The Knick

I miss watching this. Great portrayal of the beginning stages of medicine and the healthcare system in the US.

The Knick is a television show anyone interested in very relevant topics of our day should not miss. On the exterior, The Knick is a historical look at early 1900's New York City and the plot is based around a newly promoted head surgeon, Dr. Thackery (Clive Owen), of The Knickerbocker Hospital. The medical aspect of the show is truly fascinating, intense and shocking. The surgeries shown on the show are not for the faint of heart and have the look of a butcher shop rather then what we currently expect in an operating room.

The sets are beautiful and well done to portray a century year old time period. I have heard complaints about the music and blurry vision of some of the cameras and shots that Director Steven Soderbergh incorporates throughout the show. If you want a clean cut narrative with perfectly clean shots and no unique sound, then feel free to go watch network television. I find the electronic music very interesting and almost a sort of heart beat to the show. The blurry shots are absolutely justified as this world is dimly lit and fuzzy on its own accord. The music and cinematography do it great justice.

The acting on the show is also top notch as Clive Owen leads a team that is in sync throughout. Andre Holland is a revelation as Dr. Algernon Edwards, a African American doctor literally fighting for respect in an extremely racist medical world. These two characters and their relationship form the essence of much of the show's themes which are very relevant even today. Beneath each character there lies more depth then you will receive in most television. Dr Thackery is burdened by his past and his temptations, yet is dedicated to saving the lives of his patients and not selling out. It is a gray world at The Knick and one in which lies death, drugs, sex, racism and deceit, and at the same time brings us heroics, ethics, humanity and discovery.

As a physician, I watched the entire House MD, Scrubs, most of ER and grey's anatomy. As a dedicated reader, I read a lot in medicine history. I'd like to reassure everyone who is afraid of watching another regular medical drama, this show is about medical history with it's bizarre and crazy events (which truly happened allover the course of medicine History), but in the same time it's a perfectly crafted piece of art from attention to small details to acting, writing, camera angels, sound tract and of course directing by Soderbergh.

Dr. John Thackery is a character built on 1900s Dr. William Stewart Halsted who is considered the greatest physician of the whole Johns Hopkins group, also Throughout his professional life, he was addicted to cocaine and later to morphine, which were not illegal during that time. The beauty about Thackery character is that it's a true character with his addiction and the predicted mood changes (even if there is some alteration, the character frame still the same, not like the case of G. House who was clearly a fictional character).

I don't want to go in details about the technical elements of the show, but one look over Steven Soderbergh's traffic, Erin Brockovich or even Ocean's eleven will be more than enough to understand that you are facing a spectacular show which has more and more to offer with each new episode (no wonder it was renewed for a second season before airing the first one).

The Knick is a too much sophisticated show to be compared with other shows from the same genre and IMO it shouldn't be compared with them at all. My advice to every one: see the first season now because if you're a TV person you will end up watching it anyway.

This is it. If ever you've wondered what is the greatest tv show in history that no one watched it's definitely The Knick. I couldn't believe what an utter masterpiece this show was when I started watching it on HBOMAX. It's near perfect. The acting, writing, set designs and cinematography is second to none. A Cinemax original to my surprise but HBOMAX has it now and there is talk of a revival and of a third season in the works. This is a show that is so unexpectedly great I couldn't believe what I was watching when I hit play. A period piece starting in 1900 about early medicine in New York City. An absolute gem and a must watch for people who appreciate great television.

Every single episode is directed by the legendary Soderbergh so with each frame you can feel the drama or tension shining through. It seems like it's all natural lighting in most scenes which makes it beautiful and authentic. And the real gem..Clive Owen. He was born to play Thackeray. The knick is an incredible series with too real medical scenes that I warn you can be hard for the weak stomachs. The second season has been just as good as the first.

This is a must watch with an excellent cast and acting. The procedures are phenomenal and awe inspiring. Do your self a favor and watch this incredible show