Adam H. Kerman
2016-08-29 05:36:17 UTC
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Very well done and I was mostly satisfied with the resolution.
The murderer turns out to be Rina E. Ynjfba, someone we never suspected
who wasn't even on Stone's radar. It goes back to the argument that
we knew Andrea had with someone unknown that night, although we didn't
know that Andrea was being followed when she hailed Naz's cab.
Stone really wanted it to be the evil stepfather. There's a nice scene
in which Stone riles him up when he serves the supeona, and then
deliberately enters the courthouse ahead of him, flipping him the bird
as he's getting patted down. He wants this guy to come off as a possibly
dangerous asshole in testimony.
There's a nice resolution to Stone's eczema/allergies, and it all comes
back to haunt him. We learn that his worst symptoms are stress induced,
if not psychosomatic. In a nice sequence, Chandra refuses to take his
advice and puts Naz on the stand. Naz is not compelling enough in his
defense, and Helen Weiss is able to get a rise out of him on cross.
Stone tells her that she just got Naz convicted, so an infuriated Stone
takes it out on the cat, which he takes back to the animal shelter.
Naz told Chandra he wouldn't be cool enough to take the stand and
demands that she buy him drugs. Well, she doesn't just bring him
a sedative, but a pussy-full of sedatives. The two of them think they're
being careful but the evidence of the exchange is caught on tape.
Stone receives the tape and convinces Naz to use it as grounds for a
mistrial. Now, Stone believes that now-retired Det. Box leaked him the
information, but it's actually Omar. Naz agrees. Stone turns Chandra
in to the judge; her life as an attorney is over. It backfires on Stone,
as the judge orders him to sit first chair and deliver the closing argument.
Stone puts himself under so much stress that his eczema flares up bad,
and he takes every single treatment he'd been given at the same time,
including soaking his feet in bleach. This sends him to the E.R. where
he's given a massive dose of steroids. He's able to wear shoes but has
to wear gloves in court and his face looks horrible.
See, I think that, despite being allergic to the cat, the cat kept him
relatively calm which is what eased his symptoms quite a bit.
Det. Box brought his suspicions to Helen Weiss. Learning that she'll
continue to prosecute Naz, he walks out of her closing arugment. Helen
is actually thrown and may not have completed it. Helen has committed a
major ethical breach herself: She failed to disclose to the defense.
The jury is hung. The foreman reports that the vote is 6 to 6 with no
hope of breaking the deadlock. The judge is stunned and dismisses the jury.
Knowing about her failure to disclose and how strong Box feels about another
prime suspect, Helen has second thoughts about Naz's guilt and declines
to prosecute.
On his way out of Rikers, Omar leaves Naz the novel in the title.
Naz tries to reconcile with his family. He can't. His mother tries to
convince him that she never lost faith in him but Naz knows it's a lie.
Helen tells Box to get the evidence against the other suspect. We do have
a brief scene of Box attempting to play golf.
Naz thanks Stone for saving his neck. Stone tells him that we all have our
crosses to bear and not to worry that people he knows think he's guilty.
In an interesting moment, Naz's so-called friend who was supposed to have
driven him on The Night Of comes into the restaurant where they're sitting.
Naz gives him a look of contempt but doesn't rise from the table to
confront him. Stone points out that he did learn something after all.
It ends with Naz on the riverbank where Andrea had him drive her, thinking
of her and his own innocence lost.
I'd like to commend various outstanding performances, although everyone
was good. Riz Ahmed's compelling innocence carried the early episodes.
Without his natural performance, it could have been unwatchable. I really
liked Jeannie Berlin as Helen. Looking her up, she was born in Los
Angeles; you'd think she would have come from Queens. She's Elaine May's
daughter! That explains the voice. Bill Camp and Amara Karan were both
good. Having seen Turturro as Stone, I just can't imagine Gandolfini.
Omar is excellent as always.
Since HBO series tend to get Emmy nominations, let's hope that some
of the supporting cast are recognized and that Ahmed is NOT nominated
for supporting but for lead.
p
o
i
l
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r
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p
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c
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Very well done and I was mostly satisfied with the resolution.
The murderer turns out to be Rina E. Ynjfba, someone we never suspected
who wasn't even on Stone's radar. It goes back to the argument that
we knew Andrea had with someone unknown that night, although we didn't
know that Andrea was being followed when she hailed Naz's cab.
Stone really wanted it to be the evil stepfather. There's a nice scene
in which Stone riles him up when he serves the supeona, and then
deliberately enters the courthouse ahead of him, flipping him the bird
as he's getting patted down. He wants this guy to come off as a possibly
dangerous asshole in testimony.
There's a nice resolution to Stone's eczema/allergies, and it all comes
back to haunt him. We learn that his worst symptoms are stress induced,
if not psychosomatic. In a nice sequence, Chandra refuses to take his
advice and puts Naz on the stand. Naz is not compelling enough in his
defense, and Helen Weiss is able to get a rise out of him on cross.
Stone tells her that she just got Naz convicted, so an infuriated Stone
takes it out on the cat, which he takes back to the animal shelter.
Naz told Chandra he wouldn't be cool enough to take the stand and
demands that she buy him drugs. Well, she doesn't just bring him
a sedative, but a pussy-full of sedatives. The two of them think they're
being careful but the evidence of the exchange is caught on tape.
Stone receives the tape and convinces Naz to use it as grounds for a
mistrial. Now, Stone believes that now-retired Det. Box leaked him the
information, but it's actually Omar. Naz agrees. Stone turns Chandra
in to the judge; her life as an attorney is over. It backfires on Stone,
as the judge orders him to sit first chair and deliver the closing argument.
Stone puts himself under so much stress that his eczema flares up bad,
and he takes every single treatment he'd been given at the same time,
including soaking his feet in bleach. This sends him to the E.R. where
he's given a massive dose of steroids. He's able to wear shoes but has
to wear gloves in court and his face looks horrible.
See, I think that, despite being allergic to the cat, the cat kept him
relatively calm which is what eased his symptoms quite a bit.
Det. Box brought his suspicions to Helen Weiss. Learning that she'll
continue to prosecute Naz, he walks out of her closing arugment. Helen
is actually thrown and may not have completed it. Helen has committed a
major ethical breach herself: She failed to disclose to the defense.
The jury is hung. The foreman reports that the vote is 6 to 6 with no
hope of breaking the deadlock. The judge is stunned and dismisses the jury.
Knowing about her failure to disclose and how strong Box feels about another
prime suspect, Helen has second thoughts about Naz's guilt and declines
to prosecute.
On his way out of Rikers, Omar leaves Naz the novel in the title.
Naz tries to reconcile with his family. He can't. His mother tries to
convince him that she never lost faith in him but Naz knows it's a lie.
Helen tells Box to get the evidence against the other suspect. We do have
a brief scene of Box attempting to play golf.
Naz thanks Stone for saving his neck. Stone tells him that we all have our
crosses to bear and not to worry that people he knows think he's guilty.
In an interesting moment, Naz's so-called friend who was supposed to have
driven him on The Night Of comes into the restaurant where they're sitting.
Naz gives him a look of contempt but doesn't rise from the table to
confront him. Stone points out that he did learn something after all.
It ends with Naz on the riverbank where Andrea had him drive her, thinking
of her and his own innocence lost.
I'd like to commend various outstanding performances, although everyone
was good. Riz Ahmed's compelling innocence carried the early episodes.
Without his natural performance, it could have been unwatchable. I really
liked Jeannie Berlin as Helen. Looking her up, she was born in Los
Angeles; you'd think she would have come from Queens. She's Elaine May's
daughter! That explains the voice. Bill Camp and Amara Karan were both
good. Having seen Turturro as Stone, I just can't imagine Gandolfini.
Omar is excellent as always.
Since HBO series tend to get Emmy nominations, let's hope that some
of the supporting cast are recognized and that Ahmed is NOT nominated
for supporting but for lead.