HBO’s True Detective was brilliant. At least in its first season. It’s second season was… something else. Something that you might sometimes feel like you need to scrape off your shoe. One of the defining traits that probably led to the fantastic overall quality of that first season was due to the fact that the same writer and director handled each episode, essentially giving us a gritty as hell 8-hour long crime drama.
And it seems that HBO is trying to recreate that success with the same recipe for The Night Of, as they’ve recruited the highly talented duo of Richard Price Steve Zaillian to respectively write and direct all 8 episodes of the upcoming crime drama. And if their names sound familiar it’s because they damn well better! Price is the veteran screenwriter behind such hits as The Colour of Money, Bloodbrothers, Ransom, Clockers and Shaft, as well as a long writing stint on The Wire and NYC 22; while Zaillian is most famous for writing the screenplays for Schindler’s List, Mission: Impossible, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Moneyball, Gangs of New York, Clear and Present Danger, Hannibal and, oh yeah, Exodus: Gods and Kings. Price and Zaillian will be co-scripting the series – which is based Peter Moffat’s BBC crime series Criminal Justice – while Zaillian will also be stepping behind the camera to direct all 8-episodes.
And the talent doesn’t stop there as they’ve roped in rising star Riz Ahmed (who had his breakout in the awesome Nightcrawler) as an accused criminal with veteran Jon Turturro playing his lawyer. The series is being billed as really taking a deep and unflinching look at the inner workings of the criminal justice system, which may sound boring, but sure as hell doesn’t look it based on this gripping first trailer.
Check it out below.
The Night Of delves into the intricacies of a complex New York City murder case with cultural and political overtones. The story examines the police investigation, the legal proceedings, the criminal justice system and the feral purgatory of Rikers Island, where the accused await trial for felony crimes.
The Night Of premieres on HBO in the US on 10 July 10 with a 90-minute season opener, followed by 7 more hourlong episodes. Hopefully we’ll get it on our screens soon after.
Last Updated: June 14, 2016
