As 2019 flies by, I chose I Am the Night (a limited mystery series on TNT) to review after my long hiatus. 

  The series centers around the true story of the Black Dahlia murder. Fauna Hodel, a biracial teenager who was given up for adoption by her mother, sets out to uncover the secrets of her past by searching for her estranged grandfather who, unbeknowst to her, might be involved with the murder.

  I Am the Night’s stars include Chris Pine of Star Trek 2009 and India Eisley of The Secret Life of an American Teenager. 

  The show was created by author Sam Sheridan and Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins. The couple was inspired by true crime stories and wanted to showcase their interest in human behavior through the real-life figures in the series.

  Speaking of real-life figures, I Am the Night remains true to its material by portraying each person respectfully, something you normally don’t see in current adaptations. Sheridan and Jenkins make the audience theorize about what they know about a specific character, and what they don’t.

  Based on the show’s pilot, I firmly believe I Am the Night has the potential to become the next big thing in the mystery genre. As a mystery fan myself, there are three things I look for: a likeable protagonist, a unique setting and the mystery itself. Surprisingly, I Am the Night has all of those! Watching Fauna struggle with her controversial background and family history as she determines to fix everything immediately makes the audience root for and sympathize with her character. I love how the show takes place in the 1960s because most modern shows are stereotypically set in present day or in a dystopian world where everyone is bound by silly rules. I Am the Night is neither of those. Despite the overall mystery revolving around a murder, it’s not your average whodunit. At the end of the pilot, you’ll have an assumption about who the killer is, but you’ll have to guess why the culprit committed the crime. That’s right. Instead of wondering who, I Am the Night forces you to wonder why.

  I Am the Night is an engaging drama that I suggest checking out. If you’re a fan of mystery or crime stories, this is the show for you. If you missed the premiere, catch it on TNT.com or the TNT app.

Rating: ♦♦♦♦◊