The Night of Episode 5 Review

The Night of (2016)
Mini-series: 8 episodes (2016)

Written by: Richard Price, Steven Zaillian, Peter Moffat (based on the novel by)
Starring: John Turturro, Riz Ahmed, Michael K. Williams

Plot: 
This HBO mini-series features Nas (Riz Ahmed), a Pakistani-American, with no recollection of what happened the previous night, accused of murder. Jack Stone (John Turturro) is his lawyer.

Verdict:
Lack of choices. Each character is becoming constrained by having to make choices they'd prefer to avoid. The stakes differ for each, with Nas facing serious consequences for not complying.
This episode picks up because we're building the case with the cops building the timeline and the defense interviewing witnesses. Finally the clues from episode one are coming back into play. This is a solid episode that feels like the point that this season really takes off, where the previous episodes that felt a little slow are the foundation.
The trial has got to start soon, and that may be the best part of this series.

Review:
Check out my The Night of episode reviews!

Stone is explaining his job to a classroom full of students for his son. It doesn't go over well. They're high schoolers, what do you expect? Stone is a joke at every level, and with his Eczama worsening he's a tragic figure, an outcast.

Chandra is now working with Stone. She's the only person from Alison Crowe's firm assigned to the case. Stone negotiates his fee and starts digging through the files.

The prosecutor is trying to determine the defense's game plan, and they are coming up with nothing. Their conclusion is that the defense will establish that Andrea is at fault for providing the drugs to Nas. Box has to block out the timeline of events.

Nas's father's friends urge him to file charges of grand theft auto against his son. They need the cab back, and that's the only way to get it. Of course Nas's father doesn't want to do that.

Nas moves into his own single room courtesy of Freddy.

Freddy gives Nas a chance for retribution against the inmate that burned him last episode. That inmate is lying naked on the floor, already having endured one beating. Nas kicks him once before turning to walk. The inmate goads him and Nas flips out, kicking and punching him before one of Freddy's guys pulls him off. It's no surprise that Nas has this pent up aggression. His life has gone off track in a way he never imagined. The frustration of being convicted and enduring what he has caused him to snap given the opportunity.

Stone retrieves Andrea's cat from the animal shelter. He's allergic and has to use gloves to even touch it, but he isn't willing to let it be euthanized.
Is Stone's worsening Eczama going to play a bigger plot line or even sideline him on this case? The treatments don't seem to be helping, and now he has to wear gloves.

Box blocks the timeline, and this is where the clues in the first episode begin to appear. The cops have a particular story to tell, but what will the evidence produce? The depiction of  Box literally connecting the dots leaves out a lot of the story. It shows us the police work, but also retraces his steps, beginning to shape the narrative of the night. While Box is just working from his desk, Stone has hit the streets to talk to witnesses.Stone earns his fee by tracking down Andrea's Ketamine and Ecstasy supplier.

The D.A. questions Bodie. He's not one to answer questions, and that's not going to make him a good witness, so he's cut from their list.
The D.A. loves the video of Andrea getting into Nas's cab, stating it proves premeditation. Box would rather have Nas swerving over to pick her up.
The D.A. then talks to the medical examiner, trying to determine if the cut on Nas's hand was from the knife or from breaking back into the house. The M.E. is willing to confirm either, whichever helps the case.

Nas is getting hard and shaves his head. He hangs out with Freddy playing chess, and Freddy even teaches him how to box. Nas exercises his new level of control by standing up to an inmate and then changing the television channel. Everyone backs off because Freddy has his back.
This level of protection and freedom has a cost. Nas is now helping Freddy smuggle drugs into the prison. He's coerced into because he doesn't have a choice. We saw this coming. Nothing is free.

The tox report comes back that Nas had amphetamines in his system. Andrea didn't. They no longer can claim he was a good college boy. Stone asks him about the speed during the prison visit, and Nas admits to using Adderall. Nas also swallows the drugs during the visit. Stone knows exactly what's going on and warns him it could tank the case, but Nas has no choice.

Stone asks Nas why Bodie claims he was alone, but of course Nas doesn't have an answer. Stone tracks Bodie down and questions him about it. Stone gets a new suspect.
Stone finds and then pursues Reade, but at what point should Stone turn Duane Reade over to the cops? I find it a bit unbelievable that he's going to try to chase the guy down and also fend off a potential attach. Why not let the cops handle it? The D.A. will learn about the guy eventually.