Nocturne Review – An Addictive Psychological Thriller

Apple TV teams up with Rowan Joffé and John Hlavin to deliver a new crime thriller drama, Nocturne. The series is based on Lars Kepler’s bestselling Joona Linna crime novels Lazarus and The Sandman. The series boasts an all-star cast led by Emmy-nominated Liev Schreiber, Zazie Beetz, and Emmy winner Stephen Graham. The ten-episode series features a twisty and psychological ride that will keep audiences guessing.

What is Nocturne about?

Nocturne follows Jonah Lynn (Liev Schreiber), a former homicide detective who finds himself diving back into an investigation of the case of a deadly serial killer after one of his victims reemerges. With Jurek Walter (Stephen Graham) behind bars playing mind games, Lynn is forced to relive the past and tackle the present as the investigation appears to be under a microscope. 

Nocturne Review

Early on, the writers set the tone for the heightened level of this case by showcasing the deadly serial killer Jurek Walter and his mass manipulation, with a man in another cell killing himself. As this transpires, we see the reemergence of one of his victims, putting the entire small town in Pennsylvania on alert, including Jonah Lynn, who was front and center in the middle of the case that put Walter behind bars. 

The non-linear storytelling actually worked quite well here. I don’t always love it, but the writers created the stakes and importance of showcasing the past while utilizing it to move plot points in the present, leading to each level of the story having a profound impact on the final result. You are invested from the opening credits, with the stakes only ramping up within each episode. With viewers possibly watching weekly, I thought they did an outstanding job of highlighting why viewers should come back each week. 

From Widow’s Bay to The Pitt to Lanterns, 2026 has showcased some great TV accompanied by incredible performances. However, Nocturne has the best cast of any series this year. At the top you have Liev Schreiber, who delivers some grounded work as a former detective trying to make things right on a case he may not have gotten right. Schreiber is one of those actors that elevates anything he is in, but the layered nuance of Jonah brought this emotional side of him that we don’t typically see in his work. 

I will be absolutely FLOORED if Stephen Graham is not nominated for his work as Jurek Walter. Walter, a serial killer with the keen eye for manipulation, coldly calculates every move even behind the walls of a prison cell. Graham is down right frightening as Walter. Every single move Walter made was calculated to the point of his next chess move. Graham comes off as the menace the writers wanted, leading to a perfect portrayal of a daunting serial killer. 

It doesn’t stop there either. Zazie Beetz as Saga Bauer is magnificent. Her scenes with Graham are truly a work of art. Two great artists delivering brilliant dialogue in this beautifully painted artwork that the writers formulated. Beetz has had my heart since her fantastic performance in Nine Days, and she continues to put out great work. Another shoutout is Rory Culkin, who plays the nurse-ish on-duty that looks over Walter and gets wrapped up in his mass manipulation. 

One of the things I didn’t love about Nocturne was the somewhat unrealistic moments leading to just the most happenstance of things ever. I fully understand having to move the plot, but in the expense of the audiences having to majorly suspend disbelief is hard to really not laugh at. You can often forgive these things (and you may), but in this dramatic series, it could’ve been laid out better by the writers. 

Is Nocturne worth watching?

Nocturne is a remarkable psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, wondering what will happen next. A haunting performance from Stephen Graham leads an ensemble to die for. As we inch closer and close to the end of the year and the best of TV lists start to release, I expect, much like my list, for Nocturne to turn up on many of them. Outside my small bone to pick with the series, this is one of—if not the—best shows of 2026. Apple TV continues to prove it’s producing the best TV in the game.

The first two episodes of Nocturne will be available to stream on Apple TV+ on October 30.

Nocturne Review – An Addictive Psychological Thriller