The Night Of: Subtle Beast

July 17, 2016 8:17 PM - Season 1, Episode 2

As attorney John Stone counsels Naz, lead detective Dennis Box investigates the crime.
posted by komara (5 comments total)

I really liked what happened with Box this episode. We see, clearly, that he's having doubts. Stone nails that when they talk at the vending machine. His bizarre interview and interactions with the stepfather certainly point towards another possible suspect. But he's sort of trapped by the system. What else can he say to the DA? In all probability (and since he's not privy to what the audience knows) Naz is the killer, so what else can he do but trust that probability? It's different than the good-guy-super-hero we typically get for our crack detectives. This is a more realistic character with more realistic motivations.

One thing I did realize, however, was that Naz could definitely buy himself some time by mentioning his encounter with the two men outside of Andrea's apartment - assuming he even remembers it. The one guy (Travis?) was lying about his friend not being there, and that might be enough to get Box on another trail. However, I don't think either one of them really did it.
posted by codacorolla at 8:47 PM on July 17, 2016 [2 favorites]

I enjoy this as a character study. Naz's experience going through the system for the first time, seeing all the shit that goes down there, his terror, and borderline terror is fascinating. His parents are naive, more so than I thought they'd be. Watching the doubt about Naz play across Safar's (Mrs Kahn) face as she uncovered sexy magazines and condoms was great. I'm sure she still believes he's innocent of murder but has uncovered a new side about her son.

Jack Stone came across as such an altruistic lawyer (haha, I know) last episode but I liked seeing more depth to that. He's eyeing this as a big case with fame and perhaps a nice payday. I really wish he'd sit down and get the full story from Naz. He could help build a defense if he had a fuller picture.

I'm anxious for them to shed light on other suspects (with more to go on than "there's a man who knew Andrea" for the audience to wonder if someone killed her).
posted by toomanycurls at 9:58 PM on July 17, 2016

I like to think if I ever wake up next to a dead body I won't grab the murder weapon, flee the scene despite it being patently obvious that I'd be placed with the victim by both multiple cameras and eyewitnesses, and then go ahead and give a statement to the detective before getting a lawyer.

I know it's realistic and most people do dumb things, particularly when in shock, but I wanted to shake Naz and tell him not to be a dummo. You're doing everything exactly wrong! Everything!
posted by Justinian at 3:58 AM on July 18, 2016 [2 favorites]

This is such a good show so far, in terms of getting the nitty gritty of the justice system in New York exactly right, from the cop speak to the lines at the metal detectors to the way that inmates are housed on their way into the system. And I love seeing how someone who is completely naive and new to it all can make mistake after mistake. That's very real.
posted by bearwife at 3:06 PM on July 20, 2016

I loved the judge asking Stone if it was a family friend or "right place, right time." And Stone was so tickled by that. It seems like such an obvious nod to the idea that all of them really part of the same group.
posted by miss-lapin at 5:52 PM on July 25, 2016