A normal suburban salesman by day and a hitman whenever duty calls, Memory of a Killer makes a meal out of living a perfectly crafted double life until things start falling apart. If you still miss watching Patrick Dempsey on Grey’s Anatomy, he’s back on television as Angelo Doyle, a deadly hitman navigating the loss of his wife and his responsibilities to his daughter while maintaining his secret life as a killer. The new Fox thriller zooms in on another side of Dempsey, presenting concrete proof of the Grey’s Anatomy alum’s versatility.
Known for his charm and romantic allure, Dempsey’s daring leap into a darker role comes with a big twist that promises a thrilling adventure with this new persona. When a hitman goes from winning gunfights to losing to his own mind, the stakes couldn’t get higher. The cast also includes The 100 alum, Richard Harmon as Joe, Odeya Rush as Maria, and Gina Torres as Linda Grant. Discover more intriguing details about the show featuring a family man with a killer secret.
What is Memory of a Killer About?
Based on the Belgian novel and its film adaptation, De Zaak Alzheimer (2003), the thriller focuses on a killer-for-hire slowly losing a battle with Alzheimer’s. Fox‘s Memory of a Killer began with the spotlight on the normal life of Dempsey‘s Angelo Doyle. His life is what many would call boring: driving a station wagon to his photocopier salesman job, visiting his pregnant daughter, Maria, and her husband, Jeff, and sharing moments about his dead wife. However, beneath the surface, Angelo is as deadly as they come. His “real job” is killing people.
When duty calls, Angelo swiftly trades his suburban, normal dad’s puffy quarter-zip vest for his “I’m a Hitman!” wardrobe, which sees him in a custom-made Italian suit. Additionally, the boring station wagon gives way to a lit Porsche EV. Angelo has a lair in the wilderness, where he transforms into a New York City hitman. As close-knit as his relationship with his daughter is, she’s kept out of the loop about his secret ventures into the dark territory. Angelo doesn’t just hide his job from his family, but keeps their existence a secret from his handler, Dutch, for obvious reasons.
After several years of living two separate lives, Angelo has built and seamlessly maintained a strong wall to keep his two worlds from colliding. However, signs of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease threaten to burst his safety bubble, literally. Turns out his older brother has already succumbed to the disease, and now it’s coming for him. Nothing screams trouble more than a hitman forgetting where he parked his getaway car. Apparently, Alzheimer’s is one target Angelo can’t hit. This means trouble in Hitman Paradise with no solution in sight.
Meet the Cast of Memory of a Killer
Dempsey plays the lead in this crime drama, with Richard Harmon’s Joe serving as his right-hand man. Joe is also the nephew of Dutch (Michael Imperioli), Angelo’s boss for his hitman job. Angelo’s daughter, Maria, is played by Israeli actress Odeya Rush, while Daniel David Stewart plays Jeff, Maria’s husband. Completing the main cast is Peter Gadiot, who stars as Dave. On the recurring cast list, Gina Torres plays FBI Agent Linda Grant, and Michaela McManus portrays Nicky, Angelo’s love interest.
Release Date and Everything You Need to Know about Dempsey’s New Show
Developed by Ed Whitmore and Tracey Malone, Memory of a Killer premiered on Fox on January 25, 2026, with one episode, “Pilot.” The second episode, “Ferryman,” aired the next day, and a third episode, “Samurai,” is scheduled for release on February 2, 2026. Subsequent episodes will air on Mondays at 9 p.m. ET and will be available to stream on Hulu the next day. According to Deadline, 10 episodes are expected in the first season of Memory of a Killer.
With a few episodes aired, it’s hard to predict the future of Memory of a Killer on the small screen, but early reactions are mostly mixed. Dempsey’s performance has been commended, but the show struggles to stand out in a competitive genre, with criticism on its reliance on clichés, generic crime tropes, and predictable narrative. USA Today deemed it forgettable. Regardless, the show has its strengths, including the compelling transformation of Dempsey from one of the best TV doctors to a hitman.
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