HBO's The Night Of: 8 Reasons It's The New True Detective
4. It's A Slow Burner
With the rise of Netflix, the binge-watching model of watching shows has become increasingly popular. Why wait a whole week for a new episode when you can have them all in one weekend? It's an understandable approach, and works for a lot of shows; binge-watching means you get to the resolution quicker, the story progresses faster, and any weaker episodes are obscured by being a part of the whole.
But there's still something to be said for watching a show week-to-week, as was the case with True Detective. Part of the joy was taking the time to unpack its contents and pore over every aspect, be it online or in conversations with friends and colleagues. It helped to build the tension and the mystery, a fine banquet rather than fast-food.
The Night Of is cut from a similar cloth. The show is very much a slow burner, in no rush to condemn or pardon, and happy to take a microscopic look at every aspect of the case, offering a deep examination of the criminal justice system. Before the crime, it takes its time in getting us to know Naz; after it, it makes the effort to proceed step-by-step through the legal system: it shows the arrest, the booking, the swabbing, the bureaucracy of it all.
It's gripping and tense enough in a way that makes it impossible to look away, and you're definitely going to want to come back for more, but it's also worth taking your time.