The Night of - Part 3: A Dark Crate

Previously on The Night Of, “Subtle Beast”

The Night Of - Part 3: A Dark Crate | Starring: Riz Ahmed, John Turturro, Ariya Ghahramani, Poorna Jagannathan, Bill Camp

A fellow Riker’s inmate, Freddie (Michael K. Williams), tells Naz a story of why veal is so soft and tender: the calf is kept in a dark crate, barely able to move, and fed until it’s slaughtered. Sounds a lot like Naz’s current situation, a situation Freddie is willing to make better by providing Naz with protection. Despite their own trespasses, inmates don’t look too kindly on rapists and this has made Naz - all doe-eyed and innocent - a target. This is in stark contrast to Freddie, who pretty much runs his block of the prison with a comfortable cell, sexual trysts with a corrections officer, and whatever he wants smuggled in by the guards. What Freddie wants in exchange for this guardianship is not yet made known to Naz, who doesn’t accept it all the same.

Outside of Riker’s another power struggle has taken place. News of Andrea’s murder is circulating and the fact that a clean-cut Muslim student is accused is like blood in the water to the sharks in the media and other parts of the criminal justice system. While Stone waits for Naz’s overwhelmed parents to sign his retainer (negotiated to $50,000 from $75,000), attorney Allison Crowe (Glenne Headly) swoops in with the backing of her firm and an offer to take the case for the low price of free. Just like that, Stone is out. It’s hard to feel sorry for Stone when it appears as though he wasn’t taking the case seriously until he lost it. He was ready to plea, when the Khans clearly want an attorney who believes their son is innocent as they do, or at the very least, an attorney who will fight to free their son and not bargain a lighter sentence. Plus, it’s hard to argue with free.

The Khans are also facing other financial difficulties. The cab Mr. Khan shares with two others is being held indefinitely as it was used in the commission of a crime. Every day they’re without it is a day of losing money. A cop offers up a possible solution: charge Naz with grand theft auto since he didn’t have permission to use the vehicle. This is out of the question for the Khans, but maybe not so beyond the pale for the other owners.

The situation also continues to take its toll on Naz’s parents in other ways. Their first visit to Riker’s finally gets them the full story (somewhat) of what happened the night of the murder, but watching Mrs. Khan be subjected to a body search was heartbreaking.

“A Dark Crate” continues the series’ trend of adding more questions while not yet providing very much in the way of answers. Now, chief among them are: How will Stone work his way back on the case? What does Freddie want from Naz and can Naz afford it?