TV & MEDIA - STREAMING

Stephen Graham's New Serial Killer Drama Nocturne Is Out

Stephen Graham plays serial killer Jurek Walter opposite Liev Schreiber and Zazie Beetz in Nocturne. Here is when new episodes arrive, who stars and the Lars Kepler novels behind it.

Stephen Graham is taking on one of his darkest television roles yet, playing a ruthless serial killer in Apple TV's new psychological thriller Nocturne, which has arrived on the streaming service today, Friday 30 October.

Following his award-winning performance as a father struggling to understand his son's actions in Adolescence, Graham is now playing Jurek Walter, a dangerous murderer whose influence stretches far beyond the psychiatric hospital where he is being held.

The ten-part drama also stars Liev Schreiber and Zazie Beetz, with its opening two episodes available to watch now and the remaining eight arriving weekly through to Christmas Day.

Stephen Graham plays a killer who refuses to lose control

Nocturne follows Jonah Lynn, played by Schreiber, a former soldier and homicide detective who has left the streets of Philadelphia behind in search of a quieter life in a small Pennsylvania town.

However, his past catches up with him when a young boy who disappeared three years earlier unexpectedly returns home, raising hopes that his missing sister might still be alive.

The investigation leads back to Jurek Walter, a serial killer whose imprisonment has done little to weaken his ability to manipulate those around him. Graham's character becomes central to the search, with Jonah forced to confront a case that has haunted him for years.

As investigators attempt to discover what happened to the missing girl, FBI agent Saga Bauer, played by Beetz, agrees to enter the psychiatric hospital undercover and get close enough to Jurek to uncover the truth.

Her decision places her directly in the killer's path, with Jonah facing the possibility that the woman he regards as his surrogate daughter could become another of Jurek's victims.

A very different role after Adolescence

Graham's performance in Adolescence earned him major awards recognition for his portrayal of Eddie Miller, a father whose family is torn apart after his teenage son is accused of murder.

Nocturne places the actor on the opposite side of a criminal investigation, playing a character who uses psychological manipulation to maintain control even while locked away from the outside world.

The drama also explores Jurek's relationship with Karl, a hospital employee played by Rory Culkin, whose increasing involvement with the imprisoned killer creates further complications for investigators.

Alongside Graham, Schreiber and Beetz, the cast includes Bill Camp, Chrissy Metz, Poorna Jagannathan and Gary Carr.

The bestselling books behind Nocturne

The series is adapted from The Sandman and Lazarus, two novels by Lars Kepler, the pen name used by Swedish husband-and-wife writing duo Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril and Alexander Ahndoril.

Their crime novels have sold more than 20 million copies worldwide and been translated into 40 languages, with the television adaptation relocating the investigation to Pennsylvania while retaining the central confrontation between detective and killer.

The drama was created for television by Rowan Joffé, whose previous credits include Tin Star, and developed alongside John Hlavin, with both serving as co-showrunners.

Tim Van Patten, known for his work on Masters of the Air, directs the opening two episodes, while the series is produced by A+E Studios in association with Range Studios.

When is the next episode of Nocturne?

The first two episodes are available on Apple TV from Friday 30 October, with episode three scheduled for Friday 6 November and a new instalment following every Friday until the season finale on Christmas Day, 25 December.

The opening episodes introduce the missing-child investigation and Saga's dangerous undercover assignment, establishing a confrontation between Jonah and Jurek that will continue across the remaining eight instalments.

For viewers who enjoyed Graham's performances in Adolescence, Line of Duty and The Virtues, Nocturne offers another opportunity to see the actor explore a deeply troubled character, this time from the perspective of a criminal whose influence threatens an entire community.