Just the kind of thing to ensure absolute chaos and a constant state of anxiety.

Conspiracy theories run rampant and the usual media doom’s day characters are running with every bit of information (as well as misinformation) to ensure ratings. The result is the creation of the “Zero Day Commission” which is given virtually absolute powers to find those behind the attack.

Is this the beginning of the end for all of us? Or could this be what brings us all closer together?! Well, if the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that it’s neither… or rather, it’s both. Some will enjoy the mayhem while others will attempt to find common ground.

Robert De Niro is perfect in Zero Day

The cast of this new Netflix limited series is brilliant. Having Robert De Niro in the lead role as the former President George Mullen, who is asked to head the Zero Day Commission is perfect casting. He just has the face of someone you want on your side.

You can trust him – as long as he’s in your corner.

As the person asking him to take the job, we have the current President Evelyn Mitchell, who is portrayed with heart and intellect by Angela Bassett. And yes, it does hit close to home that a black woman is president in this fictional world when that could have been the case in the real world.

Other people working closely (in one way or another) with former President Mullen are portrayed by Jesse Plemons, McKinley Belcher III, Connie Britton, Joan Allen (The Bourne Legacy), and Lizzy Caplan. Also, we have Bill Camp as the CIA Director, who gets involved early on.

Who can you trust in a world where an attack happens and no one takes responsibility? All while threatening that it could happen again?! Well, you start by looking at the most obvious suspects, which leads to Russia first. But could it be so simple?

So many potential dangers

Overall, there are many references to the state of our real world, but it never gets too close. There are tech bros, but the main Tech Gury is a younger woman named Monica Kidder. A character very poignantly portrayed by Gaby Hoffman (Eric).

We also have a straight white man, Evan Green, as the “Average Joe” (who lives in a mansion but never lets this show) with his own show and very hardcore fanbase. He’s a YouTuber more than a Podcaster and has all the anger and fury of many familiar political commentators.

However, Evan Green (the always magnificent Dan Stevens) just criticizes everyone, which means he’s covering all bases pretty much. He isn’t rooting for anyone as much as he’s just against everyone. In many ways, he reminded me of Jude Law in the 2011 movie Contagion.

Also, we have Matthew Modine as Richard Dreyer, the Speaker of the House who seems to have his own agenda. He definitely has a hunger for power, though always claims to be a patriot first and foremost. As long as he gets to call the shots.

Finally, in a smaller role that will also feel like a real-life character (though no one in particular necessarily), we have Clark Gregg as the extremely wealthy Robert Lyndon, who wants the power he feels his wealth demands.

Watch the Zero Day series on Netflix

The creators of Zero Day are Eric Newman, Noah Oppenheim, and Michael S. Schmidt. The two first are also co-showrunners on the series while all three are executive producers as is the director of all six episodes Lesli Linka Glatter (Love & Death, Homeland, True Blood).

Robert De Niro, who obviously wants to send a message with this series, is also an executive producer. However, those who will want to write off Zero Day as some sort of attack on the current leadership will be missing the point.

If anything, Zero Day is a comment on all of us. The way we are divided and far too ready to believe bad things said about those with opposite beliefs.

This is hardly anything new, but usually, there’s a common enemy to rally against. Now, the enemy is viewed as being your own neighbor, if they have different political views. Zero Day asks questions about truth and integrity which it attempts to answer while leaving room for interpretation.

No one is entirely good or bad. Especially not when they have their own agenda. True patriots would make sacrifices for their country. Those who do not are more interested in personal power, which becomes dangerously easy to attain after an attack. This was also the origin story of the world we see in The Handmaid’s Tale.

ZERO DAY premieres globally on Netflix on February 20, 2025.

Details

Co-Creators: Eric Newman, Noah Oppenheim, Michael S. Schmidt
Director: Lesli Linka Glatter
Cast: Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons, Lizzy Caplan, Connie Britton, Joan Allen, Bill Camp, Dan Stevens, McKinley Belcher III, Matthew Modin, Angela Bassett, Clark Gregg, Gaby Hoffmann, Hannah Gross