Spoilers follow for Nocturne Episodes 1 and 2, which are available on Apple TV now.

Apple TV’s new thriller series, Nocturne, aims to draw audiences in with just the right balance of the familiar and the unexpected. The show asks what happens when a boy thought to be the victim of a serial killer returns alive, and follows the criminal mastermind as he maneuvers law enforcement during their race to save any other victims who may still be out there. Over the course of these first two episodes, viewers are left with questions — a mix of plot-driven intrigue, interest in character development, and a touch of side-eye around potential logic gaps or plot conveniences.

Nocturne is based on Lars Kepler’s crime novels (The Sandman and Lazarus), and adapted by Rowan Joffe and John Hlavin for TV. These debut episodes lay the groundwork for convicted killer Jurek Walter’s unfolding scheme to free himself (he is astonishingly well played by Stephen Graham), set against multiple law enforcement officers’ attempts to a) stop him from doing more harm and b) find any of the still-living victims. Jurek was convicted of a series of brutal killings, which devastated a small town. He managed to get a jury to buy into an insanity defense, or we must presume he did, as he’s in a psychiatric hospital rather than a prison. (Side note: how he pulled that off is a nagging question, as nothing in his demeanor suggests an insanity defense would fly… If it’s simply that he’s a sociopath, wouldn’t that apply to all killers?

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