7) The Knick
Through its ten episode first season, conversation about The Knick emphasized two major aspects of its production: the direction by Steven Soderbergh, and Cliff Martinez’s anachronistic score. Both were deserving of the praise they garnered, as what could have been just another period drama or medical procedural developed into something uniquely its own. Soderbergh’s restless camera (reminding TV viewers weekly that there’s more to a great shot than length) and the pulsing electronica of Martinez’s soundtrack gave life to the grim and grimy halls of Knickerbocker hospital, and the equally filthy streets of turn-of-the-century New York.
But was The Knick ever more than just a handsomely mounted, gruesomely detailed look behind the operating theatre curtain? It wasn’t until the finale that showrunners Begler and Amiel revealed their White Male Antihero drama to be a Trojan horse all along. Clive Owen’s whirlwind transformation of Dr. John Thackery over the course of the season illustrated how decentralized the show’s ostensible star was from the real story. The Knick explored the period’s class, race, gender and religious dynamics more than it was ever really about any one of them, and in the process built up a full cast of engaging characters, not just a single protagonist. In doing so, the groundwork was laid for a show that can only get better come Season 2.
Published: Dec 8, 2014 08:00 pm