Patrick Dempsey Returns as Fox Renews Memory of a Killer for Season 2

Spring means the Big Four networks start playing musical chairs with their TV lineups, and this is the part where we hold our collective breath and wait to see which shows survive another year. Usually, these decisions get dragged out until execs have squeezed every last ounce of data from live-plus-three ratings, but Fox did not mess around this time. They’ve already hit the green light on ‘Memory of a Killer’ for Season 2 — and honestly, the signs were all there that this one was sticking around.

The Show in a Nutshell

For those who missed it, ‘Memory of a Killer’ is a drama about a hitman with a... less-than-convenient medical issue. Patrick Dempsey (yes, Dr. McDreamy himself) plays Angelo Doyle, a contract killer trying — and failing — to keep his day job from wrecking his private life. Things go sideways fast when he starts seeing symptoms that just might be Alzheimer’s, and to make things messier, someone’s out to kill his pregnant daughter. So, just your classic dad-with-secrets crime drama, but with a neurodegenerative twist.

The series is a pretty loose take on a 1985 crime novel by Flemish author Jef Geeraerts called ‘De zaak Alzheimer’ (‘The Alzheimer Case’ if your Dutch is rusty). Where it gets interesting: this isn’t the first time the story’s made the jump to the screen. The Belgians turned it into a movie back in 2003, and then Martin Campbell (of ‘Casino Royale’ and ‘GoldenEye’ fame) adapted it as ‘Memory’ in 2022, with Liam Neeson as the grizzled lead — because of course it was Liam Neeson.

It’s Official: Fox Isn’t Letting This One Go

So — ratings. Fox absolutely gave ‘Memory of a Killer’ the royal treatment, launching its premiere January 25th right after the NFC championship game (translation: as many eyeballs as Fox could possibly summon outside of the Super Bowl). Yet, it took a while for the show to catch fire. By the time season one's 10 episodes wrapped (April 6th), though, it was humming along in both traditional broadcast ratings and on streaming. At that point, Fox went all-in and announced the renewal basically as soon as the finale aired.

Here’s Fox’s scripted boss Michael Thorn in hype mode:

'Memory of a Killer has become a true standout. Aaron Zelman, Glenn Kessler, and our partners at Warner Bros. Television have delivered a sharp, emotional character-driven thriller that’s clearly landed with viewers, and we’re excited to continue that success together in Season Two.'

Not to be outdone, Warner Bros. TV’s CEO Channing Dungey joined the victory lap, calling the renewal 'richly deserved' thanks to critical, creative, and commercial success. Translation: the numbers and the reviews lined up for once, and the bosses are happy.

Why Does This Premise Keep Getting Made?

I don’t know what it is about stories of hitmen losing their memories, but the genre’s having a whole moment. In addition to both versions of ‘Memory’ (the Belgian and the Neeson one), Michael Keaton did his own spin on the whole concept in ‘Knox Goes Away’ last year — and that’s already inching toward cult favorite status.

The Cast (So Far)

• Patrick Dempsey as Angelo Doyle (our aging assassin with a heart and, now, medical issues)
• Michael Imperioli (yes, from ‘The Sopranos’ — bringing a little gravitas to the proceedings)

What Next?

No date yet for season two, but you can stream all of season one on Hulu right now if you need to get caught up (or rewatch for the Alzheimer’s sleuthing clues). Also, if you’re a completist: check out the Liam Neeson movie, the original Belgian film, or even the Keaton flick for a mini film festival on hired killers with memory problems. If you’re ambitious, track down an English translation of the source novel while you wait for Fox to drop season two — the story’s apparently bulletproof.