Stephen Graham stars as serial killer Jurek Walter in Apple TV’s “Nocturne,” a crime drama based on Lars Kepler’s novels “Lazurus” and “The Sandman.” The story begins with Walter held in a psychiatric hospital, where detective Jonah Lynn, played by Liev Schreiber, is drawn out of retirement after one of the killer’s missing victims turns up. Jonah’s surrogate daughter, FBI agent Saga Bauer (Zazie Beetz), goes undercover to learn more about Walter’s crimes from the murderer himself.
The 10-episode series has received broadly positive reviews. “Nocturne” has an 85% score on Rotten Tomatoes and a rating of 70 on Metacritic. Critics have highlighted Graham’s portrayal of Walter, as well as the show’s sustained tension and its exploration of grief and guilt.
Graham told Decider that he approached the role as a fresh challenge, despite having played other morally compromised characters. Alongside watching material about serial killers, he focused on developing Walter’s physical presence, aiming to make him seem menacing and capable of killing with his bare hands. The character is also perceptive, and the series explores his relationships with Jonah and nurse Karl, played by Rory Culkin.
New episodes of “Nocturne” are released weekly on Fridays on Apple TV.
Sources: TVLine.