Ted Danson reunites with The Good Place creator Michael Schur in Netflix’s A Man On The Inside.
Based on the 2020 documentary film The Mole Agent, the comedy series follows retired college professor Charles Nieuwendyk who becomes an amateur private investigator.
In the second season, Charles is tasked with solving the case of a mysterious blackmailer, who is targeting Wheeler College president Jack Berenger.
Alongside Danson, the show’s cast includes Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Lilah Richcreek Estrada, and Stephanie Beatriz. Mary Steenburgen, Gary Cole, Max Greenfield, and David Strathairn are among the new additions to the cast in season two.
All eight episodes in A Man On The Inside season two were released on November 20, 2025.
Who is the blackmailer in A Man On The Inside season 2?
Charles eventually figures out the identity of the blackmailer, but only after some incorrect accusations and misdirections.
In the final episode, he initially accuses Jack Berenger (Max Greenfield) of staging the threats against him and stealing his own laptop. A move, Charles believes, is a result of Jack finding out about billionaire Brad Vinick’s (Gary Cole) intentions to reform Wheeler College, lay off staff, and shut down the humanities department.
Shortly after making this wrong accusation, English professor Benjamin Cole (David Strathairn) enters the office and claims responsibility for the threats and stolen laptop – pulling it out of his bag. He claims to have overheard Brad’s plan for the college, and concocted the threats as a way to try and scare Jack from accepting his donation.
While the case appears to be solved, Charles later has a revelation sparked by a conversation with his daughter. He confronts Holly (Jill Talley), the provost of Wheeler College, and discovers Benjamin actually took the fall for crimes undertaken by a group of teachers at the college. Holly was the one who overheard Brad’s intentions for the school to begin with, and enlisted teachers to help with her cause. This includes hiring Charles as an investigator, who she hoped would find evidence of Brad’s intentions so she could torpedo the deal to save their jobs.
Holly intentionally kept some teachers out of the loop, including Charles’ love interest Mona (Mary Steenburgen) and Benjamin, but the latter caught on to their plans. After Holly told Ben about their scheme, including where the evidence was hidden, he retrieved the laptop and took responsibility for blackmailing Jack, to protect the livelihoods of his colleagues.
What happens to Charles at the end of season 2?
In the final episode, Charles is asked by his lover Mona to move to Croatia with her for a year. While he initially agrees, Charles realises they are both seeking different things and decides against it, with the pair going their separate ways.
Following his decision to stay at home, Charles is promoted from trainee to an official private investigator by his boss Julie (Lilah Richcreek Estrada).
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