A MAN on the INSIDE-Ted Danson as a Senior Sleuth is Divine

A MAN on the INSIDE is a delightful Netflix series that the whole family will gobble up easily and still want more servings. There are so many reasons to relish this touching comedy served up in a light mystery. Firstly, Ted Danson continues to prove himself as a bankable leading man that continues to get better with age.  Danson stars as Charles, a widowed septuagenarian living in San Francisco with too much time on his hands. His loving daughter, Emily (Mary Ellis) challenges her father to engage in something outside the house. He accepts her challenge and lands a job he applied for from a personal ad  as a spy in a senior residential center. Only an insider living in the senior center would be able to track down an expensive necklace reported stolen inside the senior center. Charles nabbed the job because the other senior applicants had no knowledge whatsoever of cell phones or technology. As a former professor of engineering and feeling cocky, his new boss tries to take him down a few pegs. His boss Julie (Lilah Estrada ) informs him he was hired because he was the "best candidate from a poor group of applicants." There's little that shakes Charles' confidence or affability.  Therein lies the lion share of humor and goodwill generated by this clever and disarming series. The relationship between Julie and her elder protege Charles, willing to learn new tricks, is hilarious as she reigns in her frustrations and metes out earnest praise as he ingratiates himself into the senior community making helpful breaks in the case. The mystery of the missing jewelry aside (it gets tied up in the final episode) it's easy to fall hard for enjoyable series which is about friendships, family and forging new relationships. This is a gentle comedy with a happy hour everyday starting at 3PM.  The residents in the house include a marvelous Sally Struthers whose on again/off again paramour refers to Charles as his "sexual rival." Charles becomes close with Calbert and the two spend an idyllic day in San Francisco. Charles acts as guide and the two serve up a love letter to SF and friendships at any age. Of course, Charles moved in under false pretenses. The director sensed something awry with Charles and Julie posing as his daughter which makes for a fun double conundrum. Despite trying to uncover a culprit, and getting punched in the nose by his "sexual rival," there's no villain or anything to suspect that would raise an alarm other than the passage of time. Is this a show for everyone where everything seems fine and hunky dory? Some may find this light fare or geared to the early bird special diner. Personally, I think it's much finer.  I look forward to an indicated season two for Charles'' and Julie's next caper.