S01.E01: The Beach

[Constantinople]

I hope Naz did it.

Not that I have anything against him, but it would be refreshing if for once the obvious suspect was in fact the perpetrator.

I should feel worse about what happened to the victim, but she had the personality of a postage stamp, so she probably deserved to die for crimes against entertainment.

I agree she's not a Manic Pixie Dream Girl.  Aren't MPDGs supposed to be somewhat cheerful?  But I don't think she's really a classic femme fatale either.  In my opinion, the victim of a classic femme fatale should be someone cynical and experienced enough to know better, but gets ensnared anyway; a femme fatale's victim shouldn't be some yokel like Naz.  Plus, as mentioned, she had the personality of a postage stamp, which is disqualifying.

[Joimiaroxeu]

I'm not going to believe Naz did it unless they find his DNA and her blood in the shower or something. If he'd stabbed her enough to leave that much blood he would have had to wash it off somehow. Plus you'd have to assume he was pretty much naked when he did it or there would've been blood all over his clothes.

Watching him do one dumb thing after another was breaking my heart. The poor guy was just desperate to hang out with "the cool kids" and meet some girls and now he's looking at a murder rap for sure.

So is this going to be like American Crime and True Detective and cover one case per season or is Naz' case, trial, appeal, etc. going to run over several seasons?

[LJonEarth]

I've never watched a show that I was so engrossed in and excited to see what's next while also being shocked at how stupid and not very believable most of the characters were.

Having seen my fair share of Dateline, American Greed, etc., though, I know that all of this is entirely possible.

I've heard people saying they'd feel like the show would be a waste if Naz did it. But I'd have no problem if he did. Either he didn't do it and we may find out who did or he did and we find out why he doesn't seem to remember. Then it would be more of an American Crime situation, but still compelling if done correctly.

I can't wait until next week!

[lucindabelle]

Good catch to everyone wh noticed the knife was still in the kitchen. The detective will get that out of naz and it should help a bit. Oh if only kitty could talk!

[meep.meep]

The knife that Naz took was in the living room where they'd been doing the drugs and stabbing between their fingers, not in the kitchen where he woke up

I'm assuming that we will be learning the reason why she said she couldn't be alone that night..

And for weeks they've been running promos that looked to me like a crime scene was taking samples from a stuffed animal and I've been trying to figure out how it was a dead woman.  It must be the stag's head in the apartment.

[Valmarmar]

On 7/9/2016 at 9:47 AM, humbleopinion said:

Anyone in a holding cell would feel better if JG walked in and said "I am your lawyer" instead of the disheveled JT  in the Columbo inspired stained rain coat.

Missing a actor is a testament to the legacy of their body of work.

I had chills after reading this, HUMBLEOPINION.  I agree.  Just watched "The Drop".

[Valmarmar]

My heart already aches for Naz's family.  In their few scenes, they have conveyed so much love and concern for this kid.  

[Princess Sparkle]

11 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

So is this going to be like American Crime and True Detective and cover one case per season or is Naz' case, trial, appeal, etc. going to run over several seasons?

I keep seeing this promoted as a "limited series", so I believe we'll be seeing the conclusion of Naz's case this season. 

[PamelaMaeSnap]

Funny how after all these years when a Wire character pops up I still shout "BODIE!" or whatever (though I saw MKW's name in the credits for this episode as "Freddy," I did NOT see him in the show yet ... did I miss the first sighting?)

If I had to pick a suspect right now I'd go with the neighbor across the street who saw him break in.  But am also thinking we may not have seen the killer yet (and maybe never will ... maybe she had a late-night appointment with a client who's into the S&M scene with her).

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

Should You Take The Case Of The Night Of?

Another European remake, true, but its sterling production pedigree might put it over.

[bagatelle]

I kept noticing Nazir's nose job, especially the rounded tip and it kept taking me out of the story because his character would not have had one. Well, probably not.  Its like seeing the veneers on an actor's teeth in GoT. A bit distracting.

[Happytobehere]

I just finished my second watch.  I think the victim was acting like she was trying to get away from something/someone. Perhaps the person who killed her.

[lucindabelle]

Veneers I'm with you.l. Nobody's teeth were ever that white before a few years ago. Now I feel like the schoolteacher in the commercial... Ecru?

his nose seems right for him so if it's done it was done well. I'm guessing just from watching he occasional Botched that it's his tip, just had a bump shaved down.

 

and I too agree Andrea was scared, running, being weird. Although I now discount the hearse driver as anyone but someone pushed off at a person throwing a lit match by gasoline. I didn't make that connection but now that I do , yeah. Who wants to be blown up?

[Jodithgrace]

I heard on the radio discussion about this show that you have to pay attention to every little detail, that everything is important. What I noticed was all the times Naz was caught on camera throughout his misadventure. I don't know what that will mean. But her necklace was on the stuffed buck head.

Also I noticed that when Naz woke up he didn't have any blood on him and he was quite a distance away from the crime. If he has taken a shower, he would have washed out all of those scratches and they wouldn't have looked like they did.  Since he was unfamiliar with drugs or even alcohol, his drugged out sleep could have made him oblivious to the crime, especially since it was upstairs. So I do not think he did it. 

I did laugh, that in his panic he grabbed the knife but didn't stop to think that his fingerprints were everywhere. Again not the act of a murderer but a scared kid. 

[Drogo]

Seems like this episode was generous with "random stuff that will help create reasonable doubt later" --

• The comment from the CSIs getting into the apartment before a dozen more cops compromise the integrity of the crime scene
• The mishandling of his breathalyzer at the station when they thought (hee!) he was a murder eyewitness and not a random DWI, before he realized he was a murder suspect
• The taunter lying about being alone and omitting his own bigoted taunts will call his credibility into question and get his testimony thrown out
• The CSI/desk sergeant spat about chain of evidence being broken could come up during trial and get the knife thrown out

Seems like the hearse driver interaction was just to ask ominous questions foreshadowing her death and provide a witness later who had seen them at the station together. 

[iMonrey]

Quote

Although I now discount the hearse driver as anyone but someone pushed off at a person throwing a lit match by gasoline. I didn't make that connection but now that I do , yeah. Who wants to be blown up?

OH - I hadn't thought of that. Frankly he was my number one suspect but now I don't know. Was the actor playing him anyone important? I thought I recognized him. 

Quote

I did laugh, that in his panic he grabbed the knife but didn't stop to think that his fingerprints were everywhere.

And assuming he's never committed a crime his fingerprints wouldn't even be in a database so if he'd gotten away without ever being pulled over the fingerprints wouldn't have done the investigators any good. His biggest blunder was putting that dumb knife in his jacket - he should have left it in the cab under the seat or something.

[kieyra]

I just heard Mo Ryan refer to the victim as a "Manic Pixie Dream Sex Witch" in her podcast, and I thought I'd see how that floated here. 

[lucindabelle]

Sorry I think it's a lazy  trope. She's neither manic nor particularly pixie. She's a femme noire and a macguffin.

[kieyra]

I'm not hugely invested in the debate, but she seemed pretty manic during the knife games. I'm not sure what the "pixie" part of the trope is meant to convey, but she certainly manipulated Naz "cutely". 

Either way, I suppose the main thing that is being conveyed is that she wasn't written as a real person, just a plot device. 

I guess that could change if we see more of her character via flashback or whatever.

[clb1016]

One thing I don't think anyone's mentioned yet is that the witness who saw Naz break into the brownstone when he went back for his keys said that he came running out a few seconds later.  There's no way he could have committed that attack in just a few seconds. 

[scrb]

How does a 22-year old live in a brownstone by herself on the Upper East or West Side?

Cops treated the fact that there was a murder there, in a brownstone, just a block away from Central Park, as if it were a big deal.

[clb1016]

It was West 87th Street, which would be a very affluent neighborhood (as would East 87th off the Park). Murder in a wealthy neighborhood is always given more attention than murder in a poor/working class neighborhood, by both police (although they would probably deny it) and the press.  And of course there are racial overtones to Det. Box asking the young Black man what he was doing on that street.

[LoveLeigh]

On 7/11/2016 at 8:37 PM, Constantinople said:

I hope Naz did it.

Not that I have anything against him, but it would be refreshing if for once the obvious suspect was in fact the perpetrator.

I love this! And I agree it would be a great reveal..... and a huge step away from the basic whodunit guessing game we see on so many of these serial type murder mystery shows.

Edited July 14, 2016 by DakotaLavender

[Neurochick]

8 hours ago, scrb said:

How does a 22-year old live in a brownstone by herself on the Upper East or West Side?

Cops treated the fact that there was a murder there, in a brownstone, just a block away from Central Park, as if it were a big deal.

They treated it as a big deal because it's in a wealthy neighborhood.  We don't know if the brownstone was hers, or if it belonged to her family or a friend. 

A block away from Central Park would be in a very affluent neighborhood.

[numbnut]

On 7/13/2016 at 5:41 AM, Drogo said:

Seems like this episode was generous with "random stuff that will help create reasonable doubt later" --

• The comment from the CSIs getting into the apartment before a dozen more cops compromise the integrity of the crime scene
• The mishandling of his breathalyzer at the station when they thought (hee!) he was a murder eyewitness and not a random DWI, before he realized he was a murder suspect
• The taunter lying about being alone and omitting his own bigoted taunts will call his credibility into question and get his testimony thrown out
• The CSI/desk sergeant spat about chain of evidence being broken could come up during trial and get the knife thrown out

Seems like the hearse driver interaction was just to ask ominous questions foreshadowing her death and provide a witness later who had seen them at the station together. 

Yup, all the snafus will def. bite the prosecutors in the ass. The desk sergeant shrugging off the broken chain of evidence seemed unrealistic to me. He's not some inexperienced rookie. I would buy it if he was slightly annoyed like the CSI dudes.

[Portia]

We didn't get to watch this till today, and I am so glad for the late watch because now we only have to wait one day till episode two. Oh BOY, am I ever in the bag for this show! 

As soon as I recognized Riz Ahmed as Naz, I squealed with joy. He was amazing in Nightcrawler. I don't at all think he's playing the same character here, aside from both characters being underdogs. 

I had instant sympathy and affection for Naz, especially because I teach college ESL students and have know a fair number of young Muslim men like him--shy, sweet, and sheltered. My heart breaks for him whether he's innocent or not. But I am not 100% sure he didn't do it. And at this point I don't think Naz is 100% sure either. 

More please!

[The Hound Lives]

7 hours ago, Portia said:

I had instant sympathy and affection for Naz, especially because I teach college ESL students and have know a fair number of young Muslim men like him--shy, sweet, and sheltered. My heart breaks for him whether he's innocent or not. But I am not 100% sure he didn't do it. And at this point I don't think Naz is 100% sure either. 

More please!

I did, too! This kid is so out of his element, caught up in something he clearly has no idea what to do with. Sheltered is the perfect word but sweet and just wants to fit in. Ugh. It's hard to root for him because he could be the killer but I also feel like if he did do it, it was a case of following her lead and rough sex gone really wrong. Add in the mind-altering drugs, shit, I'm so torn about it. I think we may have some flashbacks that will further cause Naz to doubt his own innocence. We may see how rough it got, at her egging. This will probably just cause more confusion for us, too. 

[LisaBLingLing]

Uhm - are we allowed to make predictions here?  My early money is on "the other black guy" - the one that was walking along with "Bodie" - I just looked up his character's name here, Trevor.  Trevor lies about being alone and we linger on "the other black guy" watching Victim and Naz heading into the brownstone.  He's involved somehow.  Maybe he's the guilty party, maybe he calls the guilty party to report on what's up.  

[walnutqueen]

Finally watched - I'm IN.

As a true crime TV watcher, I can attest to how outrageous police interrogations can get - especially with young and or naive suspects/witnesses.  The percentage of false confessions is astounding.  Never EVER talk to the cops.

[Brooklynista]

Naz is a college 20 something who went to a party. His brother goes into his room, sees the bed unmade and goes to tell his parents? Would that really happen? I'm not familiar with how protective Pakistani are but I would think the brother would be more "way to go bro" than "I'm gonna tell on you".  The brother seemed to be doing it out of concern but we're still talking about a legal adult. 

Would he still have a curfew?

[formerlyfreedom]

There is a topic to speculate in now, so please feel free to head over there and make your best guesses about what happens next!

[AuntiePam]

3 hours ago, Brooklynista said:

Naz is a college 20 something who went to a party. His brother goes into his room, sees the bed unmade and goes to tell his parents? Would that really happen? I'm not familiar with how protective Pakistani are but I would think the brother would be more "way to go bro" than "I'm gonna tell on you".  The brother seemed to be doing it out of concern but we're still talking about a legal adult. 

Would he still have a curfew?

No clue about a curfew, but Naz did tell Andrea that she was just the second woman he's had sex with -- that's a hint that he's not much of a player.  So not coming home and not calling is worrisome to his family.  I think any family would be concerned, unless the kid made a habit of it.  The family even seemed surprised about him going to a party.  Or did he tell them?  I can't remember.

[The Hound Lives]

3 hours ago, AuntiePam said:

No clue about a curfew, but Naz did tell Andrea that she was just the second woman he's had sex with -- that's a hint that he's not much of a player.  So not coming home and not calling is worrisome to his family.  I think any family would be concerned, unless the kid made a habit of it.  The family even seemed surprised about him going to a party.  Or did he tell them?  I can't remember.

He did tell his parents about the party. They were concerned about the "type" of party it was...in the city with players from the basketball team (i.e. a black party, which Naz sort of razzed them about). I think within the culture, there are a notion of staying/playing/hanging with your own but I don't think staying out all night is something Naz did and that is why his brother was concerned. Like you said, he wasn't a player at all and maybe even a bit socially awkward though he really seemed to try. I live in an area that has a large Arab community. It's not that those within the community shy away from interactions socially with those outside the fold but it isn't common. Even with the younger generation (1st or 2nd generation American), I do notice that they hang out together and go to clubs/bars that cater to their community. 

[Superpole2000]

This was riveting!

My first reaction is that Naz could not have committed the murder. He had no blood on him (except from the post-death panic), and his clothes were too pristine. Unless he committed the murder while naked, then showered, then put on his clothes, then went to sleep on a different floor in the victim's home, he couldn't be the murderer.

He is obviously one of the unluckiest people of all time to have stabbed someone the same night she was hacked to death by someone else.

My only gripe with the show is that Naz didn't just do one or two things out of character...he did about ten things in sequence that he would have never done before that night. Going to the party without his friend, stealing the cab, not grasping the logic that he could lock the cab doors to avoid picking up passengers, agreeing to drive the girl around town, stopping to get her a drink, using the bathroom at the gas station while he was in a precarious situation away from home in a car he shouldn't be driving, taking the pill, going to the girl's house, playing the knife game, etc. A straight-laced character probably doesn't let that night get past one or two bad decisions.

Edited July 18, 2016 by Superpole2000

[djsunyc]

doesn't look like anybody mentioned this but did the detective show the bodie the driver's license first before showing the picture of 6 people asking him to identify nas?  i mean that's clearly leading the witness, no?

there's only 1 guy i'm rooting for in this show and it's turturro.  

another thing, when they focused on turturro's feet and sandals...i was actually looking more at the sandals.  they looked like sandals you would buy in india/pakistan or some middle eastern country.  i was thinking more along the lines that turturro is partly of arab/indian decent or know alot about the culture.  but i know i could be 100% wrong on that.

[Boilergal]

As soon as they showed the camera grab when he went through the Toll Boots I knew this would be a catch EVERY detail kind of show.  The cameras at the gas station, all the people telling him about his Off Duty Light - including cops, not closing/locking the gate, the interior of her apartment and everything he touched, her putting her bloody hand all over his clothes, not closing/locking the gate.

I asked Mrs Boiler....do you think she's setting him up?  She pooh poohed me.

[ganesh]

This first episode took me a few days to get through. Honestly, every time I tune into HBO, they shoved this trailer in my face and I got kind of sick of it. I'm quite sick of JT screaming not to talk to anyone. 

I'm a fan of miniseries though, and with all the platforms for original content, I'd like to see more.

The show opened really slow, but because I know it's as miniseries, I was comfortable that there is a narrative direction. The show finally drew me in when Nas was "what street is this?" and he was physically crushed when he realized what was happening. 

Also, idiot for keeping the knife. Throw it in the sewer!

I'm not proud. I like to drink. I've woken up and it's taken the better part of a day to piece together the prior night. Last month, I woke up and my garage door was wide open. I can buy that Nas might have blacked out. 

Worse for Nas, who has only drank 2 times in his life and then did drugs too. I don't think he did it because like it's been said he was remarkably clean when he woke up. 

[Magic]

Since her room was so splattered, and Naz was relatively clean, although not showered, since her scratch marks on his back had smudges, I am going to guess he wasn't the murderer.

The neighbor doesn't strike me likely either.

It looks like the door locks automatically since Naz couldn't get in once he left.

That, along with the fact she said she *can't* be alone that night versus she didn't want to be alone makes me think it is that part of her life that leads to the murderer.  Who has a way to get in the brownstone, which is kind of why I don't think it is the neighbor.

The person who lied, seemed more like the why tell the police anything more than you have to.  They didn't give him much good reason to either, besides what he had to in order to finally be able to leave.

She doesn't seem to be famous given the police response to her name.  So why she has so much money to live there and is walking around by herself at night all dressed up carrying some drugs might have some interesting parts of the puzzle.  She doesn't really seem the type to have a deer head hanging on her wall.

Kind of interesting that Naz is going to get some prejudice due to ethnicity but because of his ethnicity he attracts a lawyer's attention and help (pro bono even??).

[MaryPatShelby]

On 7/18/2016 at 7:47 AM, djsunyc said:

doesn't look like anybody mentioned this but did the detective show the bodie the driver's license first before showing the picture of 6 people asking him to identify nas?  i mean that's clearly leading the witness, no?

He showed Bodie the girl's driver's license, not Naz's.

[TexasGal]

On July 9, 2016 at 9:47 AM, humbleopinion said:

Anyone in a holding cell would feel better if JG walked in and said "I am your lawyer" instead of the disheveled JT  in the Columbo inspired stained rain coat.

Missing a actor is a testament to the legacy of their body of work.

I am way late to this forum, but had to give this more love.  I have been binge watching with friends and we googled for the Gandolfini explanation tonight (during our watch of ep 6).  I watched that episode then picturing him instead of Turturro and was infinitely sad.  I've been loving Turturro in the role but to think about how it would have been different...sigh.

[Ms Blue Jay]

On 7/18/2016 at 8:47 AM, djsunyc said:

doesn't look like anybody mentioned this but did the detective show the bodie the driver's license first before showing the picture of 6 people asking him to identify nas?  i mean that's clearly leading the witness, no?

It was the fact that Bodie saw Nas in the police station and identified him there as the culprit FIRST before seeing the photos that was off.....  That's obviously not protocol.  I don't know the rules though, LOL.

I had instant sympathy and affection for Naz, especially because I teach college ESL students and have know a fair number of young Muslim men like him--shy, sweet, and sheltered. My heart breaks for him whether he's innocent or not. But I am not 100% sure he didn't do it. And at this point I don't think Naz is 100% sure either.

Nas isn't ESL is he?  He's American born and I went ahead and assumed English was one of his first languages, but perhaps I am wrong.

"Shy, sweet, sheltered".  I couldn't help it, that phrase stuck out at me.  Somebody I know who appeared like that AT FIRST ended up harassing me for months.  Just saying appearances of "shyness" or "awkwardness" can be deceiving.

[Portia]

12 hours ago, Ms Blue Jay said:

It was the fact that Bodie saw Nas in the police station and identified him there as the culprit FIRST before seeing the photos that was off.....  That's obviously not protocol.  I don't know the rules though, LOL.

 

 

Nas isn't ESL is he?  He's American born and I went ahead and assumed English was one of his first languages, but perhaps I am wrong.

"Shy, sweet, sheltered".  I couldn't help it, that phrase stuck out at me.  Somebody I know who appeared like that AT FIRST ended up harassing me for months.  Just saying appearances of "shyness" or "awkwardness" can be deceiving.

I didn't say he was ESL. I said that because I teach ESL, I've come into contact with quite a few young Muslim men who reminded me of the seemingly shy, sweet, sheltered Naz at the beginning of the series.