HBO's The Night Of

[shorty doo wop]

Naz getting a 'SINBAD' tattoo, starting to use drugs and shaving his head right before trial
A lawyer kissing her client and a man accused of murdering a girl in a cell that clearly has cameras
Chandra smuggling drugs in that same cell she kissed him in
An inmate having enough knowledge of the case to manage to send the video of Chandra to Stone?
The Jury just throws their hands in the air after how long exactly?
Stone's feet having more screen time than the transition Naz made.
Stone ends an episode chasing Duane Reade, we never hear about it again, and son just shows up on the stand?
The overwritten hearse driver who decided to make himself more of a suspect by spouting off on how some women deserve to die.
Naz taking the stand and eventually saying he didn't know if he did it.

I could go on. There's so much here that is just here. So many wrong turns they made where I don't even know what they were trying for.

It was poorly written. The cinematography and acting were great, but we spend half of the show watching Stone deal with his feet and Chandra smuggling drugs in her snatch. I don't think the show knew what it even wanted to be.

Son was in prison and trying to fit in
The kiss was forced I'll give you that even tho you can make the arguement that she was vulnerable
what does sending the video have to do with any knowledge of the case?
They were in a deadlocked trial and while watching on TV its seems quick but months have probably passed
Stone is an important character and the feet are big part of his life being the way it is (career,family)
I thought it was clear than duane got away from stone
Theres crazy people everywhere lol dude probably spends more time with dead people than ones that are alive
That was the whole point why stone said not to let him take the stand the DA was grilling him asking him all these questions waiting for him to contradict himself and to plant some doubt into his own head

 

[harlemtothebronx]

I guess it just comes down to suspension of disbelief. Honestly none of those explanations really jive with me. I get what was intended, it just wasn't believable to me.

Yeah, Reade definitely got away...just felt wasteful to end that episode with that chase and just leave it there. Feels like there were chunks left out.

They didn't do a good job at all of conveying time passing. If they would have made it obvious that time was passing I probably would have been more comfortable with how much these characters changed from their introduction to the finale...which seems to be the point of the show. They just didn't show enough of why/how they change. I get a line from Chandra about her breaking up with her boyfriend, and now I'm supposed to believe she's kissing inmates and smuggling drugs. They needed to ease into some of the absurd decisions some of these character made, IMO.

 

[cashbanks]

What a waste of time this **** was

 

[703 hwy]

I did appreciate the realness of the show. Naz got lucky. Imagine how many dudes the system frames on the regular. Especially in small towns. It's a shady shady system. And by the time you're set free the damage is done. But they don't care it's just on to the next.

 

[filthyjiujitsu]

They didn't do a good job at all of conveying time passing.

This.

 

[dat dude chris]

I dont think I've ever been in a TV show thread on NT where dudes didnt complain about the show. I thought this show was great and yall are complaining over nothing

Go to the Mr Robot thread. Nothing but praise. Show is greatness

 

[Master Zik]

I disagree with the stuff involving Chandra being bad writing with the exception of being a mule which was an extreme example of what they were trying to convey with her character.

She was a naive inexperienced lawyer on her first case that was a damn murder trial. That's what her character is. Everything about that was written well. From the OJ mention to kissing Naz cuz she's lonely and feels he's innocent to the crying in court.

Then she gets screwed in an effort to free dude with a mistrial attempt which ties in to how this whole process works and how it negatively affects everyone involved for the most part.

As for the show itself, I guess I'll be the first to say it, the premiere and the finale ain't that far from each other in quality. Dudes talk up the first ep like it was some masterpiece but to me y'all got caught up in other ****.

If you get some distance from this show in a month or two you can just watch the first ep and the last one and see what they were going for with the story at least. The whole show was never that good. That way you can skip all the red herring, feet focus, and other extra ****.

I don't get the it started TD S1 good and ended TD S2 bad. This show was never TD S1 good. Not at any time.

 

[SC kid]

Wen nas got released and was on his way out walking thru rikers i thought he was gonna get murked lol

 

[bossdonvah]

You really think the best thing to do for yhe financial adviser would be to skip town? How would that be a good idea.

The fact that the case didn't get proper attention was a choice. It was supposed to be an open and shut case. He is just another number. And the system keeps chugging along. It wasn't really a detective story imo. I actually prefer if they didn't throw the adviser in at the last second but it is what it is.

Box saw enough evidence and retired. Then he had free time and was going nuts. I don't think box digs deeper ten years ago.

Soo when he seen nas got off (which would have been all over tv) you stay in town and you know for a fact he was following the case and a cop told him he was on to him ... You sound stupid

 

[703 hwy]

Gotta agree Zik. I was just caught up in the suspense of episode 1 so it gave off the illusion that we were about to be in for something good. Like I mentioned earlier, we all were hoping and wishing only to be dragged along for it never to come to fruition.

 

[703 hwy]

Wen nas got released and was on his way out walking thru rikers i thought he was gonna get murked lol

son me too. I thought Freddy was bout to pop up

 

[mgrand15]

Some weird decisions but I feel like a lot of the complaints are you guys just wanting EVERYTHING explained. We can fill in some blanks. Do we really need to know how many days the jury deliberated for? Or how exactly Freddy knows what's going on in a high profile case?

They spent too much time on the eczema but that scene with Stone preparing for the case and freaking out almost made it payoff. That was great.

 

[SC kid]

This review is spot on

"Profoundly unsatisfying in a good way"

http://www.vox.com/2016/8/29/12688534/the-night-of-finale-recap-the-call-of-the-wild-verdict

 

[krazyrodzilla]

Wen nas got released and was on his way out walking thru rikers i thought he was gonna get murked lol

OMG! I was thinking this 100000000000% [emoji]128514[/emoji]

 

[harlemtothebronx]

Wen nas got released and was on his way out walking thru rikers i thought he was gonna get murked lol

OMG! I was thinking this 100000000000% [emoji]128514[/emoji]

Same here. I had my fingers crossed hoping something wild would happen.

 

[wubalubadubdub]

Soo when he seen nas got off (which would have been all over tv) you stay in town and you know for a fact he was following the case and a cop told him he was on to him ... You sound stupid

Most people lawyer up in that situation. It's not that easy to just get up one day and fly to a country that doesn't have extradition laws with america, and start a new life.

 

[Master Zik]

When I think about it more I just would've liked a clearer indication of dude being the murderer.

Cuz he could've been a red herring like Dwayne Reed.

Power still on 

What? Explain what was wrong with it since the series is now over. You always argue "because"

You really need it spelled out ....hmm lets see the fact they never mentioned how nas wasn't covered in blood ... The fact that his lawyers never looked and Andreas call records .... Neither did the police until the very end , like box didn't believe he did it the whole and waited to the very end look at her call records what ? ...the finaical adv stayed in town know he committed a murder and was just tipped off by the police what ???? There's tons more you have to be playing dumb to not see the outrageous things that took place

The whole point of not looking at that was they found the dude who banged her with the alleged murder weapon, with his blood and semen in the house and on the corpse.

The whole attitude was case closed from the jump.

Box is a detective about to retire. So he's lazy and did t do any work.

The defense consists of a hack who usually does deals for the guilty and what ends up being an inexperienced naive lawyer on her first criminal case as first chair.

You may feel it's bad writing but all of that can happen in real life to a person. You can end up with a ****** defense, detectives not willing to do the work, and an ADA that doesn't mind prosecuting an innocent man. Its not a that can happen, that does happen.

Like seems you wanted things to be more fleshed out and paved to your liking. While I agree some things were extreme and added to hit on a point in the end they gave you realness cuz that's basically how it is.

 

[703 hwy]

Naz had also seemed like he was cool with doing a bid

 

[bishopstrongbow]

Stone killed that closing argument especially by pointing out how Naz came in looking innocent and as a result his appearance presently was that of someone just trying to survive the system and inner workings of being held up at Rikers. 

First episode started off super lit but I have no problem with the shows trajectory and how it played out. I got what I wanted out of it. 

 

[bossdonvah]

Most people lawyer up in that situation. It's not that easy to just get up one day and fly to a country that doesn't have extradition laws with america, and start a new life.

They had his location from his cell, arguing on camera , stealing money , calling her that night multiple times ...lawyering up was gonna do anything it was a rap ..who said leave the country he didn't even leave town ... Box pretty have him a get out of jail free card by tipping him off he would've had a ton of time to disappear

 

[SC kid]

Im trying to decide if it was a good case on both ends


Like if u were on the jury and DIDNT KNOW about the financial adviser.

thats alotta **** on nas

Oj wouldnt have gotten away wit that lol

 

[cashbanks]

Show wasn't "bad" but it wasn't what I expected based on the trailer and first episode.

naz getting those tattoos still makes no sense

 

[Master Zik]

Soo when he seen nas got off (which would have been all over tv) you stay in town and you know for a fact he was following the case and a cop told him he was on to him ... You sound stupid

Most people lawyer up in that situation. It's not that easy to just get up one day and fly to a country that doesn't have extradition laws with america, and start a new life.

Word now that's some unrealistic ****.

He's a financial adviser that stole money from a client not Keyser Soze. He aint about to flee the country to further compound his guilt.

If anything the best thing he has in his favor is that Naz's case was a hung jury. His defense lawyer should just keep bringing him up.

Box spooked dude to get him shook and see if he'd start ******* up from there.

Most people lawyer up in that situation. It's not that easy to just get up one day and fly to a country that doesn't have extradition laws with america, and start a new life.

They had his location from his cell, arguing on camera , stealing money , calling her that night multiple times ...lawyering up was gonna do anything it was a rap ..who said leave the country he didn't even leave town ... Box pretty have him a get out of jail free card by tipping him off he would've had a ton of time to disappear

None of that is better evidence than what they had on Naz. Which is exactly what the prosecutor said when she dismissed Box. Which again goes back to the theme of the show's legal system and how ****** up it is.

If you're not leaving the country what's the point of leaving town? To go be yourself in Montana where you would still be easily traced? That's how you get your bank accounts frozen and don't go saying he could set up something with the Swiss or Cayman's cuz this dumbass didn't even think to hide a 300k transaction.

Leaving town ain't the move if you want to front like you innocent. Nobody was paying dude any mind. He had nothing to sweat. He clearly had no backup plan.

 

[itshlittt]

I did appreciate the realness of the show. Naz got lucky. Imagine how many dudes the system frames on the regular. Especially in small towns. It's a shady shady system. And by the time you're set free the damage is done. But they don't care it's just on to the next.

this is exactly what the show was trying to convey, the creator of the show even said it in the beginning of the season

you guys were expecting something completely different than the shows purpose.

 

[whywesteppin]

here are my rambling thoughts on the finale and season as a whole:

Show did some things really well but misfired on others. The relationship with Freddy, albeit cliche, was good to see. I think many shows have decided that everyone has to have an agenda, everyone is acting selfishly, etc., but at least here Freddy had some heartfelt respect and love for Naz. Yes, I know Freddy used him to run drugs, but in the setting he treated Naz fairly and with respect. He never tried to screw him over. In another life, Naz would be the one in prison for life, and he would be the one taking in a newcomer.

Ending episode 5 (?) with the Stone chase and never explaining it? That was a complete misfire. I'm guessing some key scene got cut and it was too difficult to tie up those loose ends so they didn't even try.

Chandra running drugs, Naz developing a a drug habit, etc.... All unnecessary. The relationship between Chandra and Naz? A bit forced but I can let it slide.

I didn't like that they kept the same plot element where the lawyer gets disbarred for having a relationship with her client, but I appreciated that that wasn't the technicality that got Naz freed. However, the hung jury conclusion seemed forced, but the moment where the prosecutor decided not to go to a retrial was very well done because it was really as a result of Box seeding her with some reasonable doubt a few days prior.

All in all? Decent show, happy I watched, but failed to live up to some of the best shows of the past decade or so (Wire, True Detective season 1, Fargo, Breaking Bad, etc.). I think ultimately what prevented The Night Of from being in that tier is the pacing. It never really found its stride, so even though a lot was happening it never felt like enough was happening. I liked that they interwove Naz, Box, Stone, Chandra, and Freddy throughout the season and developed their characters but I just felt like something was lacking. Maybe there's been so many good shows that we now expect too much...