The finale ofThe Night Ofbegan with a story that played like a bad joke.
There were three cops in a bar.
The detective and his pal both thought the proposed show sounded terrible.
Credit: Craig Blankenhorn/HBO
The storyteller had a better, more original idea.
How about a series about a cop who doesnt give a s?
You write a show like that, and the job will throw you a parade.
Am I right, Dennis?
Dennis would be Dennis Box (Bill Camp), the third cop in the scene.
He answered his colleague by exiting the bar before the question mark even reached his ears.
The Doesnt Give A S Dick sounded like a terrible idea for a detective, fictional or otherwise.
He didnt want to be that guy.
He didnt want to represent that story.
And so he chose not to.
It couldnt equal the mark set by two other crime anthologies, ABCsAmerican Crimeand FXsThe People vs. O.J.
Simpson, but Id love to see Price and Zaillian give it another try.
Everyone has a cross to bear, Naz, pardon the expression, he said.
The first four episodes spanned just a few days, and they were the best in the run.
They were a focused, immersive, gripping tick-tock of Nazs fall and the police process.
The premiere doted on Nazs night out with Andrea and his arrest.
Would they listen to it?
I could easily watch more Box mysteries and hope Zaillian and Price would consider writing more.
The second half of the season coasted on the momentum generated by first.
They presented a telescoped version of Nazs trial and his transformation into hardened soul.
But again, Ahmeds performance was a saving grace, selling us on Nazs turn.
More problematic was Chandra.
Her choices were boggling.
She committed gross ethical and criminal failures by smooching with Naz and supplying him with drugs.
She risked sabotaging the case by putting Naz on the stand and leaving him vulnerable to withering cross-examination.
Yes, you’ve got the option to argue that Chandras boneheaded moves made sense.
But look: She never should have been allowed anywhere close to this case.
But the trial itself lacked media circus and spectators.
It was if it had become a forgotten bit of business of some small consequence.)
Box deferring retirement and atoning for past mistakes.
Stone pushing through his self-consciousness and lack of self-confidence to deliver that fine final argument.
Weiss declining to re-try Naz, then rallying Box to join her in going after Andreas true killer.
I hope we havent seen the last of it.B
