This post contains spoilers from Netflix's Zero Day from this point forward.
One after the other, Netflix has been hitting home runs in the conspiracy thriller genre, whether it's spy series like The Night Agent and The Recruit or political drama The Diplomat. The streamer added to its recently growing list of hit series with the Robert De Niro-led limited series Zero Day, a captivating political thriller that keeps you guessing from start to finish throughout its six episodes.
Zero Day opens amid an unexpected cyberattack on the United States, which lasts for only one minute but does incredible damage and causes multiple fatalities. Because the threat's so ominous, the government launches the Zero Day Commission and requests former and beloved President Mullen (De Niro) to lead the charge in uncovering the truth.
Although the series might be small, it's definitely mighty. Before long, we're questioning Mullen's mental fitness for the job at hand, concerned that he might have been the target of a cyberweapon called Proteus. And as the investigation continues, Mullen searches down every avenue and eventually realizes that the culprits of the attack hit closer to home than he imagined.
Dreyer orchestrated the Zero Day attack
Mullen followed every lead and looked under every stone, some that those around him wondered if he should have even been lifting up, but he ultimately discovers the truth. In the end, it's revealed that Speaker of the House Richard Dreyer (Matthew Modine) concocted the Zero Day cyberattack in order to scare people into unifying and solving bipartisan problems that had been happening in the country. They didn't anticipate the possible danger.
Dreyer pulled in a number of Congress representatives to take part in the conspiracy, including Mullen's own daughter Alexandra "Alex" Mullen (Lizzy Caplan). They aligned themselves with tech billionaire CEO Monica Kidder (Gaby Hoffmann), who was able to use her coding to hack and disseminate the malware that caused the attack. Before she can be held accountable for the part she plays, Monica dies by suicide in jail.
When Mullen learns the truth and has to deliver the commission's findings in a joint session, he's left with a decision to pin it all on Monica and save face for the United States government or tell the complete truth and implicate his own daughter. He's prepared to do the former, but a letter from Alex inspires him to do what he's always done as a leader and be trustworthy, no matter the ramifications. His speech is met with shock, but it's the information he needed to share.
Zero Day season 2 isn't likely (but not out of the question)
Even though the series finale contains some loose threads that viewers would probably love to see cleared up in a second season, Netflix has designated Zero Day as a limited series. The show contains six episodes, and those episodes are intended to stand alone and tell a complete story. Being so, it's unlikely that Zero Day season 2 will happen.
However, there's always a chance these days that shows intended as limited or miniseries could return for followup seasons if they are successful enough in their viewership. We'll have to wait and see how Zero Day does in the ratings, but it's been a popular title since its release on Netflix on Feb. 20, and the co-creators and series star are already thinking about ideas.
On the topic of a potential season 2, co-creator Noah Oppenheim told The Wrap:
"I think we all feel like we have told what is right now a complete story. That being said, it’s a group of people that happen to like each other a great deal and we all had a great experience making it. So Eric, and I and Mike [Schmidt] often will chat about what would happen. What does happen to Alexandra Mullen, what does happen to Speaker Dreyer the next day? But there’s no active plan at this moment."
Oppenheim stated what's true: They told a complete story with Zero Day and there is no active plan to continue the series beyond its shocking ending. But the writer did touch on some of the questions the finale left behind, including what happens to Alex after the truth comes out and what consequences Dreyer faces. The audience likely has to draw their own conclusions.
Oscar winner Robert De Niro even chimed in during their conversation with The Wrap to mention that it's unclear what story would be told if the series were to return, but that it's not out of the question. Obviously, there's always story that can be told in a continuation of anything, but is it a good enough story that's worth the time of the cast and viewers? Here's what De Niro said:
"I don’t know whether it would be a continuation of the situation with the character. It could very well be an interesting second part of what we’re going through. Of course, there’s a lot of ways to go and everything is moving so fast, but it’s not out of the question. I mean, with Eric, and Noah Oppenheim and Mike Schmidt, they could very, very easily, in some ways, come up with something that’s special. We all would agree on that."
Personally, as a viewer, I left the limited series feeling satisfied, even with a few questions still lingering. Those questions allow you to sit with what you have just watched and come to your own conclusions. We don't always have to know everything that happens to characters in order for a story to be complete. A little mystery in stories as complex and with as many gray areas as Zero Day is necessary and a sign of good writing.
The ending of Zero Day hammers home the cost of Mullen telling the truth. The final scene is Mullen jogging with his dog and stopping to look at the view. It's the quietest scene of the series by far, as Mullen reflects on an impossible turn of events. Coming back for another season that focuses on Mullen would mean he's back into politics, and that's not something he needs. Again, never say never, but it's highly unlikely that Netflix will order a second season.
Watch Zero Day only on Netflix.