Jeri Jacquin
On Bluray this week is the stunning series on Cinemax filled with drama and intensity as THE KNICK: The Complete Second Season delivers!
The ending of season one left fans stunned as Thackery (Clive Owen) checks into a clinic for his addiction after Bertie sees he has reached his breaking point, Cornelia receives help from Sister Harriet, Edward is left on the street and Gallinger is horrified by the treatment his wife receives!
Opening the second season Thackery is still in the clinic, Edwards (Andre Holland) is acting as chief of surgery and Sister Harriet (Cara Seymour) has been arrested. Gallinger (Eric Johnson) appears taking Thackery some place where he doesn’t have any other choice but to sober up.
He returns to the Knick but is leery of everyone around him, especially when Nurse Elkins (Eve Hewson) is asked to check for drug use. Barrow (Jeremy Bobb) is less than thrilled when he has to treat Ping Wu’s prostitutes at the hospital. After Edwards has an eye issue that threatened his position, he asks Thackery to help repair the damage.
Now that Cornelia (Juliet Rylance) and Philip (Tom Lipinski) are married, she turns to him for funds to help Harriet’s defense. Nurse Elkins father who is a pastor brings her into the church and when she confesses, she learns that he is less than forgiving. Thackery continues to work towards helping Edwards but he has bigger problems when a woman who will change everything arrives at his doorstep.
Thackery is also trying out different treatments Abigail (Jennifer Ferrin) that infuriated Edwards. That will have to wait as an explosion in the subways brings in multiple patients that calls upon them all. Gallinger still has the time to bring up the idea of sterilizing young men who he deems a danger to society.
Whether it be electric stimulation of a brain or hypnosis, Thackery is determined to find a cure to addictions. His interest is also peaked when a pair of conjoined girls come to him for help. Cornelia discovers in horror that her father allowed sick immigrants in because it was cheaper than sending them home.
After the twins surgery, Brockhurt, who feels he owns the girls barges into the Knick with a gun demanding their return from Thackery. Someone finally discovers what Gallinger has been doing to the teens and Abigail goes under the knife.
It all comes to a head when Thackery is close to becoming a patient himself, Henry tells everyone that there will be no new Knick, accusations as to who set the fire at the hospital fly, Harriet receives a surprise request, Cornelia sets sail for Australia, Edwards sees the benefit of Thackery’s addiction research and Thackery – well, he decides there is no better surgeon than himself.
That’s only scratches the surface of Season Two as I’m not a huge fan of spoilers. I only wanted to grab your attention because, as everyone who has seen the series knows this hospital drama has many floors!
Owen has made the role of Thackery his very own. With the amazing ability to be so very dark in this character, there are moments of hope that Owen dashes away from us and we still forgive him for it! So I suppose the question is who is more dangerous, Thackery or those of us who love this character? I love the character and am completely proud to say so.
Holland as Edwards start out this series as a man who wanted to save lives and wasn’t infected by the craziness of the Knick. Well, that didn’t last long hanging around Thackery but he does get the chance to lead. I knew immediately that Thackery wasn’t about to let his top dog spot be taken.
Other cast include: Michael Angarano as Bertie, Chris Sullivan as Tom Cleary, David Fierro as Jacob Speight, Maya Kazan as Eleanor Gallinger, Grainger Hines as Captain Robertson, Zaaah Abrahams as Opal Edwards, Charlie Aitken as Henry Robertson, Rachel Korine as Junia, LaTonya Borsay as Evaline Edwards, and Perry Yung as Ping Wu.
TUBS OF POPCORN: I give THE KNICK: The Complete Second Season four tubs of popcorn out of five. This show has some serious issues and each one of them is so damn fascinating to watch. I am thrilled to watch this ensemble cast bring to life a storyline that you can’t turn away from.
I have always said that I am a fan of period pieces and THE KNICK gives the series richness with costuming and set designs that bring the viewer along for the hospital ride. Even the props are refined to the era and are a part of the stories of the 1900’s.
The series has won for Best Drama Series and Best Actor for Clive Owen along with Best Ensemble by the 19th Satellite Awards. THE KNICK also won the Peabody Award by the 74th Peabody Awards, an Emmy Award for Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Period Program, and a nomination for Clive Owen for Best Actor by the Golden Globes.
The Bonus Features include: The Knick Under Construction gives an exclusive walking tour of the most notable sets from THE KNICK with the man who envisioned them Production Designer Howard Cummings, Inside the Costume Shop as costume designer Ellen Mirojnick is joined by actors Andre Holland and Juliet Rylance, Invitation to the Ball is an extensive look at how director Steven Soderbergh along with show creators Jack Amiel and Michael Begler went about creating the extravagant charity ball.
Inside the Body Shop has four in-depth looks at the show’s medical procedures including the eye-opening ocular surgical sequence, a bloody leg abscess, brain surgery and more.
Behind the Scenes with five vignettes with case and crew discussing the season’s plotlines including eugenics, feminism, addiction, race relations and corruption. Post Ops with ten inside the episode recaps, Knicktoids to get the real scoop behind many of the fascinating details seen in Season 2, and Audio Commentaries with cast and crew.
Season Two of THE KNICK is filled with twists, turns, complications and festering that leaves nothing to the imagination with its raw storytelling. The show has fans addicted and always wanting more. Pick up both seasons and remember what good television is really all about!
In the end – humanity is hard to cure!
moviemavenspeaks 
Recent Comments