Given his extensive career in comedy, Steve Carell has proven time and time again that he can nail comic relief to a tea. However, the actor has also demonstrated his versatility on screen by tapping into the dramatic territory in projects such as Beautiful Boy and The Morning Show. Following the trail of remarkable noncomedic roles, his latest IMDB credit entitled The Patient shows viewers a side that Carell hasn't explored much yet.
The Patient is centered on a psychotherapist named Alan Strauss (Carell), who ends up in captivity once his patient Sam Fournier (Domhnall Gleeson) opts for a more extreme therapy treatment for his serial killer tendencies. Looking for ways to be set free and unhinged, Strauss tries to get inside Fournier's head by challenging him to share his traumas and overlook his drive to kill. Yet, caring for his patient in an uncomfortable environment leads the therapist himself to begin unlocking his own family struggles which include his wife's passing and the estranged relationship with his son. If you are looking for a suspenseful tale to watch next that features one of the most cherished goofs in Hollywood, then this miniseries might be exactly what you are looking for. Here's a handy guide to know where and when to stream the show.
When Is The Patient Coming Out?
To conclude the month of August, The Patient will arrive on Hulu starting August 30th with the premiere of its first two episodes. The following eight chapters of the psychological thriller will be released on a weekly basis from September 6 until the finale hits the streaming platform on October 25. If you would rather binge all the episodes, you will be able to do so as of October 25, when the full season will already be available on Hulu.
Do You Need To Have A Hulu Subscription To Watch The Patient?
Since the series is an FX production for Hulu, The Patient is exclusively featured on the streaming platform. In case you aren't familiar with the subscription plans, there are 3 options to keep in mind. The first one and least costly is $6.99 a month with access to all the titles from within Hulu. If you are looking for an option that also includes permission to download episodes, so you can watch them on any device without a Wi-Fi connection, then you might be looking into the $12.99 monthly deal. The third plan would be the Hulu + Live TV package that allows viewers to not only access all the content on the platform but also allows you to watch Disney+ and ESPN+.
Watch The Patient's Trailer
If the concept of a therapist being controlled by a serial killer patient isn't horrifying enough, then watching it play out in the series trailer is a whole other deal. Viewers can spot at first glance Sam Fournier sitting down for a consult with Alan Strauss and his mannerisms already give a glimpse of his convolute personality before his killing obsession is revealed. While these regular meetings are still taking place at an office, Strauss begins to question his own mental health after dealing with the loss of his beloved wife. As the tables turn and Fournier becomes in control of the therapist/patient dynamic by kidnapping Strauss, the latter tries his best to maintain his composure as a professional fighting for his life. Not only is the therapist looking to keep his patient calm and unwilling to act upon his serial killer tendencies, but he is also trying to navigate his personal issues internally.
According to Collider's own Nate Richard's A-standing review of the FX original, "this is much more than a run-of-the-mill serial killer story; this is the audience sitting in on one long and creepy therapy session, but one definitely worth scheduling."
Other Psychological Thrillers to Watch On Hulu
In case you are wondering if there are other titles on the streaming platform that incorporate the suspenseful elements from the Steve Carell series, then the following recommendations are enough proof that there is still much to explore within the thriller genre on Hulu.
Cruel Summer: Like Strauss, Kate (Claire Holt) is also abducted by someone she trusts. After achieving popularity in school and dating the typical heartthrob, Kate's social presence is then replaced by Jeanette's (Chiara Aurelia) willingness to step into her predecessor's shoes. However, things begin to take an odd turn when Kate accuses Jeanette of knowing that she was kidnaped all along. In case you are looking to watch a "who did who" narrative, then this anthology series might be exactly what you are looking for. Cruel Summer has also been renewed for Season 2 with an entirely different storyline, so might as well watch Season 1 before the new one arrives.
Killing Eve: If Fournier was a woman, maybe he would have a lot in common with Jodie Comer's Villanelle. In this series, Villanelle is a Russian assassin on the loose. Although she wears different disguises whenever she kills a new victim, her trace is already on the radar of British intelligence investigator Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh). As Villanelle and Eve engage in a cat and mouse scenario, they grow an obsession for one another that could interfere in the investigation. Killing Eve's last season premiered earlier this year and the show is nominated for the Emmys, so make sure to start binging before the awards ceremony.
The Girl From Plainville: The Patient might not be an investigation series, but just envisioning the consequences Fournier would deal with after killing and kidnapping people. In The Girl From Plainville, a biographical true-crime series, Michelle Carter (Elle Fanning) is accused of involuntary manslaughter in her boyfriend's suicidal death. A few days prior to the incident, Michelle told her friends that Conrad was missing when in reality she continued to keep in touch with him via text. As their conversations online become subject to proof in the investigation, the more viewers notice the overwhelming impact of text messaging in the run to identify who is guilty or innocent. Like The Patient, this Hulu original is a miniseries worth the view.