Obsessed with Riz Ahmed after SNL UK? Watch his ‘absolutely incredible’ acclaimed thriller

Over the past month, Riz Ahmed has wowed and wooed with his new Amazon Prime series Bait, followed by an energetic turn as host of SNL UK.

Whether you’ve followed the Oscar-winning British actor for years, have recently discovered his work or are a casual fan who dips in and out of his acclaimed repertoire, there’s one show many agree is up there as one of his very best.

Almost 10 years after it first hit the air, his HBO thriller from 2016, The Night Of, is resurfacing once more as the top recommendation for those wanting to consume all things Riz.

A US remake of the 2008 British series Criminal Justice starring Ben Whishaw, The Night Of follows Riz’s character, Pakistani-American college student Nasir ‘Naz’ Khan, who is taken into custody after he is accused of the murder of a young woman.

As the synopsis for the eight-part limited series reads: ‘Nasir Kahn gives a lift to a mysterious woman and takes her to a party hosted by his friend.

‘However, he is charged with murder when she is found dead and must prove his innocence.’

His stellar portrayal of Naz landed him the Emmy Award for outstanding lead actor, as well as the show securing a 94% critics and 93% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

‘Magnificent. The actors are absolutely incredible in this,’ RT user Rob W wrote.

‘I don’t know how this slipped past me, but it’s one of the best things I’ve watched,’ Simon B shared.

‘A gripping, all-too-real crime thriller, The Night Of is peak HBO programming, with stellar performances, gorgeous cinematography and brilliant writing,’ Korra N praised.

Over on X, ‘Even if the only thing you’ve ever seen Riz Ahmed in is ‘The Night of…’ you’d know the range this bloke has. So glad he’s getting his flowers and hopefully more projects with it. Top-tier actor, one of our very best British actors,’ Jared Chammach declared.

‘Riz Ahmed and John Turturro, both outstanding,’ El_mauz shared.

Critics are in consensus about the Steve Zaillian and Richard Price co-created show.

‘The storytelling is suspenseful and cinematic; the characters complex and layered, with plot twists and turns that will keep viewers guessing throughout each of the eight episodes,’ People Magazine shared.

‘From start to finish, The Night Of thrived on the strength of its actors, particularly Ahmed and Turturro,’ IGN Movies reflected.

‘That’s the brilliance of The Night Of; not that it invites us inside a jail cell, but that it dares us to lock the door,’ The Observer posed.

In an interview at the time, the Hamlet star spoke about how he prepared for the role, which included visiting Rikers Island and interviewing ex-inmates.

‘What I tried to do was to use the writing as a series of clues, and do my detective work. Go out and interview lots of people.

‘The main thing I wanted to try and get across was that prison experience, in an authentic way. I just felt a great sense of responsibility to the people who were kind enough to share their stories with me,’ he told Vanity Fair.

The Night Of is available to stream on HBO Max and NOW.

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