"Zero Day" is, in my opinion, one of the best limited series Netflix has ever made. While the middle section felt a bit slow, and there were some dead ends in the plot, the overall experience was incredible. If the show had been longer, perhaps 10 episodes instead of 6, it could have fully explored certain storylines that felt underdeveloped. Despite its flaws, I would rate it a solid 9 or 9.5 out of 10. No show is perfect, but this one comes close.
The show takes place over 30 days, yet we only see about six hours of that time. This limited perspective leaves some gaps in the story. Some characters, like Roger Carlson, had vague backstories, his history with drugs is mentioned, but we never fully understand why he's being blackmailed or how he ended up in this position. The same goes for the character introduced at the beginning, who later is related to the calls to dry cleaners that george mullen makes . The phone call he makes seems significant, but we never get clarity on its purpose.
Additionally, the ending could have been expanded. If George Mullen was suspected to have been infected with the neuro-agent virus, why wasn't this confirmed or explored further? Adding a scene where they test him would have strengthened the resolution.
One of the most compelling aspects of Zero Day is how it mirrors real-world politics. The show reflects events like the January 6th Capitol riots, not by directly recreating them, but by showing similar tactics, rioters targeting shops, banks, and surrounding Mullen’s car.
The far-right talk show host, Evan Green, is clearly inspired by figures like Tucker Carlson and Alex Jones. His rhetoric reinforces the beliefs of his audience, which aligns with the reinforcement theory in media studies. His followers resemble groups like the Proud Boys and QAnon, particularly in their off-the-grid survivalist mentality.
The show also critiques how quickly people in power blame external forces like Russia or China in times of crisis. This is a real-world phenomenon, Russia’s interference in the 2016 election is well-documented, but historically, the U.S. has been quick to blame foreign enemies, sometimes without solid evidence. This pattern is seen after 9/11, when many Americans equated all Muslims with terrorism due to fear and uncertainty.
The series explores the idea that once someone has power, they rarely want to give it up. This is exemplified in the Senate’s secret plan and how power-hungry politicians justify their actions as "temporary." It parallels real-world leaders, including Trump, who has tried to delegitimize Biden’s presidency while attempting to regain power himself.
This theme is also seen in dystopian stories like The Hunger Games, where President Coin insists her rule is only temporary, until it becomes clear she never intended to step down. In Zero Day, this idea is echoed when the Senate chairperson claims the new system is only a short-term measure, despite clear signs it will become permanent.
The tech billionaire character, who already controls multiple platforms and data, still seeks more power. She resembles real-world figures like Mark Zuckerberg, who, despite already owning Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, continues to expand his influence. The show critiques how tech oligarchs, despite already having immense control over society, always strive for more, something Joe Biden himself called out when referring to the "hidden oligarchy" in America.
Alex Mullen, the former president’s daughter, has one of the most interesting arcs. Initially, she believes that breaking the system will prove that the system is flawed. However, she fails to consider the real-world consequences, how shutting down technology, even briefly, can lead to mass chaos and death.
This mirrors a real-world event: the global IT outage in July 2024, where a software update crashed Windows systems used by banks, hospitals, and airports. The show takes this idea to an extreme, demonstrating how even a brief disruption can have devastating effects.
At one point, Alex considers fleeing, but instead, she chooses to turn herself in. This is significant, rather than letting her father protect her, she takes responsibility for her actions, realizing the damage she has caused.
A major theme in Zero Day is the inability to trust those in power. The president admits she didn’t know who to trust, not even the congess. This reflects real-world concerns about political appointees serving their own interests.
For example, when Trump was first elected, Egypt’s government secretly funneled $10 million into his campaign. The CIA discovered this, but Trump’s administration buried the report by appointing officials loyal to him. Similarly, in the show, Speaker Richard Dreyer undermines Mullen’s presidency not because Mullen is incompetent, but because Dreyer wants power for himself.
The show suggests that America’s stability is more fragile than it seems. Since 9/11, militias and far-right groups have been preparing for a collapse, storing weapons and organizing in secret. Events like January 6th prove that these groups are willing to act on their beliefs. If Trump were to call on his supporters to take violent action, many of them would obey.
Photos from January 6th
One of the most unsettling aspects of Zero Day is how quickly constitutional protections are discarded under the guise of national security. George Mullen initially insists on following the law, ensuring warrants are obtained before interrogations. However, when it comes to Evan Green, who has spread dangerous rhetoric and potentially incited violence, Mullen feels pressured. Roger Carlson, persuaded by others, informs Mullen about Green’s involvement, leading to a raid on his house.
At first, Green is given legal protections. He is allowed to have a lawyer, even though he doesn’t need one, and he isn’t immediately subjected to unlawful treatment. However, as the investigation intensifies, the government crosses a line. Green is taken to a CIA black site, where he is subjected to a form of torture, zip-tied to a chair, a bag placed over his head, restricting his breathing. This is similar to waterboarding but relies on oxygen deprivation rather than simulated drowning.
This sequence reflects real-world debates about CIA black sites and extrajudicial detention. During Obama’s presidency, efforts were made to shut down these sites, yet places like Guantanamo Bay remain. These sites operate in a legal gray area, by American standards, detainees are not technically “arrested,” yet they have no way to leave. The show highlights how governments justify extreme measures by bending legal definitions, a strategy seen in real-world counterterrorism policies.
The events of Zero Day serve as a chilling reminder of how fragile democracy is. The blackouts were meant to restore constitutional order, yet they instead lead to warrantless arrests, indefinite detentions, and extreme interrogation tactics that likely violate the Geneva Convention. This contradiction mirrors how authoritarian-leaning leaders use national emergencies to expand their own power.
This raises the question: If a fictional U.S. president in the show can justify this, what’s stopping a real-world leader from doing the same? Donald Trump, during his presidency, repeatedly expressed authoritarian tendencies. He vowed to jail Hillary Clinton, though he never did, but the threat alone was alarming. His administration empowered ICE to conduct aggressive raids, often disregarding legal procedures. Agents have been reported impersonating delivery drivers and police officers to enter homes without warrants, an eerie parallel to the tactics used in Zero Day.
In the show, anyone with even a loose connection to Zero Day is targeted. At one point, a character orders the arrest of a suspect and “anyone he’s seen in the past six months.” This kind of blanket crackdown could easily be used in real life. Trump has already started rounding up and raiding immigrants, using ICE as his personal Gestapo. And couldx` potentially start arsing trans and LGBTQ+ individuals. His past rhetoric suggests he could find ways to bypass judicial oversight, whether by firing judges, overriding legal decisions, or simply ignoring court rulings.
Zero Day demonstrates how authoritarian tactics can take hold even in a supposedly democratic system. Trump has openly praised dictators like Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-un, and Xi Jinping. While each of these leaders wields power differently, they all maintain control by suppressing opposition, whether through censorship, imprisonment, or outright violence.
Trump himself once said, “Once you vote for me, you’ll never have to vote for anyone else.” [ Ref ] This mirrors the mindset in Zero Day, where extreme measures are justified as temporary solutions, only for them to become permanent. If history has shown anything, it’s that leaders who consolidate power rarely give it back willingly.
The main reason for Zero Day, or the concept behind it, is the idea of having a national issue that affects all Americans. The belief, especially from Senator Richard Dwyer, was that if there were a national emergency affecting every American, the people would band together and create a stronger, more unified America. He obviously had his own personal motives, such as gaining power, but I think he was following an ideology rooted in the kind of patriotism seen after 9/11, when many Americans felt the need to fight for their country and protect their people.
Of course, the war that followed had many terrible consequences, but within America, there was a strong sense of national unity. I believe Richard Dwyer thought that if a national attack occurred, Americans would once again come together in support of their country. A similar response happened after the Boston Marathon bombings, when people banded together to help the FBI. Yes, there were cases of misinformation and false leads that slowed the investigation, but overall, most people supported the effort however they could.
I think that’s what Dwyer was trying to promote with Zero Day, this idea that a national crisis would bring Americans together. However, the problem was scale. 9/11 and the Boston bombings were localized attacks. 9/11 targeted the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, specific locations that, while symbolically and strategically important, did not directly affect every American on a personal level. The Boston Marathon attack was similarly limited to Boston, and while it sparked fear across the country, it was still a contained event.
Zero Day, on the other hand, affected all of America at once. And that’s the key difference. When a localized attack happens, the majority of Americans can feel patriotism and rally behind a common cause without personally experiencing trauma. Someone in Colorado may not have lost a loved one in 9/11, but they could still feel motivated to fight for their country. But when an attack affects every single person directly, the reaction isn’t patriotism, it’s fear.
In Zero Day, every American had a personal experience with the attack. Maybe for one person, it was just their car shutting down. But for someone else, their spouse died in a train crash. The fear wasn’t abstract, it was real for everyone. And that meant there was no collective "we must fight together" mindset. Instead, there was chaos, looting, riots, and a complete breakdown of order. Unlike 9/11 or the Boston bombings, this wasn’t about an external enemy attacking a specific location, it was about America itself collapsing.
Dwyer’s entire plan hinged on the belief that this attack would unite Americans. But he failed to consider that when you strip people of their basic security, when they can't even use their own money, the response isn’t patriotism, it’s panic. The show does a great job illustrating this. In past attacks, most Americans only witnessed the events from a distance. But in Zero Day, every single person had their own first-hand experience of the crisis, making unity impossible.
Dwyer likely knew people would die, there’s no way to shut down an entire nation's infrastructure without casualties. Some systems, like older trains and planes, still have analog backups. But many modern transportation systems are fully automated, such as the airport shuttles at Heathrow or driverless subway trains. Shutting down technology meant disaster in ways Dwyer either ignored or underestimated.
His ideology made sense on paper. Most ideologies do, communism works in theory, capitalism works in theory, but reality is always more complex. Dwyer believed America would simply bounce back into unity, but that was never going to happen. He pitched this vision to Alex and other characters, but in reality, any plan based on forcing unity through crisis is doomed to fail.
This show is also a great commentary on modern America. It feels like it was made for the post-Trump era, specifically after January 6th. That event was something no one expected to actually happen, and while Trump may not have the ability to directly incite another riot like that, there are still militant groups in America waiting for their moment.
I believe there are people, maybe in a place like Texas, who are stockpiling weapons right now, convinced that the government is their enemy. They probably have an entire fortress set up, just waiting for the moment their leader (whether it’s Trump or someone else) calls on them to fight. January 6th wasn’t even an armed event, but it was still one of the most chaotic moments in modern American history. If a future event involved a militia with actual weapons, it could be far worse.
The FBI estimated that about 2,000 to 2,500 people entered the Capitol on January 6th. Now imagine that same number, but storming the White House, a location that is even more heavily fortified but still vulnerable if enough people coordinate an attack. The Zero Day show reflects this kind of scenario, a situation where blind patriotism, unchecked ideology, and a miscalculated crisis lead to absolute disaster.
I don’t think Trump’s followers are as organized as they were before, and I doubt he could directly summon the same kind of riot again. But I also believe that somewhere in America, there are people with plans, people who have thought through how they would attack the government if given the chance. And if a figurehead, whether it’s Trump or someone else, tells them "now is the time," they will act.
Zero Day is a fantastic representation of what could happen. It’s not just a fictional thriller, it’s a commentary on real fears, real ideologies, and the fragility of modern America
And then there's the mention of how Richard Dwyer is going to be arrested. He responds, "Well, I'm not going to be arrested. Here's what's going to happen: I'm going to stand down. You can euthanize the country if you want to, that's your decision. You're making the wrong decision, but that's your decision." Then he says, "I'll stand down and get everyone else to stand down as well."
And then he adds, "And if you arrest me, think about your daughter. Like you said, treason is still a capital offense. Are you really willing to do that to your daughter? Is your wife willing to let you?"
Richard Dwyer walks away, and you can see the sadness and the cogs turning inside George Mullen's brain. Then there's a wide shot of Richard Dwyer walking away, with all the busts around the National Cemetery and the main National Cemetery building in the background.
[shots from the scene]
It then cuts to the morning, birds chirping inside George Mullen's villa. We see him doing his daily routine: going to the pool, doing the Swim2Get exercise, getting up. One of his personal aides informs him that the President will be coming to see him around 11.
Skipping over some details, but there's a moment where Sheila Mullen says she can't lose another child. When the President arrives, they talk in his side office. She acknowledges that she didn't share certain information earlier because people were scared. She also makes a pointed comment: "It doesn’t matter what we show, as long as we make the listeners believe what we want them to hear." Essentially, she's saying that George doesn’t need to send his daughter to jail because she already has the next election in the bag.
Then, the President says, "I'm here to say that I'm sorry because I held some things back." She claims she had no idea it would turn out to be this person. She tells him, "Whatever you say in that report will be the truth in your minds, in their minds."
This scene, even though I brushed over some of it, is great. We don't see much of President Evelyn Mitchell (played by Angela Bassett), so this is a nice way to get more of her character, even if it's brief.
[shots from the scene]
Then, we see George Mullen on his usual walk. He looks into the bird feeder and notices a small listening device, a little technological thing that looks like a speaker. The camera closes in on it. But to me, it doesn't look like a speaker, it looks more like earplugs.
The scene cuts back to his cottage, where he sees his son. Then, it cuts to Richard Dwyer and Valerie Whitesell in Dwyer’s office. She hands him the investigation report on the Zero Day attacks. She tells him, "Go ahead, take your time", but in a knowing way, like she already understands what’s inside.
[shot from the scene]
After reading it, Dwyer says, "Your boss is a very wise man," referring to George Mullen. "I’ve always admired him." He then acknowledges that Mitchell’s team suggests they share the findings together, and he agrees.
[shot from the quote above]
Meanwhile, we see George Mullen arriving at his old agency headquarters. The sign is being removed, symbolizing the office shutting down. I love how they show everyone packing up in the background. As Mullen walks in, people start clapping, he was presumed dead, but now he’s back.
He gives a great speech, which I won’t go over in full since he gives many amazing speeches throughout the show. Robert De Niro is just fantastic at delivering these kinds of monologues, both in real life and in film.
Then, Mullen goes to shake Carl’s hand, the guy who was shot. Carl asks, "Sir, if I may, I understand the investigation uncovered different angles." Mullen responds, "This is what we’re going with." It’s a subtle way of saying, "This is the truth we are accepting." Carl nods and says, "It’s been an honor, sir." Mullen replies, "Me too."
[shot from the scene]
Valerie Whitesell then hands him the listening device from the bird feeder. She explains that the lab determined its origin was indeterminate, it could be anything. She mentions that the prototype virus may not have even been used on him and that his declining health could just be due to the stress and medications. Mullen says, "Or I could just be a tired old man with too many demons."
He asks Valerie about his daughter, and she says, "I told her everything, the truth." There was speculation that it might have come out regardless. It’s a somber moment.
Then, there's a close-up shot of George Mullen walking, followed by scenes of people packing up. The Presidential motorcade arrives at the Capitol, and this is where things get intense.
At nighttime, we see a fantastic shot of the Capitol. Inside the White House, the President is getting her TV set up to watch the hearing. Richard Dwyer is getting ready, looking smart and confident, thinking everything is going to be fine.
Mullen arrives at his daughter’s Capitol office and asks her secretary, "Is she here?" The secretary replies, "She left half an hour ago. Not sure where. But she asked me to give you this." She hands him an envelope labeled "Dad."
Cut to Richard Dwyer greeting people. One of his associates from the Zero Day attacks pulls him aside and says, "Can I have a word?" He then informs Dwyer that Alex is gone. Dwyer makes a snarky joke: "I guess she didn’t want to watch her father lie for her."
We see Sheena Mullen watching the hearing from her office. TV screens in bars, cafés, and restaurants are also broadcasting the event, showing how big of a moment this is.
A slow, dramatic shot of George Mullen. The camera pans slightly upward as we hear distorted sounds, reflecting his anxiety. Richard Dwyer, standing behind an American flag, looks at Mullen as if urging him to say the right things. The President, watching from the White House, seems uncertain, did she make the right decision?
Mullen begins his speech:
"Mr. Speaker, the Cabinet, Congress, my fellow Americans..."
[shots from the quote above]
As he talks about the Zero Day attacks, applause erupts. Then, a high-pitched ringing starts. He begins to fade out, struggling to focus. The teleprompter starts glitching, displaying strange words:
"Murder, murder. Someone should be angry. The crime of the century. Who killed Bambi?"
[shot from the quote above]
A song plays in his head, "Who Killed Bambi?" He starts mumbling it under his breath, and the eerie music stops. The audience stares in silence.
Dwyer asks, "Georgie, you all right?"
[shot from the quote above]
Mullen steadies himself. "Those are the facts."
[shot from the quote above]
And then, the moment that changes everything.
"But not the truth."
[shot from the quote above]
Dwyer’s expression shifts, he knows something is wrong.
Mullen continues: "The Zero Day attack was a conspiracy led by Speaker Richard Dwyer."
[shot from the quote above]
Chaos erupts. People start shouting, furious at Dwyer. "You traitor! I trusted you!"
[shot from the quote above]
Mullen raises his voice over them: "He was joined by members of this body from both sides of the aisle..." He names names, Congressman Jerry Benson, Congresswoman Barbara Rollins, Senator Maxine. The camera cuts to bars, cafés, and living rooms, people are watching in shock.
[shot from the quote above]
Then, the biggest blow: "And Congresswoman Alexandra Mullen." His own daughter
[shot from the quote above].
Sheila Mullen, watching, breaks down in tears. She closes the laptop tab and leaves the room, devastated.
Mullen declares that the Zero Day Commission ends tonight, but its work does not. He calls on the President to use every constitutional tool to bring these people to justice, no more lawless arrests, only real justice.
Dwyer hisses, "You self-righteous son of a bitch. You just destroyed the country."
[shot from the quote above]
Mullen responds: "Every time we do the right thing, it gives us another chance to save it."
[shot from the quote above]
He walks out to applause.
And then, on the subtitles, it says "We're bored of one." But the actual news coverage says, "Mullen has delivered an absolute bombshell tonight." I think it's just amazing because everyone is clapping for him, and all he did was tell the truth. He didn’t do anything flashy or dramatic, he just stated the truth.
[shot from the quote above]
The scene cuts to various reactions across the country. People at the pool, at snooker tables, completely ignoring the game, instead glued to the news. A father sits at the dinner table with his kids, but he’s focused on the TV. Soldiers, both men and women, are seen banging on tables in support of Mullen.
I've watched that scene probably 20 times, not even counting full rewatches of the episode.
Then, we see George Mullen returning to his villa. He heads into his little workspace, pulls out a document, and burns it, symbolizing the end.
The camera pans to a framed photo of his happy family, his son, his wife, himself, and his daughter. The door shuts.
Then, we see him walking his dog, mirroring the very first scene of the series. The camera slowly zooms in, he seems lost in thought. The subtitles sum it up perfectly:
"Soft dramatic music continues."
It’s dramatic but soft. It’s also kind of epic, like a perfect closing theme. They use this kind of music in other films and series finales, it just works.
They’re clearly wrapping it up because there won’t be another season. There are hints, sure, but realistically, this is the end.
And then, the music swells, the camera pans out...
And it ends.
That’s my opinion on Zero Days, Episode 6.
The show’s message is clear: authoritarianism doesn’t arrive all at once, it creeps in under the guise of protection. The government in Zero Day claims to defend democracy, yet its actions directly contradict that goal. Likewise, real-world leaders can justify mass arrests, surveillance, and extreme policing as necessary for national security, even when they undermine fundamental rights.
By the end of Zero Day, the characters recognize their mistakes, acknowledging that torturing Evan Green and suspending due process was a step too far. But in reality, would a leader like Trump ever admit the same? The show serves as a warning that once democratic principles are abandoned, getting them back is far from guaranteed.
Zero Day isn’t just a political thriller, it’s a reflection of our current world. It critiques power struggles, media influence, and the dangers of technology, all while telling an engaging story. While some plotlines could have been expanded, and the middle of the series dragged slightly, the show still delivered a powerful message.
Suppose you analyze it through a critical lens. In that case, Zero Day provides a chilling look at how easily democracy can crumble, and how history has already laid the groundwork for such a collapse.
