‘Memory of a Killer’ Reviews Praise Patrick Dempsey, but Series Proves Divisive

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Patrick Dempsey, best known for his role on Grey’s Anatomy, is now starring in a remake of a Liam Neeson action movie. He plays a troubled hitman in the Fox thriller, and early reviews are mixed. While the film itself has received a divisive score, critics are praising Dempsey’s performance as an action star.

In Memory of a Killer, Dempsey plays Angelo, a highly skilled assassin. When Angelo begins to develop early-onset Alzheimer’s, he unexpectedly starts to remember his past and question his life. To make matters worse, he suspects his wife’s death wasn’t accidental, leading him to seek revenge.

Fox’s Michael Thorn has compared the new series, Memory of a Killer, to shows like 24 and House. It’s a reimagining of the 2022 action movie Memory, starring Liam Neeson as an assassin struggling with memory loss. That film, in turn, was based on the critically acclaimed 2003 Belgian film De Zaak Alzheimer.

Patrick Dempsey’s performance is receiving positive reviews. The Wall Street Journal noted he’s solid and the show’s action sequences are engaging. Pajiba highlighted his ability to skillfully manage the show’s various plots and characters. USA Today emphasized that Dempsey and his co-star Imperioli are incredibly talented and charismatic, making the show worth watching beyond the initial two episodes—without them, it wouldn’t be memorable.

Despite Dempsey’s Best Efforts, ‘Memory of a Killer’ Has Proven Divisive So Far…


Jan Thijs / ©Fox/ Courtesy Everett Collection

Okay, so I really enjoyed Patrick Dempsey in this, and honestly, it reminds me a bit of that Liam Neeson action movie – good performance, but the overall movie just didn’t quite land. Critics have been really split on Memory of a Killer. As of today, it’s sitting at a pretty low 43% on Rotten Tomatoes. Even Variety wasn’t impressed, saying the show just doesn’t live up to the potential of the story it’s based on – they called it a “disappointingly flat take” and said it wasn’t a thrilling ride, even though the main character is supposed to be a killer!

Critics at The Hollywood Reporter found the show hard to believe, saying it required too much suspension of disbelief. RogerEbert.com felt the show lacked personality and struggled to stand out among many other options. Even TV Guide, while critical, suggested the show had potential to improve.

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Featuring Michael Imperioli (known from The Sopranos), Richard Harmon (Final Destination: Bloodlines, The 100), Odeya Rush (Lady Bird), Daniel David Stewart (Reacher), Peter Gadiot (One Piece), and Gina Torres (Serenity, Suits), along with Dempsey, Memory of a Killer seems like it’s at least worth watching to see the actor famously known as ‘McDreamy’ take on a much darker role. Here’s a summary of what the series is about…



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For anyone, losing their memory is a terrible blow, but for Angelo, it’s especially dangerous. He already leads a risky double life – as a hitman in New York City and a quiet family man and photocopier salesman in Cooperstown. For years, he’s carefully kept these two worlds separate. Now, Alzheimer’s threatens to shatter that carefully constructed balance, and he fears the same fate as his brother, who is already suffering from the disease, because this is a battle he can’t win.

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2026-01-27 16:27