the night of....

All of the above.

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Hedspace
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the night of....

Post by Hedspace »




I've missed Turturro
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Re: the night of....

Post by mojo filters »

This is really great! I'm already up to episode 5 and loving it.

I only found out about it by chance, from listening to Crime Writers On podcast (Serial and other true crime type stuff). Is it even on TV in the UK? I've just been streaming, and no one I know seems to have seen or even heard of it.

I'm surprised I don't recall the original UK series by Peter Moffat that it's based on, unless they've really changed the storyline.

For anyone tempted, I highly recommend at least watching the first episode. As per usual with HBO, the production values are superb. Plus of course John Turturro is very impressive, as is the whole cast. Omar from The Wire is once again playing an interesting gangster-type character very well!
I'm like Evel Knievel, I get paid for the attempt. I didn't promise this shit would be good!
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Re: the night of....

Post by sunray »

Starting on Sky Atlantic in a few weeks. That's all I know about it.
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Re: the night of....

Post by mojo filters »

sunray wrote:Starting on Sky Atlantic in a few weeks. That's all I know about it.
Watch it - it's fucking great!

Also, don't Wikipedia the original British series that it's based on. One of Rebecca Lavoie's fellow podcasters on Crime Writers On... apparently did that - then indicated she'd spoiled herself.

I'm thankful I heard that, as otherwise I was prepared to Google the original before I'd even seen episode 1 of the magnificent 8 part HBO version.

I still don't know if I've seen the original show, but am not caring right now. If it was as good as HBO I'd sure as fuck remember ... I think.

That's what's so good about it - you think you know what's going on, then you have cause to question, then you question your questions ... and so on and so forth ;-)
I'm like Evel Knievel, I get paid for the attempt. I didn't promise this shit would be good!
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Re: the night of....

Post by jack white »

Ty cheers for the tip. Hadn't heard of this but will check it asap.
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Re: the night of....

Post by jack white »

I enjoyed it a lot.
Didn't love it, but really enjoyed it.

Turrturo was fantastic. James Gandolfini was originally supposed to play that role, think he would've been great too.


If it returns for a 2nd season I hope they take it in an anthology direction as opposed to carrying on with the characters from season 1.
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Hedspace
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Re: the night of....

Post by Hedspace »

thoroughly enjoyed that series and what an ending.

anyone notice how it didnt change its pace the whole way through or is that just me
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Re: the night of....

Post by jack white »

Yea, now that you mention it I think you're right on the pacing. For the most part it was a steady, tense flow. It wasn't an action-orientated show, and in fact you could probably count the amount of action scenes on one hand nearly, so that might help explain the pacing: it really had no set pieces that each episode was structured around getting to, just the evolution of the case. Given the emphasis on the (criminal justice) system and that the whodunit was secondary, that may go some ways to explaining the pace & tone of the show. I felt it never strayed too far from its primary focus - which made it all the more impactful: when I watch those shows with a plethora of characters I find myself not caring about the characters & just want them to move along the plot, but here I think they delivered an expertly crafted & representative story for all the characters that came on stage & I was genuinely interested to see how they'd turn out in the end. Simply telling the story of how these institutions weigh down upon & warp people, was enough to carry this drama.

I still do think it coulda done with a bit of trimming. Most episodes felt overlong & also that there were too many episodes. 5-6 woulda been more concise. Like that episode/scene where Turrturo chases dwayne reed and the episode just ends..?? There seemed to be a few collages that were designed to fill time. The opening credits felt like it lasted for days..

Nice to see Bodie still being a wiseass. That guy is a funny actor, hopefully he gets more roles.
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Re: the night of....

Post by sunray »

It was good but not brilliant. They kinda lost me with Naz's transformation and the behaviour of the female lawyer. Just didn't believe it. Turturro was excellent though.
Glad it had a definite ending rather than dragging Naz's story out to another series. In saying that I'm sure there will be a second series as there's money to be made.
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Re: the night of....

Post by mojo filters »

sunray wrote:It was good but not brilliant. They kinda lost me with Naz's transformation and the behaviour of the female lawyer. Just didn't believe it. Turturro was excellent though.
Glad it had a definite ending rather than dragging Naz's story out to another series. In saying that I'm sure there will be a second series as there's money to be made.
Personally I thought Naz's change was the point of the whole show. The problems with fitting everything into 8 episodes whilst attempting to cover every aspect of Criminal Justice (the title of Peter Moffat's original UK show, with Ben Wishart as Naz and Joe Meek as John Stone!) caused several aspects to be covered unsatisfactorily, but too much to get into now.

For me the main problems was the attempt to cover all the bases. The episode when Stone ended uncharacteristically chasing after Dwayne Reade, seemed unnecessary and the next episode began without referencing it. The court scenes were also often jarring with glaring procedural errors. I loved the female prosecutor, but her character was compromised by the way those scenes often played out. She not only violated Brady by not disclosing exculpatory material to the defence, but bordered on suborning perjury with a couple of her witnesses.

The kiss with the young lawyer seemed out of character, but was a necessary plot device to get Stone to deliver the closing. Unfortunately only a few US State Bar assoc don't permit counsel to have relationships with clients, NY not being one. Then the fact Omar was able to access and distribute footage of just a kiss, seemed a bit far fetched.

If HBO follow the UK, it will return as an anthology. I'd love to see more of Tuturro, Omar and Bodie though. I guess I'll just have to rewatch the Wire again for the last two, which is no chore! Also just found out the lawyer who defends State Senator Clay Davies in the last season was a witness earlier this year in Serial S1 subject Adnan Syed's Post-conviction Relief hearing! Billy Murphy is an actual lawyer, and was once a partner in a law firm with the late Cristina Guttierrez.

I was disappointed by S2 of the UK version. It had an interesting premise for the story, but really dragged and failed to make the viewer care about the main characters, so I really didn't care much about the ending. I'd love to see Stone and the female prosecutor reprise their roles, but I certainly don't need to see more of Naz or the others - I was really invested in his story, his acting was great, but the end completed his arc and made for a satisfying if jarring conclusion - which I liked all the more for the ragged edges and uncertainty here. The equivalent character in the original UK show has his story tied up neatly in a bow, with a boring happy ending full of over-wrought sentimentality.
I'm like Evel Knievel, I get paid for the attempt. I didn't promise this shit would be good!
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Re: the night of....

Post by niamhm »

Just finished watching this and really enjoyed it, had me wondering if Naz had or hadn`t done it or would walk or go down for something he had or hadn`t done right till the end. I could have done with a bit less about Turturro's feet though, :shock:

A quick look into Rikers Island makes it out to be a right hell hole, people being held on remand for up to 3 yrs not unknown and would explain Naz`s transformation just to survive.
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Re: the night of....

Post by mojo filters »

Turturro's feet and all subsequent discomfort, were a big red flag sign-posting his own flaws and demons. It represented a quirky showing of a man with all his problems external and on view for all to see.

John Stone was clearly characterised as a man with problems. The feet were merely a plot device, cleverly showing his issues externally - simplifying the mechanism by which the viewer was able to grasp the complexities of that character.

Without the feet problem, Stone would have been a straightforward sleazy and cheap Better call Saul-type hack lawyer. Thus the audience would neither be invested in him, nor his subsequent character development. There would be no reason for us to sympathise his character.

His feet problems were a simple short cut to the flaws that fleshed-out that character. Given the scope and scale of the multiple storylines co-located across this epic piece of television, I think it made sense to sign-post and simplify this aspect of the story, and I think that was achieved quite cleverly!
I'm like Evel Knievel, I get paid for the attempt. I didn't promise this shit would be good!
Dave Chappelle
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