The Consultant

A sudden, horrific event shatters CompWare, a Los Angeles game studio, and the company tries to steady itself while everyone still feels raw. Out of nowhere Regus Patoff, a polite but inscrutable consultant, arrives and assumes control, changing routines, questioning loyalties and unsettling employees at every level. The series follows staffers as they respond to his cold efficiency and odd methods, with personal secrets and workplace politics coming to the surface. Tension and dark humor build as colleagues react differently to Patoff's presence, and the show keeps its focus on character dynamics and the slow erosion of normalcy without giving away any major twists.

Released in 2023, the series was created by Tony Basgallop and adapted from a work by Bentley Little. Christoph Waltz leads an ensemble that includes Nat Wolff, Brittany O'Grady and Aimee Carrero, and the production balances polished studio settings with intimate, often uncomfortable meeting-room scenes.

The Consultant pushed conversations about corporate power and workplace toxicity into viewers' feeds, prompting debate about how companies handle crisis and leadership. Regus Patoff became a focal point for discussion, with many viewers dissecting his manner and motives, and several scenes sparked commentary about authority, manipulation and the ethical costs of "fixing" a faltering business.

Critical reaction was mixed to generally favorable, reflected in an average user vote around 6.8 out of 10 from a couple hundred votes. Reviews most often singled out Waltz's performance and the show's tone, which blends dry, dark comedy with office drama. Major themes include responsibility, control, and how trauma reshapes relationships in a high-pressure creative workplace.

To date the series hasn't accumulated major industry awards, but it attracted notice for its lead performance and for taking an unusual, uneasy approach to familiar workplace-story material. Fans and critics continue to debate how the show balances satire, suspense and character study.