# Apple TV’s Nocturne Squanders Star Power

- Topic: cinema
- Source: [slate.com](https://slate.com/culture/2026/10/nocturne-apple-tv-show-liev-schreiber-stephen-graham-zazie-beetz.html?via=rss)
- Published: 2026-10-30
- Original: https://slate.com/culture/2026/10/nocturne-apple-tv-show-liev-schreiber-stephen-graham-zazie-beetz.html?via=rss
- Language: en
- Image: https://compote.slate.com/images/f8384228-cd5e-4126-8b68-89f15aa8160d.jpeg?crop=1560%2C1040%2Cx0%2Cy0&width=1560

## At a glance

- Nocturne is a serial‑killer thriller on Apple TV based on Lars Kepler’s 2012 novel The Sandman
- The cast includes Stephen Graham, Liev Schreiber, Rory Culkin, and Zazie Beetz in key roles
- Critics say the show relies on genre clichés and a weak script, wasting the talent involved
- Its rural Pennsylvania setting echoes HBO’s Mare of Easttown but fails to capture that series’ depth

## Sources

- [slate.com](https://slate.com/culture/2026/10/nocturne-apple-tv-show-liev-schreiber-stephen-graham-zazie-beetz.html?via=rss)

## The story

Apple TV’s new series Nocturne, a serial‑killer thriller adapted from Lars Kepler’s 2012 novel The Sandman, premiered its first two episodes on Friday. The show follows FBI agent Alexandra Quinn, played by Poorna Jagannathan, as she investigates a high‑security facility where Stephen Graham’s character Jurek Walter is held. Liev Schreiber portrays the ex‑cop who captured Walter, and Rory Culkin plays a psychiatric nurse who becomes entangled in the killer’s manipulations. Critics argue that Nocturne relies heavily on genre clichés - an imprisoned mastermind, a haunted cop, a hidden accomplice, and symbolic tree carvings - while offering little fresh narrative. The rural Delaware County, Pennsylvania backdrop, intended to echo HBO’s Mare of Easttown, feels under‑developed and fails to capture the small‑town atmosphere that made its predecessor compelling. Reviewers also note that the script’s dialogue is uneven, with Graham’s performance oscillating between stoic and melodramatic, undermining the character’s menace. Despite a strong cast, the series is seen as a squandered opportunity to showcase the actors’ talents and to deliver a compelling crime drama. The series’ pacing also feels uneven, with long stretches of exposition that dilute the tension.

> Summary by Daily Read Bytes. [Read the original source](https://slate.com/culture/2026/10/nocturne-apple-tv-show-liev-schreiber-stephen-graham-zazie-beetz.html?via=rss)