Last night was the season 1 finale of the excellent HBO series The Night Of. Following in the footsteps of investigation and trial shows like Law & Order, but with the depth, diversity of characters, and long-form narrative of The Wire, The Night Of has been a gritty look into race, crime, the court and prison system, and what happens when all evidence points to a suspect that just might not be guilty.
With superb performances from John Turturro, Riz Ahmed, Michael K. Williams, Bill Camp, Jeannie Berlin, Amara Karan, and others over the show's eight episodes, the series has been near pitch perfect in its examination of a criminal investigation from all parties involved. With delicacy and patience, the series has delved deeply into each main character, while never allowing us to fully know any of them--they all have doubts about their respective places in this world. Ahmed, as Nasir Khan, the primary suspect in a brutal murder, undergoes the most dramatic change. We meet him as a shy college student, and by the end, he has evolved into a dope-running quasi-gangster inside Rikers Island prison. This transformation is part of the not-so-subtle message of the show: that prison actually creates more criminals rather than punishing existing ones.
Most of the series is written by renowned novelist Richard Price and directed by Oscar-winner Steve Zaillian, and each episode has been expertly crafted. Turturro's John Stone is the highlight of the series, and will likely be nominated come awards season for his twitchy portrayal of a psoriasis-stricken, skeezy lawyer with a (sort of) heart of gold. His closing argument in the finale is brilliantly executed. The final episode does resolve the case somewhat, but something tells me this won't be the end of it. I haven't heard definitively if there will be a season 2, but the narrative clearly leaves that option open.
If you are interested in a great crime/legal drama, you won't find anything better on television than The Night Of. Check it out on HBO Go to catch up.
With superb performances from John Turturro, Riz Ahmed, Michael K. Williams, Bill Camp, Jeannie Berlin, Amara Karan, and others over the show's eight episodes, the series has been near pitch perfect in its examination of a criminal investigation from all parties involved. With delicacy and patience, the series has delved deeply into each main character, while never allowing us to fully know any of them--they all have doubts about their respective places in this world. Ahmed, as Nasir Khan, the primary suspect in a brutal murder, undergoes the most dramatic change. We meet him as a shy college student, and by the end, he has evolved into a dope-running quasi-gangster inside Rikers Island prison. This transformation is part of the not-so-subtle message of the show: that prison actually creates more criminals rather than punishing existing ones.
Most of the series is written by renowned novelist Richard Price and directed by Oscar-winner Steve Zaillian, and each episode has been expertly crafted. Turturro's John Stone is the highlight of the series, and will likely be nominated come awards season for his twitchy portrayal of a psoriasis-stricken, skeezy lawyer with a (sort of) heart of gold. His closing argument in the finale is brilliantly executed. The final episode does resolve the case somewhat, but something tells me this won't be the end of it. I haven't heard definitively if there will be a season 2, but the narrative clearly leaves that option open.
If you are interested in a great crime/legal drama, you won't find anything better on television than The Night Of. Check it out on HBO Go to catch up.