The first two episodes of the new Apple TV+ Nocturne are available to watch now. The series, shot in Pittsburgh and surrounding areas, is based on the novel The Sandman by Lars Kepler, and it will scratch the itch of detective- and mystery series-loving viewers.
Episode one, “Lazarus, Come Forth!”, immediately introduces the audience to the series’ serial killer, Jurek Walter (Stephen Graham). He’s locked up in an underground prison that keeps him secluded from not only all other prisoners, but also the outside world…or so one would be led to believe. The opening scene is of Jurek talking to a neighboring prisoner through the pipes and convincing him to take action against the voices in his head. It’s a jarring and startling scene, but an effective one because the viewer quickly sees the pull Jurek has on other people. It’s a recurring warning characters pass to one another throughout the first two episodes.
Courtesy of Apple TV+
“Jurek doesn’t say much, but if he doesn’t, don’t listen” is the warning given to Karl (Rory Culkin), a new nurse who will be working up close and personal with Jurek. Karl is new to the job, but is quickly promoted to work with Jurek because of his kind and gentle demeanor. That also makes him a target for Jurek.
Jurek was arrested three years ago, but two victims, both kids, remain missing. In the present day, one of the children who was thought to be dead comes out of the cold forest. While the small town is thrilled that this boy has come back home, two concerns arise. One, where is his sister? Two, how is Jurek getting information into and out of the prison? It’s unsettling enough that Jonah (Liev Schreiber), who took time off after Jurek’s initial arrest, feels called to return to the line of duty. He and his surrogate daughter, Saga (Zazie Beetz), feel a sense of urgency and a dedication to solving this case once and for all.
Episode two, “For Such a Time as This,” sees the stakes rising. Jonah finds himself butting heads with Quinn (Poorna Jagannathan) from the FBI, who has been called in from the get-go to remedy the local police chief’s (Bill Camp) error from the initial investigation. Quinn and Jonah have different methodologies as to how to best approach the matter of Jurek and the missing kid. Saga suggests that Quinn go undercover in Jurek’s prison so the investigation has a person on the inside. Despite Jonah’s objections, Saga and Quinn push forward, leading Saga into the belly of the beast.
Courtesy of Apple TV+
For Pittsburgh folks watching the show, Nocturne is an exciting example of a project shot in and around the city and not trying to hide that fact. There are shots of the skyline interspersed throughout the first two episodes. Some of the characters are also doing their best Pittsburgh accent, with some Pittsburghese thrown in for good measure. Ida, mother of the missing kids played by Chrissy Metz, has a subtle accent that feels genuine “n’at.” Jurek, too, has picked up a small twinge of a Pittsburgh lilt. In an interview about the project, Graham mentioned that he would get in the headspace with “dahntahn.” While no one character, so far, is going for the full Yinzer, it certainly feels closer to home than a certain HBO show named for the city.
As episode two wraps up, Nocturne has presented an interestingly woven web. We have Saga deep in enemy territory and Jonah pulling at strings he’s not sure will go anywhere. Based on these first two episodes, Nocturne just might be another of the great true-crime detective stories this region is known for.
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