As attorney John Stone counsels Naz, lead detective Dennis Box investigates the crime.
The Night Of had such a terrific premiere episode. "Subtle Beast" isn't as propulsive or nerve-wrecking as that opening hour was. But it's a solid episode of television as it showcases Naz falling deeper into the criminal justice system. Everyone is adjusting to their changed realities. Naz is learning what he needs to do and not do as a murder suspect. His attorney, Stone, is learning all of the gruesome details about Andrea's murder and how to best help Naz with this situation. Detective Box is doing everything in his power to make this the easiest case of his career by trying to get a confession out of Naz. The arresting officers are explaining what happened to their superiors. And lastly, Naz's parents are learning just how much their son's arrest can affect their lives as well. Everyone is learning new things in this episode. They are each growing and evolving because of this crime. It brings them no closer to the truth. But the truth is pretty much irrelevant. That's what Stone keeps saying. And yet, the need to know the truth is a powerful driving action for the majority of this episode.Naz needs everyone to know that he did not commit this brutal crime. He needs people to understand that he is not responsible. Yes, all of the evidence points to him. But there's no way he could have killed Andrea. He admits to being there with her. But he continues to plead his innocence. He desperately needs everyone to believe him. That's what he needs right now in order to survive this grueling process. And yet, his parents are the only ones interested in knowing the truth. They need to understand why their son has been arrested for this crime. They are just as naive about the criminal justice system as he was. It was so compelling to watch Naz continually make mistakes in the series premiere and make his case increasingly worse for himself. He was simply overwhelmed by the situation and was easily manipulated. And now, his parents go to the wrong police precinct to find him. They don't know where he's being held. They just know he's in Manhattan. That's it. When they finally do arrive, they believe they can just see him and deliver him some food. They don't know the rules. It's only because Box is generous that they get to see their son.
Box only allows that to happen so that he can listen in on the conversation between Naz and his parents. That conversation is not privileged. He can't legally record it. But he can listen in and use whatever Naz says to aide in his investigation. That's more than he can do when Stone is also in the room. Box knows how to do his job well. Yes, he pushes the boundaries of the rules. But he is very effective at playing the system to his advantage and solving cases. As Stone notes, Box is not a bad detective. He's very good at his job. He does the work himself. He's the one leading the charge. He's putting the pieces together and creating a very good case for himself. He believes this will be an open-and-shut case. He knows Naz is guilty. There's just a weight laying on his conscience because Naz doesn't seem capable of this crime. All the evidence points to him. But a confession would really go a long way. Naz's conversation with his parents offers Box nothing to really use in his investigation. So he has to resort to other methods to get the confession he desperately craves.
Meanwhile, Stone is trying to get Naz to realize that he can't be talking to anyone about the crime. Talking is what ruins cases. Stone is the lawyer. He knows how to create an argument that can help Naz's case. Naz doesn't know any better. He needs people to know the truth and that he didn't kill Andrea. But Stone notes that the truth is irrelevant. Both the prosecution and the defense have their stories. They are the stories they need to tell the judge and jury in order to win their case. Naz doesn't know what to do. He's still naive about the whole process. Fortunately, he has Stone on his side. This case just fell onto his lap. He was in the right place at the right time. But the show also wants the audience to question if this is a case that Stone can handle. He's not a well-regarded lawyer. He's the kind of lawyer who advertises on the subway and just gets whatever cases the police give him. He's a step up from a public defender but not by much. Naz's case is the biggest he has ever been associated with. The people who know him have their doubts over whether or not he can help Naz. Meanwhile, Naz and his family are looking to him for guidance. He knows the system better than they do. They need to listen to his advice. Despite all of that though, it still feels like the system is manipulating Naz. Stone can't be with him all the time. He has other clients. Clients he is successful in helping. But that often leaves Naz and his family to fend for themselves.
Box pulls out all of his tricks in the hopes of getting Naz to talk to him one more time. It's a fantastic sequence. The tension is so raw and real. It's a scene entirely about Box trying to get what he wants out of Naz. Will Naz give in? Or will he listen to Stone? That's what makes the sequence so tense. It seems like Box is helping and doing more for Naz than Stone is. Box is present and talking with him. Stone is just downstairs waiting for transport. He's not preparing Naz for what's going to happen next. Box is still committed to his case. But he's also searching for answers as to how a sweet, naive kid like Naz did this horrible crime. He gives Naz his inhaler back. It's a gesture of good faith. He wants to establish trust with Naz again. He then starts talking about needing to understand the truth. The truth is what's going to solve this case. He's talking and Naz is cooperating. He's not following Stone's advice. But he's also not giving Box anything he needs. In fact, he's able to end this interview without hurting his case at all. Despite his best efforts, Box has failed in getting a confession. That's what ultimately makes him so willing to officially charge Naz with this crime.
So, Naz is taken away to prison for holding before his arrangement. It's a brutal night but he survives without getting himself hurt or ruining his chances for survival at all. He's able to just sit quietly in the corner and avoid the harsh realities happening around him. It's not until the next day when the fellow people in the holding cell realize that he has been charged for murder. They were mostly there for drug offenses which makes Naz the odd man out despite seeming the most innocent. Stone even does a solid job making his case for why Naz should be released on bail. Yes, the crime is severe but Naz is determined to prove his innocence. He is not guilty of this crime and wants to prove it in a court of law. That's what will keep him in the city for the longevity of the trial. And yet, this strategy doesn't work at all. The judge just sees the severity of the crime and reprimands Naz to prison until his trial. It's not the outcome Stone wanted. It ensures that Naz's life will only get more difficult as a part of the system. He boards the bus to Riker's Island and walks into the darkness of this cruel and brutal new environment. It could be a long and arduous process to get to trial and prove his innocence. Naz is committed to that journey. But how long will he be able to continue like this and not be broken by the system? He's already fractured. So how far will he continue to go?
Some more thoughts:
- "Subtle Beast" was written by Richard Price and directed by Steven Zaillian.
- Box contacts the next of kin for Andrea. So, the audience meets her stepfather, Don Taylor, who really doesn't have a relationship with her at all. Her mother died from cancer a year ago. Andrea has pretty much been left to herself since then. At first, he doesn't recognize her at all. But then, he eventually confirms it's her.
- The racial connotations of this crime and how the system views Naz is so profound. Box tells the prosecutors about Naz's Muslim faith and they want to know which radical group he comes from. When arguing about bail, the prosecutor says Naz could easily flee to his family back home in Pakistan. When looking at a photo array, Don realizes his stepdaughter was killed by an Arab. All of these details show that Naz has an uphill battle in changing minds within the system.
- It really is so surprising that Stone's eczema is such a defining characteristic for him. It's understandable that people would distance themselves from him because of his appearance. But it's really amplified and alienating here. It shows that Stone can oftentimes be an outsider as well.
- It's amusing that even the judge presiding over Naz's arrangement wants to know how Stone got this case as well. Stone apparently has such an infamous reputation that it's shocking to see him attached to a murder case.
- Box gets a court order to see the Khan house and take whatever he deems necessary for the case. That includes taking every computer in the house. So now, the Khans will really need to rely on Stone for information.
