With a cerebral blend of drama, thriller, mystery, and crime, HBO’s The Night Of (2016) is the best mini-series I’ve ever seen. This isn’t to say that the competition is weak. HBO alone boasts many top contenders, from Band of Brothers (2001) to Chernobyl (2019). However, with just eight episodes, The Night Of is on its own level. It racked up Emmy wins for everything from acting to cinematography to editing. But what makes it so brilliant and unique isn’t any of these aspects. The standout feature is, quite simply, how the story is told. The show follows Naz, a student in New York who’s just trying to find friends and enjoy life outside class. He is picked on for being a Muslim. But one night, he is invited to a party by his basketball team. He sneaks out, using his father’s taxi to get to the party. A mysterious girl gets in at a stop, thinking that he’s an on-duty driver. She requests to go to “the beach,” dropping flirty hints. Sensing a chance with a beautiful girl, Naz obliges.
They drive up to a scenic view of the George Washington Bridge, where they get out. She offers him drugs. They take them. Soon they end up at her apartment in the Upper West side. They drink, they hook up, they go to her room, and Naz blacks out. He wakes up in the kitchen at 5 am. He has no idea what happened. He goes to her room to get his stuff. She is dead. Blood is everywhere. Her body is mutilated. Naz panics. He knows he would never do that. And yet it looks like he did it. He runs outside, only to break back in after realizing he left his keys. A neighbor calls 9-1-1 after hearing the break-in. With a now-bleeding hand, Naz grabs the knife ostensibly used to kill her and speeds away. He is pulled over for driving drunk. They find the knife. He is charged with murder.
The rest of the series follows the investigation, trial, media coverage, public reaction, and more. Viewers are given the infinite fractals of insight and conjecture as attempts to recollect the night materialize. Meanwhile, Naz discovers a new world. He builds a life in jail; he has to toughen up and build connections to survive—while maintaining his innocent persona in an uphill legal battle. The show is filled with twists. The depth with which it conveys the judicial process and prison life is groundbreaking. The quality of everything from the acting to the music is incredible. The plot perpetually expands as testimonies and more info are introduced, while the focus on characters gets closer to each one’s core. The trailer doesn’t give much away, but it is a nice teaser for this masterpiece. Don’t miss it.
Rating: 9.5/10
i like what ya said in the lovecraft review. michael k williams is brilliant in both of these
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Have so much respect for him now.
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same
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Watching The Wire again and am so excited to watch him play the role of Omar more closely.
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looks gripping!
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Just rewatched the first episode with a friend. Never gets old. Gripping indeed
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read that the pilot is epic. i’m going to play it tonight maybe
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Love it! Great way to spend a Friday night. Such a legendary pilot indeed.
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it was spectacular.
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Ditto on the pilot
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Great review, Luke. In fact, in India too we have seen a remake of this series, called Criminal Justice. That one too was very well made.
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Awesome! Should I check it out?
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Yes indeed. I think it has subtitles too.
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Infact one of my all-time favourites (and there are several, haha) has been Line Of Duty. Exquisitely written; gripping!
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Okay I’ll add it to my list. I really need to see more Bollywood films. Thanks!
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Just finished episode 8 Call of the Wild, thanks for recommending this show mate
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One of the best shows for sure
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Retweet
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Reblogged this on Nelson MCBS.
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Thanks for the reblog!
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yassss just watched the pilot
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If you liked the pilot, just wait for the last 2 episodes…
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Omg
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Beautiful shit dude, keep it up
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Love your poetry videos!
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Thnx for the likes
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Looks really good dude thanks for sharing!
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And thanks for commenting. Enjoy!
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The 1st episode was INCREDIBLE
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Yesss. Best pilot episode ever
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Fire
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😎
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Love it when you switch up ur writing style
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So thoughtful of you to say that. Thanks!
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🙂
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Nice Review!
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Thanks! Glad you watched it with me!
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good stuff man
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Thanks, David. Hope your summer is going well
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are you doing summer school?
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Nahhh
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Just working and trying to save up money. What are you doing these days?
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nothing worth discussing lol
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I feel that. Anyway, let me know if you get some time to see The Night Of. Thanks again for your support
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Your Tenet review got me looking at this again and I’m putting on the pilot
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The pilot episode is the GOAT. Have fun!
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u right
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it was fucking amazing, unlike ur other new show lovecraft country tho lol
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Hahaha fair enough. Hope you can finish that first episode and see if you change your mind!
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🙂
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Just gotta finish the rest now!
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i did. it was great.
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Sounds great! Will it be too gruesome for your OLD aunt?!?!
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Ha I bet you can definitely do it!
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It’s a gruesome bender! Nice review there Luke.
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We gotta get the whole fam to watch! Ha
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^Even the title sequence itself is a masterpiece. Thought I’d link it for fun!
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Chills. Thx for sending mate
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Always appreciate your support!
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🙂
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Excited to check it out.
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🤠
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