Zero Day's Roger Carlson Is The Last Role I Expected From Jesse Plemons
Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Zero Day season 1.Jesse Plemons plays Roger Carlson in Zero Day, and it's a completely unexpected role for the actor. Since he had his breakthrough role in Friday Night Lights as Landy Clarke, Jesse Plemons has had an impressive acting career. Plemons has taken supporting and main roles in popular movies like The Irishman, and he's found huge popularity for his comedic abilities, which were on display in Game Night. There's been a trend in many of Jesse Plemons' best movies and shows, however, and his character in Zero Day subverted all the expectations that trend set up.
Plemons' character, Roger Carlson, is one of the best in the entire cast of Zero Day. Roger is George Mullen's (Robert DeNiro) assistant and longtime friend, and he takes on several important roles in the Zero Day commission's investigation. He also, however, has a dark background and several skeletons in his closet, and is beholden to some less-than-reputable people like Robert Lyndon (Clark Gregg). In spite of his past and the blackmail he was faced with, Roger turned out to be a true hero by the ending of Zero Day, which was unexpected for Jesse Plemons.
Jesse Plemons Has Become Known For His Antagonist Roles
Some Of Plemons' Best-Known Roles Are Creepy Villains
The main reason Jesse Plemons' role in Zero Day is so surprising is because Roger is so different from the characters Plemons is known for playing. Ever since he played white supremacist and child killer Todd Alquist in Breaking Bad season 5, Plemons has earned a reputation for playing creepy villain characters. Since then, Plemons has played villains in everything from Civil War to Killers of the Flower Moon and Black Mirror. Whenever a show or movie needs an antagonist to unsettle audiences, Jesse Plemons seems to be the go-to actor.
What Happens To Roger Carlson In Zero Day
Roger Was Murdered By Lyndon's Men After Refusing To Betray Mullen
In spite of Jesse Plemons' history of playing villains, Roger Carlson was one of the biggest heroes in Zero Day. Roger was being manipulated and blackmailed by Robert Lyndon throughout the show, and he coerced Roger to betray Mullen and the Zero Day commission. However, Roger finally stopped listening to Lyndon when it mattered most, and he even gave Mullen the key to cracking the AM radio codes that solved the conspiracy behind Zero Day's attack. For his heroics, Roger Carlson was drowned in a bathtub by some of Lyndon's men, and his death was staged to look like a drug overdose.
Jesse Plemons Should Do More Of These Roles Going Forward
Plemons Is Great At Giving Roger Complexity & Playing A Flawed But Likable Character
Zero Day and Roger Carlson were a surprising change of pace for Jesse Plemons, and they confirmed one thing: Plemons is so much more than a villainous character actor. Roger was an engaging and interesting character throughout his time in Zero Day, and it was largely because of Plemons' acting. Plemons is just as skilled at playing a flawed but still likable character as he is at playing deeply unnerving antagonists. If there's one takeaway from Roger Carlson in Zero Day, it's that Jesse Plemons should continue to play more heroic characters in the future.
Zero Day
- Release Date
- 2025 - 2025-00-00
- Network
- Netflix
- Writers
- Dee Johnson
Cast
George Mullen
Angela BassettPresident Mitchell
- Creator(s)
- Eric Newman, Noah Oppenheim, Michael Schmidt
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