The Night Of

:

Season 1
  • Network: HBO
  • Series Premiere Date: Jul 10, 2016
Season #: 2, 1
User Score
8.8

Universal acclaim- based on 522 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 478 out of 522
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 522
  3. Negative: 22 out of 522
Watch Now

Where To Watch

Buy on
Stream On

Review this tv show

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling

User Reviews

view
per page
  1. Paulo_Jorge
    Jul 10, 2016
    10
    Where do I begin with? That's the best pilot that I've ever seen since True Detective's pilot, such a masterpiece driven story of a mysterious homicide which places even the spectator who has seen what actually happened in a doubting position, but upon this amazing storytelling comes some great acting, some actors that I've never seen before were just acting the **** out of this pilot,Where do I begin with? That's the best pilot that I've ever seen since True Detective's pilot, such a masterpiece driven story of a mysterious homicide which places even the spectator who has seen what actually happened in a doubting position, but upon this amazing storytelling comes some great acting, some actors that I've never seen before were just acting the **** out of this pilot, like Riz Ahmed for an example. And for those that I've already known, John Turturro's character seems to have a great connection with Naz (Riz Ahmed), and as a bonus, I've never seen Sofia Black being so convincing.

    Overall, it doesn't take itself as serious as True Detective did and indeed The Night Of comes from a quite different vibe comparing to it, showing the crime from a different perspective and creating a great thriller with it, so again, great acting, great plot, great storytelling and great cinematography, that's a perfect pilot.    … Expand
  2. pkd
    Sep 22, 2016
    10
    I'm reviewing the series as a whole - a story told in the 8 parts. And it's fabulous. The top of the pops.
    it has a cathartic effect - that which squeezes your heart when you realize a great story just been told here about... you.
    The characters, apart from being played in an extraordinary fashion by ALL actors (they should all get the Emmy together), are so interesting and non-cliche,    I'm reviewing the series as a whole - a story told in the 8 parts. And it's fabulous. The top of the pops.
    it has a cathartic effect - that which squeezes your heart when you realize a great story just been told here about... you.
    The characters, apart from being played in an extraordinary fashion by ALL actors (they should all get the Emmy together), are so interesting and non-cliche, no one is totally bad, no one is totally good, they all make mistakes, they all regret and carry on, they all have a cross to carry. It's a story to tell and it will not be easily forgotten. So - well done!    … Expand
  3. panichse
    Sep 4, 2016
    9
    Manages to improve with each episode. I now know what happens if you take some of the best parts (and players) from "The Wire" and run it through a "True Detective" filter. Turturro and others deserve serious awards consideration, even in an amazing television year.
  4. boguesswhat
    Aug 31, 2016
    9
    The Night Of was an amazing show to watch this summer. I appreciate the concept of very carefully setting up the scene on the first episode, and forcing the audience to remember what they saw during that episode. It almost puts yourself in the shoes of a jury member, or even better, a witness. You know what happened that night, or at least you know what Naz knows. Despite this fact, it canThe Night Of was an amazing show to watch this summer. I appreciate the concept of very carefully setting up the scene on the first episode, and forcing the audience to remember what they saw during that episode. It almost puts yourself in the shoes of a jury member, or even better, a witness. You know what happened that night, or at least you know what Naz knows. Despite this fact, it can still be difficult in remembering the tiny important details that took place that night.… Expand
  5. Said01
    Aug 16, 2016
    9
    The Night Of is a must watch! It has all the elements that a perfect thriller should have. Riz Ahmed and John Turturro are amazing, I would even say their best performance so far. I love how Nazir (Riz) transforms from good Muslim boy to what he is becoming (don’t want to give away spoilers). Until now I am still not sure whether he’s innocent or not … It is dark, realistic and it keepsThe Night Of is a must watch! It has all the elements that a perfect thriller should have. Riz Ahmed and John Turturro are amazing, I would even say their best performance so far. I love how Nazir (Riz) transforms from good Muslim boy to what he is becoming (don’t want to give away spoilers). Until now I am still not sure whether he’s innocent or not … It is dark, realistic and it keeps you guessing.… Expand
  6. Gozi
    Sep 3, 2016
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So I just finished the entire series and the most impressive thing about this show is by far the cinematography, lighting, atmosphere, music (and lack of), and the characters. Naz and his Lawyer are played to perfection. John Tuturro gave the performance of a lifetime it was really spectacular. I usually hate crime dramas and those cheesy big court scenes, but this show did it right. Its gritty and has a twisted urban realism to it similar to "The Wire". This first few episodes were without a doubt the best of the series. The setup of the crime was probably the best I've ever seen in this type of show. As the series progressed, it never got boring, but it did meander at points and there were lot of specific details about characters (particularly tuturro's) which could have been left out. That being said the investigation putters along with each little piece of evidence seeming more important than the last. It never stops being engaging and I think the cinematography truly draws you into this neo-noire atmosphere that is both depressing but also oddly satisfying. When the finale was over I found myself feeling like detective Box, wanting to reopen new evidence and discover something else. But sadly I must admit the finale was a bit of a let down. I watched those short teasers every week before Game of Thrones, which lead me to believe this was going to be one hell of a shocker. Its a classic whodunit wrapped up in a very modern setting. However, the ending did not deliver that 1, 2 punch I was expecting and I am sitting here writing this an hour after seeing the finale feeling almost no closure. The pilot in particular laid out so much to dig your teeth into, it was such a great television experience to see "The Night Of" the crime take place knowing every detail would be important later on. My eyes were glued to the screen throughout that first episode. And as the show progressed, I was always questioning my own detective skills. But I wasn't fooled. The twist was marginal and too ordinary to make me feel like "you got me.. good twist". Instead I felt the way I do after a Law and Order episode... and that's not a good thing. But overall the show was still amazing. I would absolutely recommend seeing it as long as you don't have a foot phobia :).… Expand
  7. Lou_Chou
    Sep 7, 2016
    9
    Negative reviews seem to be from people who don't understand symbolism, or think all TV that doesn't suit their own individual taste is bad TV.

    The Night Of is intense with deceptive amounts of depth. There's a story, but so much of the show's nuance and intrigue is from the way it treats its characters. As much as it's a thriller about the pursuit of justice, it's actually the    Negative reviews seem to be from people who don't understand symbolism, or think all TV that doesn't suit their own individual taste is bad TV.

    The Night Of is intense with deceptive amounts of depth. There's a story, but so much of the show's nuance and intrigue is from the way it treats its characters. As much as it's a thriller about the pursuit of justice, it's actually the characters, and their handling of this situation, that keep you rolling immediately into the next episode.

    It's not flawless. There's smaller aspects that perhaps don't make sense, or are in play simply to serve a greater purpose. Ones that could perhaps be cut, with no harm to the plot. But it does a stellar job of making every role matter.

    I wish TV of this quality would roll around more often.    … Expand
  8. TheZeroPercent
    Sep 15, 2016
    10
    WOW!!! Be careful! This one will steal 8 hours right from under you!!!

    I am no master of cinematography, so I am not exactly sure how to explain a piece of cinema that is so damned good!! My mind is blow, this one is as good as it gets baby! Pure gold!
  9. eagleeyeviking
    Dec 22, 2019
    8
    "The Night Of" is both a riveting courtroom drama and an incisive look at the American Criminal Justice system. This is aided by phenomenal acting across the board, a brilliant script, and tension that never lets go.
  10. Nicholash6321
    Sep 29, 2016
    10
    An enthralling and disturbingly realistic insight into the permeating effects on an emotional, cultural and psychological level of the criminal justice system.
  11. Sepehr_Ai
    Oct 1, 2016
    10
    When I finished watching the whole series I was mesmerized By the realistic picture that the series rendered.The Show is great because it questions justice.Just Be careful ,this series is not something that everyone will be a fond of.It is definitely one of the bests in justice realm.
  12. meren
    Oct 15, 2016
    8
    This was the best editing piece that i have seen on T.V. for a long time. Soft starting keep going with intense ambition you are always feeling when watching.
    What makes the series is getting closer to truth is political authenticity and social ennui.
    One guy looking for fun with excitement step out into dark side of the tragedy which combines the fear of a man with social reality. The    This was the best editing piece that i have seen on T.V. for a long time. Soft starting keep going with intense ambition you are always feeling when watching.
    What makes the series is getting closer to truth is political authenticity and social ennui.
    One guy looking for fun with excitement step out into dark side of the tragedy which combines the fear of a man with social reality.
    The script with good acting feel like watching fairly good picture.    … Expand
  13. brockcheese
    Jul 12, 2016
    9
    The first episode is absolutely riveting from start to finish. Almost everything about this show is well done. The acting is great, the cinematography is very expressionistic.
  14. PoeticDumpling
    Jul 17, 2016
    10
    Solid. The cast, cinematography, story, everything is solid. I am excited to see how this mystery unfolds. The characters are excellent. Looking forward to peeling back the layers episode by episode.
  15. McBean
    Aug 30, 2016
    6
    This started off great, with a deliberately slow pace and a really authentic air to the proceedings. The acting was excellent by everyone concerned and the production values and technical skill were high. Although the screenplay ended up lacking, the dialogue was very good throughout. The first episode in particular was extremely well done in terms of pacing and tension. This level ofThis started off great, with a deliberately slow pace and a really authentic air to the proceedings. The acting was excellent by everyone concerned and the production values and technical skill were high. Although the screenplay ended up lacking, the dialogue was very good throughout. The first episode in particular was extremely well done in terms of pacing and tension. This level of overall quality was sustained for roughly six episodes with only a few minor missteps. **SPOILERS AHEAD***

    That said, the 7th and 8th episodes take a huge nosedive in terms of credibility, and the finale is supremely unsatisfying:

    Exhibit A - Chandra Kapoor's actions and motivations are silly. Kissing her client while in jail - a client she hardly even knows - then smuggling drugs in for him shortly thereafter? I'm not buying that.

    Exhibit B - The multiple alternate suspects emerging at the trial have back stories ranging from scant to highly contrived. The step father has the most to gain, but in the end only serves as a counterpoint to the other suspicious characters. The undertaker's actions under initial questioning are stupid - he'd never admit to such misogynistic thoughts to a stranger, who happens to be a (female) lawyer investigating the death of a woman he was recently in contact with - especially if he had actually committed the crime. Duane Reade's backstory is hilariously identical to someone who could have committed the specific crime in question. And then that Ray guy pops up out of nowhere, half an hour from the end of the final episode, with a motivation that seemed dreamed up at the last minute.

    Exhibit C - It seems extremely far-fetched that any jury would not convict Naz with the evidence they'd been presented with.The amount of physical and circumstantial evidence pointing towards Naz being guilty is overwhelming, any alternative suspects seemed scraped up in a desperate scramble by his defence team to throw anything at the wall in the hopes that something would stick, and Naz himself first accepts a plea in exchange for leniency, then changes his mind and proclaims his innocence, then finally admits after being asked directly if he killed the girl says, 'I don't know'. What jury wouldn't convict in those circumstances?

    Exhibit D - The audience never finds out who killed Andrea. And in fact doesn't even know that Naz isn't the killer.

    It's a real shame this ended up the way it did. It had so much potential. If the makers had tread the thin line of credibility as carefully in the second half of the series as they did in the first then this would have been a truly memorable affair.    … Expand
  16. katezoe
    Aug 1, 2016
    10
    The best show of the summer season! Stupendous acting by the entire cast. A thriller, murder mystery and court room drama all rolled into one great show.
  17. yass
    Jul 29, 2016
    10
    Defenitely the most exciting show of the summer. Everyhting you need is in there: drama, suspense and characters who can act. Looking forward for what's next
  18. Kar_Rwen
    Jul 25, 2016
    10
    All I can say is wow. I was blown away by the first episode. It was exciting, the plot so suspenseful and the characters are so complex and compelling. Such a great example of good television that will last the ages.
  19. EPMD
    Jul 18, 2016
    9
    The first episode was a 10 out of 10. The escalation of seriousness, the drama, the way the dots were connected...it was all expertly done. The second episode lacked the same level of suspense as the first, but the realism was still there. I am hopeful this show can stay strong to the end. Due to the incredible detail of the first episode, I think there will be plenty of material to workThe first episode was a 10 out of 10. The escalation of seriousness, the drama, the way the dots were connected...it was all expertly done. The second episode lacked the same level of suspense as the first, but the realism was still there. I am hopeful this show can stay strong to the end. Due to the incredible detail of the first episode, I think there will be plenty of material to work with in the follow up to the crime.… Expand
  20. LamontRaymond
    Jul 10, 2016
    10
    After the 90-minute opening episode, I'd say we're off to a damned good start! I'm a big fan of the TOP quality cop shows from the past 20 - 30 years (Homicide: LOTS, The Wire, The Shield - in no particular order), and it feels like this series will take it's proper place among them. The acting is top notch (the kid, Turturro, the lead homicide detective, the witness who saw the coupleAfter the 90-minute opening episode, I'd say we're off to a damned good start! I'm a big fan of the TOP quality cop shows from the past 20 - 30 years (Homicide: LOTS, The Wire, The Shield - in no particular order), and it feels like this series will take it's proper place among them. The acting is top notch (the kid, Turturro, the lead homicide detective, the witness who saw the couple enter the building - also from The Wire), and it's dripping with authenticity. I'll make sure to revise my score if it ever wavers, but I can't see it happening. I can see the makers of True Detective Season 2 just cryinging themselve to sleep tonight. Yes, THIS is good real crime noir. Not that garbage.… Expand
  21. shellview
    Jul 15, 2016
    10
    This is what great TV is all about. Brilliant. The first episode (pilot) allows the viewer to get to know the characters without muddying the water. Too many police dramas throw so much at us that we end up scratching our heads. In passing we see the limo driver and the second eyewitness who disappears while we get to know in depth Box and Naz. Too bad it is only seven episodes butThis is what great TV is all about. Brilliant. The first episode (pilot) allows the viewer to get to know the characters without muddying the water. Too many police dramas throw so much at us that we end up scratching our heads. In passing we see the limo driver and the second eyewitness who disappears while we get to know in depth Box and Naz. Too bad it is only seven episodes but when it is over I will watch the original from the UK which is also suppose to be terrific.… Expand
  22. FleshWorld
    Jul 14, 2016
    10
    Heady stuff. Huge props to the director - there's nary a movie in theaters these days that can compete with this level of drama. It's a "For Dummies" treatise for lay-people in criminal procedure. I'm loving this.
  23. MartinG
    Aug 5, 2016
    10
    So far, this is the strongest tv series of the summer. Brilliantly written, stylishly directed and with very strong acting, it's intense, captivating and engrossing. I love the attention to the details.
  24. aymenbenhalima
    Aug 4, 2016
    10
    my words can't describe this amazing show a brilliant cast .interesting story it is like a combination between True Detective and The Wire . i have to admitted HBO is the king of TV
  25. thedarkbird
    Jul 28, 2016
    10
    This series can be seen as an extension of The Wire. Where The Wire was a sociological analyses of the condition of police and black people in Baltimore, The Night Of is a - frightening - analyses of the US legal system from the point of an individual caught up in it.

    The plot in the pilot is rather predictable, but that's not the point here. The point is to show how the legal system    This series can be seen as an extension of The Wire. Where The Wire was a sociological analyses of the condition of police and black people in Baltimore, The Night Of is a - frightening - analyses of the US legal system from the point of an individual caught up in it.

    The plot in the pilot is rather predictable, but that's not the point here. The point is to show how the legal system works and this series does that like no other series has done before. Obviously it's not a pretty picture: it's dark, it's gritty, it's inhumane, it's vicious, it's a journey of hitting a brick wall, it's being inside a relentless machine.

    The acting is superb, the camera work is superb, the soundtrack is superb, the world it shows is hard to watch. This series is not entertainment, it's education. A wakeup call. And you should watch this if you even have the slightest interest in how our society works.

    If you liked the Wire you will love this, even though there's nothing much to love in the world you'll see.

    Obviously this is not for Michael Bay-fans. If you're looking for cheap popcorn entertainment you better skip to Batman vs Superman and live your life happily everafter.    … Expand
  26. chidime
    Aug 30, 2016
    8
    The first episode of this show is an 11/10. Perfection!. However, it slowly and slowly ebbed as the remaining 7 episodes played out. Overall, a great show with very realistic tones and plots, which is refreshing given the abundance of overdramatic shows like How To Get Away with Murder, Scandal, Suits, etc. However, this show would have done much better had it spent a bit more time onThe first episode of this show is an 11/10. Perfection!. However, it slowly and slowly ebbed as the remaining 7 episodes played out. Overall, a great show with very realistic tones and plots, which is refreshing given the abundance of overdramatic shows like How To Get Away with Murder, Scandal, Suits, etc. However, this show would have done much better had it spent a bit more time on unraveling what really happened on the night in question. So many of the scenes were really unnecessary and the time spent on those could have been used to propel the story forward in more rewarding ways. Still a good show, but it could have easily cinched that 10/10 from me if it had a better plot priority system.

    8/10    … Expand
  27. coreym
    Sep 2, 2016
    4
    Started off well, good production values and solid acting, but poor writing and over indulgent characterisations and lots of filler episodes. Very poor finale.

    One of those shows that thinks its clever, but isn't really.
    I note most of the reviews here are based on the pilot episode, so this skews the rating.
  28. Zlatan
    Jul 11, 2016
    10
    Nothing to say than amazing. The acting, atmosphere all top notch. It is a shame that this ends in 7 episodes. It has a real potential to continue with more different cases!?....
  29. richardrad
    Aug 30, 2016
    10
    Intense and splendid with great acting, this series has a deep appreciation, even love for New York. Yes, it is dark and the subject matter is difficult. It is hard not feel angry about the poor and often haphazard state of the criminal justice system. But parts are entertaining: the music is splendid and the quirky moments give viewers a needed respite from moments of despair. Great television.
  30. aigo
    Aug 16, 2016
    9
    Addictive and spell binding look at the criminal justice system, from crime through arrest, the legal system, and incarceration, sprinkled with issues of class and race. Terrific watch
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

5
#5 Best TV Season of 2016
14
#14 Most Discussed TV Season of 2016
21
#21 Most Shared TV Season of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 40 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 40
  3. Negative: 0 out of 40
  1. The Lincoln Journal Star
    Reviewed by: Jeff Korbelik
    Jul 11, 2016
    100
    The wide-eyed Ahmed is perfect as the naive young man who can’t seem to make a right decision. That is until he agrees to let Turturro’s Jack Stone help him. And Turturro hits the right notes as the cynical attorney who has his work cut out for him.
    Read full review
  2. The Daily Beast
    Reviewed by: Marlow Stern
    Jul 11, 2016
    90
    Though its title screams Christmas flick, HBO’s absorbing new miniseries is a pitch-black procedural that combines the system-is-broken outrage of Making a Murderer, the menacing atmosphere of Oz, and the shameless topicality and plot twists of Law & Order: SVU. And the first of its eight hour-long chapters plays like an elegant, extended version of the first three minutes of SVU.
    Read full review
  3. Newark Star-Ledger
    Reviewed by: Vicki Hyman
    Jul 11, 2016
    100
    How Naz's religion (he's the American-born son of Pakistani immigrants) becomes a factor in the case is a natural part of the narrative but never feels like a polemic--The Night Of is too subtle for that. Its brilliance is in the way, thanks to the moody, unrushed direction and pointed, spare dialogue, everything feels freighted with meaning.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »