Nocturne (2026): Apple TV's Serial Killer Thriller Explained
Nocturne is a new American crime drama on Apple TV, adapted from the Swedish thriller novels written under the name Lars Kepler. It stars Liev Schreiber as a grieving detective and Stephen Graham as a imprisoned serial killer whose reach extends far beyond his cell. The first two episodes arrived on 30 October 2026.
What is Nocturne about?
The story begins at Riverside Psychiatric Hospital in rural Pennsylvania. A victim of the notorious killer Jurek Walter unexpectedly turns up alive, which reopens a case many people thought was closed.
Detective Jonah Lynn, played by Schreiber, races to find the one person who is still missing. He is also trying to protect his home and family from a man who seems to be several steps ahead.
His protégée Saga Bauer, played by Zazie Beetz, takes a riskier route. She goes undercover to get answers from Walter himself. The series weaves these two strands together and keeps asking how much of the truth can be trusted.
Where the story comes from
The series is based on the Joona Linna novels Lazarus and The Sandman. Lars Kepler is the pen name of the married Swedish writers Alexander Ahndoril and Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril. The detective is renamed Jonah Lynn for this American version.
Rowan Joffé created the show and John Hlavin developed it. The music is by Toydrum, and the production companies include A+E Studios and Hardy, Son & Baker.
A long road to the screen
Apple first announced the project in February 2023 under the working title Lazarus. At that point Tom Hardy and Zazie Beetz were attached as leads and executive producers. The series was greenlit in May 2025, with Schreiber and Graham joining the cast. Graham took over the part that had been planned for Hardy.
Cast and characters
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Liev Schreiber | Jonah Lynn |
| Zazie Beetz | Saga Bauer |
| Stephen Graham | Jurek Walter |
| Bill Camp | Chief Ellison |
| Rory Culkin | Karl |
| Chrissy Metz | Ida |
| Gary Carr | Nathan |
| Poorna Jagannathan | Quinn |
Landon Valentin Johnson also appears in the main cast. Graham is best known to British viewers for Boardwalk Empire, This Is England and Adolescence. Schreiber is best known for Ray Donovan.
Episodes and release pattern
The season has ten episodes, each running for roughly an hour. Apple released the first two together, then moved to a weekly Friday schedule. The show carries a TV-MA rating in the US, so expect disturbing themes and violence.
| No. | Title | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lazarus, Come Forth! | 30 Oct 2026 |
| 2 | For Such a Time as This | 30 Oct 2026 |
| 3 | Eyes on the Inside | 6 Nov 2026 |
| 4 | The Courier | 13 Nov 2026 |
| 5 | Solitude | 20 Nov 2026 |
| 6 | Only Connect | 27 Nov 2026 |
Episodes seven to ten are scheduled for 4, 11, 18 and 25 December. Their titles had not been widely listed at the time of writing. If the schedule holds, the finale lands on Christmas Day.
How critics have responded
Early reviews are positive. Rotten Tomatoes showed a score in the mid-eighties from around twenty critics. Metacritic gave it a Metascore of 72 from 18 reviews, which it labels generally favourable.
Variety called it gripping and entertaining, and said it improves as it goes on. The same review admitted that some plot developments are far-fetched, and said Graham's performance lifts the show beyond expectations.
Another review summed up the series more modestly. It is familiar territory, but it keeps you watching. Several critics pointed to overused twists as the main weakness. Audience scores were still thin in the first days, so they are not yet a reliable guide.
Who will enjoy it
Nocturne suits viewers who like dark, twisty serial killer stories with a strong sense of dread. It borrows the familiar pairing of a haunted investigator and a brilliant, manipulative prisoner. The twist here is that the investigator is also fighting for his own family.
If you enjoy Scandinavian crime fiction retold for American television, this is worth a look. The weekly release also suits a story built on cliffhangers, because it gives you a week to argue over the theories.
What to know before you watch
- It streams on Apple TV, with a new episode every Friday after the double premiere.
- The first season is a single, continuing story across ten episodes, not a case of the week.
- The content is graphic and mature, which is why it carries a TV-MA rating.
- No second season announcement had been made in the sources checked at the time of writing.
The bottom line
Nocturne has an experienced cast, a well-known source and a clear hook. It may lean on twists that stretch belief, but reviewers agree it is compulsive viewing. Graham's menacing turn as Jurek Walter is the main reason to tune in. With only the first few episodes out, the real test is whether the finale can deliver on its early promise.