The Night Of

About 'The Night Of'

'The Night Of' is a 2016 American eight-part crime drama television miniseries based on the first season of Criminal Justice, a 2008 British series. The miniseries was written by Richard Price and Steven Zaillian and directed by Zaillian and James Marsh. Broadcast on HBO, The Night Of premiered on July 10, 2016 to critical acclaim.

The series explores the intricacies of a complex New York City murder case with cultural and political overtones. The story focuses on Nasir Khan, a college student of Pakistani descent who wakes up one morning to find the woman he spent the night with brutally murdered next to him and no recollection of the night's events.

Making / Production

The series was written by Richard Price and Steven Zaillian and directed by Zaillian and James Marsh. The original pilot had James Gandolfini in a supporting role, but he passed away in 2013. Following his death, Robert De Niro was attached to the role, before finally being played by John Turturro.

Actors

• Riz Ahmed as Nasir Khan: Ahmed delivers an impressive performance as the bewildered college student who finds himself in the middle of a nightmare.
• John Turturro as John Stone, an attorney who takes on Nasir's case. Turturro, taking up the mantle from James Gandolfini, gave a standout performance.
• Michael Kenneth Williams as Freddy Knight, an influential prisoner who takes Nasir under his wing. Williams plays this character with a nuanced balance of menace and grace.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The series was initially intended to be a film before it was turned into a miniseries for HBO.
• The character John Stone has a foot eczema condition, a detail not in the original BBC series on which the miniseries is based.
• The project was initially a passion project for James Gandolfini, who was set to star in the series before his unexpected death.

Awards

The series enjoyed significant critical acclaim and several awards. Riz Ahmed won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series, becoming the first Asian man and the first Muslim to win in the category. Additionally, the series was nominated for nine other Emmy awards and won five, including Outstanding Limited Series.

Quotes

• "What's my motive?" - Nasir Khan
• "It's the subtle beast." - Box
• "I don't have 'clients.' I have a clientele." - John Stone

Music, Soundtrack

• Original theme song composed by Jeff Russo
• Classical Indian music is used throughout the series, reflecting Nasir Khan's Pakistani heritage