Late last week, HBO issued the transcript of an interview conducted by the network with The Night Of co-creator Steven Zaillian. In it, Zaillian talked about how he approached making the series as if it were “a long film.” Watching the seven episodes that were provided to critics in advance, it shows, given how brazenly cinematic the entire production is, from the pace of the storytelling that feels slow enough that it would be a perfect fit for the big screen yet expanded so that each hour relishes the extra time TV offers it and makes full use of that time by deepening our insights into each and every one of the characters’ lives, to the considered and meticulous framing of every shot filmed, to simply the talent involved.
Premiering Sunday 10th July at 9pm on HBO (the first part is already available on HBO NOW, HBO GO and HBO On Demand), The Night Of tackles the story of 23-year old college student Nasir Khan, aka Naz (Riz Ahmed), who is arrested for the murder of a woman he encountered earlier that night. While in custody, he meets John Stone (Turturro), a defence attorney who is immediately set on helping the young man out of his predicament as Detective Box (Bill Camp) attempts to put him away, and later episodes follow the case as it moves along. The series is created by Zaillian and Richard Price (The Color of Money, The Wire), both of whom serve as executive producers along with, most notably, the late James Gandolfini, who was originally set to star as Stone prior to his death.
What’s most striking about The Night Of is how, in similar vein to how FX’s The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story operated, the story is as much about Naz as it is those involved with the case. Much of each episode’s runtime is devoted to all of the characters with a substantial involvement in the series, including a selection of wonderful montages that compare and contrast the ways various individuals are going about their evening. “It’s a crime story, a police story, a legal story, a corrections story,” Zaillian says. “You make a story about all that, tell it honestly, and it will naturally be a social story.” There are moments within that are somewhat removed from the murder investigation itself that provide just as much impact as those connected to the investigation. Success in this area is perhaps the most important aspect: Making the audience invested in Naz’s story is important; making us care about anything that isn’t him, thus allowing for screentime to be utilised elsewhere (and for Ahmed to avoid being on screen in every scene), elevates the series.
At times, the stories involving characters other than Naz are as, if not more, compelling than his own story. Particular focus is given to Stone throughout, who is simultaneously relatable and yet mostly removed from the type of character you’d expect. It’s a fascinating look into a man who permanently struggles with a plenitude of personal and professional problems, and how difficult it is to overcome those issues, particularly when they’re as overt as his are. Whereas it’s easy to question whether or not you should be rooting for Naz at any given moment, Stone is the one whom viewers are most likely to empathise with, a fact made clear once both he and Naz begin down far different paths than the opening instalment appears to indicate. (This comes despite Zaillian’s comment that “No one is written to get you to empathize with them.”) Turturro, as one might expect, is terrific (*), carrying himself with the weight of a man willing to show the world that he can achieve something yet hampered by his obstacles, both at home and in the courtroom.
(*) Generally, once one actor plays a role, especially if they do it well, it becomes incredibly tough for me to picture any other performer - regardless of how talented they are - in that role. This is very much the case here, and Turturro is so great that I’m unable to fathom how the series would look were Gandolfini to be on-screen instead. As much as I’d like to see the unaired pilot he filmed, given that Zaillian says “Nothing was changed when the part went from James to John,” there would likely be a smaller difference to observe than I’d like since Stone only appears late on in the opening chapter.
Riz Ahmed is likely lesser known to American viewers after starring in a number of British indie films such as Four Lions, but audiences across the globe will get to see his talents when he appears in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story later this year. The Night Of provides a platform for many to see his work prior to the film’s release, though it’s likely that his character in the Star Wars universe bears little resemblance to Nasir Khan. For much of the series, particularly the middle stretch of episodes, there’s an ambivalence to be had towards him: In theory, being the lead, we’d be expected to be on his side; instead, the series provides a complex portrayal of a man who, while seemingly in the wrong place at the wrong time, is broken inside and has a past - and present - dark enough that it’s easy to consider the possibility that the finale will reveal him to be the actual murderer. At every turn, Ahmed is terrific, particularly in the premiere as Naz is placed in a series of uncomfortable, improbable and horrific situations.
Racism is, as is to be expected given the nature of the story, explored at numerous moments throughout, and happens in a way that seems to reflect the presence of racism in the real world right now: Seldom commenting on it explicitly, rather using remarks so outlandish that their preposterous nature provides the commentary itself. There are, of course, times where it goes deeper, particularly in latter episodes as more about Naz’s past is revealed and the Khan family begins to feel the full force of what it means to have a son the suspect in a very publicised murder, but the show never waivers in its intelligent and considered observations.
Equally as important to the show are two other main themes. Firstly, the depiction of the police, which shifts between the competence of Detective Box and a handful of other officers to the understandable-in-context incompetence of others. There’s certainly an argument to be made that the portrayal of some of the officers and decisions made by them is contrived, yet it gives pause for thought as to whether that view of contrivance is thanks to the over-exaggeration of proficiency by a number of other shows based around law enforcement, and if this is in fact a more realistic representation.
The other theme heavily explored is that of the institution, and how people cope and survive in prison. Crucial to this is Freddy (Michael Kenneth Williams), a convict who wants to help Naz. Through their relationship, we gain an understanding of how far removed from society these convicts are and why they are how they are. At times, it becomes a harsh and brutal world, and the HBO logo prior to the opening credits facilitates the use of violence. It becomes pretty extreme at times, but rarely is there a moment at any point in the series’ use where it feels gratuitous; its use is an eye-opener into the cold, hard realities we live in, while the frequent reference to the images of a horrifically cut up young girl reminds viewers exactly why they should care about the case.
Frankly, it’s aspects like this that make me wonder whether Naz’s innocence or guilt actually, truly matters in the grand scheme of things. The Night Of clearly has things to say about the world we live in, be that racism, policing, the justice system, personal struggles and if they can be overcome to succeed, the prison system, etc. and it has no trouble in discussing these political overtones while constructing a thrilling and intriguing story. Indeed, Naz’s involvement in the murder would paint a slightly different picture, but the crux of it is the same, and the impact of that should be no less apparent irrespective of the outcome.
The Night Of, as a limited series, isn’t sustainable for HBO beyond these eight episodes. But after a failure like Vinyl, this is exactly the type of show that HBO both want and need - a gritty, realistic portrayal of broken characters placed in this difficult situation. It’s a showcase of quality, from the technical aspects to the on-screen performances, and more dramas like this are absolutely necessary. In the world of Peak TV, viewers have to be select in their choices. But this is one that cannot be missed.
The Night Of premieres on Sunday 10th July at 9pm on HBO for an extended 90-minute episode. Hour-long episodes follow at the same time for seven weeks following the premiere, with the finale airing on Sunday 28th August. The premiere is currently available on HBO NOW, HBO GO and HBO On Demand.
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