The Night Of: The Season of The Witch

August 7, 2016 7:36 PM - Season 1, Episode 5

Box reconstructs Naz's whereabouts on "the night of". Naz gets more deeply involved with Freddy.
posted by komara (12 comments total)

An ass like a birthday cake? Hope me please to understand?
posted by slmorri at 7:40 PM on August 7, 2016 [3 favorites]

I enjoyed this episode more than the others (except maybe the first). Naz going towards the criminal lifestyle is so sad. I was wondering how Stone didn't notice him swallowing drugs when they were meeting and was glad that he commented on it and what Naz is risking.

I love the ending but didn't like HBO tacking on the preview of next week right afterwards. Stone is a pretty big risk taker which I guess we knew before but this risk is an entirely different level. I'm very curious if Duane will lead to anything useful with Naz's case.
posted by toomanycurls at 10:17 PM on August 7, 2016

I like the show but I'm having a hard time accepting how rapidly Naz has gone from scared little kid to Prison Badass.

I suspect in the end, either we'll find out Naz really did do it because he's actually a psycho, or he didn't do it but he's now turned into a psycho thanks to the criminal justice system.
posted by bondcliff at 6:37 AM on August 8, 2016

Yeah, with his gleeful, out of control, pounding on the inmate who napalmed him, I wonder if maybe he really did do it.
posted by ChuraChura at 12:43 PM on August 8, 2016

So did the investigator catch that the metal gate doesn't always latch when letting the cat out? I'm guessing that's how the intruder got in, either "Duane Reade" or a druggy ex from rehab? Or maybe those are red herrings and Naz really did it, but I think not.
posted by bluecore at 7:12 PM on August 8, 2016 [1 favorite]

I don't think he killed her. I think we're seeing how environment acts upon him. Out in the world, he felt like an outcast trying to be accepted by the insiders (the guy who invites him to the party). Now, he's not only one of the insiders, but expressing that rage he feels at being targeted is a desirable trait. I agree the time line is accelerated, but I can see where finally being part of an inner circle would be extremely attractive to him.
posted by miss-lapin at 10:36 PM on August 9, 2016 [5 favorites]

I don't see how Naz could have done it since the killer should have been covered in blood. That was a very messy crime scene.

I really hope they don't have Duane Reade do it; the killer black guy is just a gross stereotype in these types of shows. But killer stepdad is boring cliche, too. I dunno, I want to like this show but I should probably actively like it this far into the season. The whole feels like less than the sum of its parts.
posted by gatorae at 9:52 PM on August 12, 2016

I'm just hanging on to find out what happens with Stone's foot eczema.
posted by carrienation at 4:55 PM on August 14, 2016 [4 favorites]

I don't think Naz did it -- killed her and then fell asleep with not a drop of blood on him? -- but I have far more doubts about him after this episode. I liked the defense attorney and prosecutor separately crossing out "Good Boy" on their trial prep notes, though for the rather stupid reason that Naz took amphetamines (Adderall) that night. I no longer think he is a "good boy" either, and I did until this episode.

Also, though Rikers is clearly awful, I do not see what event there accounts for Naz taking to being a violent badass so readily. He had to smuggle drugs for Freddy but he could have walked away from the guy on the floor instead of beating him to a pulp and he had no obligation to start a confrontation over the TV.

Also, I think the "ass" reference is to the fact that a very nice booty is referred to as "cake," per urban dictionary.
posted by bearwife at 2:10 PM on August 16, 2016 [1 favorite]

"he could have walked away from the guy on the floor instead of beating him to a pulp"

I don't think he could have, not without A.) rejecting Freddy's gift to him, which is in effect rejecting Freddy, and B.) looking weak for not getting his revenge. Neither of those are upstanding or moral reasons to do the thing he did, and I agree that he went way too far, but I don't think you can say "he could have walked away", at least not without stating that there would have been repercussions.

"he had no obligation to start a confrontation over the TV"

Obligation? Not at all. He is, however, a little drunk with the power of being under Freddy's protection and decided to make a statement about it. Whether or not it was wise, he did it. And maybe even that was "necessary" in the way that the beating was. Maybe it was necessary to say, "I am unfuckwithable and I know it."

I mean I've never been to prison and hope I never go, but from what I've read it's a surreal and macho culture and this kind of posturing might be helping him survive.

... of course Naz has shown us over and over he's about as sharp as a bag of wet mice and I could be giving him waaaaay too much credit here, and he's just reacting instead of plotting.
posted by komara at 2:56 PM on August 16, 2016 [3 favorites]

I mean I've never been to prison and hope I never go, but from what I've read it's a surreal and macho culture and this kind of posturing might be helping him survive.

Exactly what I came here to say. Sure, in the strictest sense of the word, Naz didn't "have" to beat that guy down or start shit with the crew in front of the TV. But since the second he walked into that place, he's been a target. He has to show dominance in order not to get killed.
posted by palomar at 10:11 AM on August 22, 2016

And frankly, what stood out to me about the TV incident is that it showed us that no one wants to fuck with Naz now.

Besides that, Freddy's been saying repeatedly that he's going to make a proper convict out of Naz. That's what we're seeing. He's turning into the hardened thug stereotype.
posted by palomar at 10:12 AM on August 22, 2016