The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey

It’s a lot – although the magical pill aspect is at least not dwelt on too heavily and allowed to add a full sci-fi vibe to the brew as well – and not all of it is worth it. ... But it is in many ways a career-best performance from Jackson (and from Fishback, though we must hope that hers is merely the first of many to come).

It encourages conversation about mortality, passing along wisdom and wealth across generations, honoring the sacrifices of others, and anticipating the promises of the future. It just takes an unnecessarily laborious path to communicate its themes.

Samuel L. Jackson's considerable star power can't can't breathe life into The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, a slow-moving Apple TV+ limited series constrained by the disjointed nature of its plot. Just securing a project featuring Jackson (who produces as well as stars) is probably coup enough for the streaming service, but the marquee value doesn't overcome what turns out to be a slog as a viewing proposition.

As the story progresses, the treasure hunt and the murder mystery take up more and more time and attention, with diminishing payoffs. A series that started out a heartbreaker ends in a shrug. Last Days never drops to the level of boring — if nothing else, it’s always a pleasure to slip into the warm glow of Ptolemy and Robin’s friendship, or sit back and admire Jackson’s nuanced performance.