Steven Soderbergh's The Knick (Cinemax)

[RandyK]

Set in downtown New York in 1900, 'The Knick' is a new Cinemax drama series from Academy Award and Emmy-winning director Steven Soderbergh. It is centered on the Knickerbocker Hospital and the groundbreaking surgeons, nurses and staff who work there, pushing the bounds of medicine in a time of astonishingly high mortality rates and zero antibiotics. Soderbergh directs all 10 episodes of the series' first season.

Academy Award and Emmy nominee Clive Owen stars as Doctor John Thackery, a brilliant surgeon pioneering new methods in the field, despite his secret addiction to cocaine. He leads a team of doctors including his protégé Dr. Everett Gallinger; the young Dr. Bertie Chickering Jr. and Dr. Algernon Edwards, a promising surgeon who's been recently thrust upon him. The lively cast of characters at the hospital also includes Cornelia Robertson, the daughter of its benefactor, Captain August Robertson; surly ambulance driver Tom Cleary; Lucy Elkins; a fresh-faced nurse from the country; the crooked hospital administrator Herman Barrow; and Sister Harriet, a nun who isn't afraid to speak her mind.

Writers of the series are Jack Amiel and Michael Begler ("Raising Helen," "Big Miracle"), who also serve as executive producers, along with Gregory Jacobs ("Behind the Candelabra”), Stephen Soderbergh, Michael Sugar ("Rendition") and Clive Owen. Michael Polaire ("Behind the Candelabra") produces; Steven Katz ("Shadow of the Vampire") is a supervising producer and wrote episodes 5 and 9.

LINK to first trailer.

[The Narrator]

As a Soderbergh apologist of the highest order (he has not a bad movie in his career, and you heard me), this is oh so very exciting for me. 10 hours of new Soderbergh, oh I await thee.

[Foggy]

Eww, this looks nasty, if reviews are good, I'll check it out.

[fatediesel]

Even though the show doesn't premiere until next month The Knick has already been renewed for a second season.

[RandyK]

Anybody watch the first episode? I did and enjoyed it. It's cool seeing the way medicine was practiced in 1900 and the great SFX make all the more real.

[drzkid64]

Originally Posted by RandyK

Anybody watch the first episode? I did and enjoyed it. It's cool seeing the way medicine was practiced in 1900 and the great SFX make all the more real.

I saw it and really enjoyed it and will definitely watch the next episode. I love that Soderbergh is directing every episode because he really does a great job. Clive Owen is great. I'm definitely intrigued in seeing where the show goes.

[drzkid64]

The second episode was really good. It's a shame it hasn't gotten more attention on here yet. Steven Soderbergh does a hell of a job directing these episodes. Looking forward to the next episode.

[Hucksta G]

Got the first couple of episodes taped just have to find time to watch them

[ForEver Blu]

Always liked Clive Owen, glad to see him on a cable series.

[Pizzamorg]

Just watched episode one, if there is any hint of historical accuracy to this thing, then it's easily the most terrifying production of the year. Most surprising though is how much this first episode tries to tackle, with drug addiction, race issues and medical advancements all cropping up. It's a long opening hour, but in a good way, I get so very used to only one crucial scene per episode of TV so it's nice to watch an episode with so little filler.

It has impressively high production values too, with some toe curling surgery sequences and some wonderful costumes and set designs. I know it isn't always reliable to pin your hopes on opening episodes, as half the time it seems a majority of the money is put into that and very little amounts are spread throughout the rest of the episodes but I really hope this continues.

Thackery's characterisation as a troubled, but brilliant, surgeon may not exactly be original but the context gives it a fresh lick of paint at least, and Clive Owen is a wonderful actor who puts in an absolutely fantastic performance. The cast is generally strong across the board.

[Cook]

Originally Posted by Pizzamorg

Just watched episode one, if there is any hint of historical accuracy to this thing, then it's easily the most terrifying production of the year. Most surprising though is how much this first episode tries to tackle, with drug addiction, race issues and medical advancements all cropping up. It's a long opening hour, but in a good way, I get so very used to only one crucial scene per episode of TV so it's nice to watch an episode with so little filler.

It has impressively high production values too, with some toe curling surgery sequences and some wonderful costumes and set designs. I know it isn't always reliable to pin your hopes on opening episodes, as half the time it seems a majority of the money is put into that and very little amounts are spread throughout the rest of the episodes but I really hope this continues.

Thackery's characterisation as a troubled, but brilliant, surgeon may not exactly be original but the context gives it a fresh lick of paint at least, and Clive Owen is a wonderful actor who puts in an absolutely fantastic performance. The cast is generally strong across the board.

It's accurate to the time. During that time period their was a substantial blackmarket for corpses. Corpses were bought, stolen, dug up, "misplaced" etc. for study purposes. Surgery and medicine itself was still pretty much barbaric and in many cases a death sentence. Cocaine and opiates weren't considered harmful drugs and were used frequently in everything even children's cough syrup. It was an insane time.

[Dr. Seymour Love]

Love this show. Love the look of it, and the spare scoring as well. Got a question about Thackery's addiction. He's spending his nights at the opium den, presumably smoking opium, and then he's shooting coke to bring himself back from that during the day? It show's him shooting coke more than smoking opium.

[Pizzamorg]

Originally Posted by Cook

It's accurate to the time. During that time period their was a substantial blackmarket for corpses. Corpses were bought, stolen, dug up, "misplaced" etc. for study purposes. Surgery and medicine itself was still pretty much barbaric and in many cases a death sentence. Cocaine and opiates weren't considered harmful drugs and were used frequently in everything even children's cough syrup. It was an insane time.

It's crazy that this was only like a hundred years ago as well...

[silversnake]

This is ridiculously crazy and yet amazing. I'm loving this show.

[Cook]

Originally Posted by Pizzamorg

It's crazy that this was only like a hundred years ago as well...

Yep it really is crazy to think about. Like Thack's character said at the funeral, medicine and surgery was changing at an unprecedented rate and continued to do so throughout the 20th century.

[Pizzamorg]

Originally Posted by Cook

Yep it really is crazy to think about. Like Thack's character said at the funeral, medicine and surgery was changing at an unprecedented rate and continued to do so throughout the 20th century.

I laughed my ass off at that speech, he was so proud that people could now live to "47"

[Pizzamorg]

Just sank my teeth into the second episode, it's pretty damn heavy in places and a little corny in others, but it's still enjoyable to watch a TV show with such vision.

[silversnake]

Soundtrack is on spotify.

Deliciously evil

[duggie walker]

People need to be more aware of this series.

Another truly great new show.

[Dr. Seymour Love]

I believe Nurse Elkins is falling for Thackeray.