Clive Owen, Matt Frewer, Michael Angarano; credit Mary Cybuslki/Cinemax
Clive Owen, Matt Frewer, Michael Angarano; credit Mary Cybuslki/Cinemax

The Knick 1×01 Review – A Method to the Madness

By: Robert Prentice
the knick

I am normally not one for period pieces, but Cinemax has something unique on it’s hands. The Knick takes us back to 1900 and what medicine was like back then. It wasn’t clean and it wasn’t successful most of the time either. Surgeries were done in ‘theater’ and tools were far and few between. The first episode sets up the basic lay of the land. The Knick is on the cutting edge of medical science that many, including the sisters of the church find to be against common sense and god.

Much like a modern day E.R., The Knick has all the same dramatic features you would find in a modern medical drama from unique cases to corruption and in-fighting. The only difference is that The Knick is set 100+ years in the past. Most of the characters fail to stand out in any real way from the first episode with the exception of Clive Owens character Dr. Thackery. Normally that would be a bad thing and would leave me to want to skip watching. However, this show isn’t about the characters as much as it is the science and the medical challenges faced during that time.

I am sure as the series continues characters will flesh out and some may have an interesting back story, but the ‘character’ of this series is the medical cases themselves, each one sucking you in until the very last moment. The Knick is a show for anyone who loves history, medical especially and fans of Soderbergh’s work. It is also a show that fans of medical dramas will also enjoy. Thackery’s circus has a method to all the madness, and the final 5 minutes show that in perfect percision.

We give the Knick a B+ and look forward to next weeks episode.

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