--- title: "The Knick: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/the-knick/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/the-knick" critics_score: 69 critics_reviews: 7 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Knick (2014): what the critics said Critics' score 69 from 7 reviews: 5 positive, 0 mixed, 2 negative. Most critics like The Knick, and nearly all of them, whether they like it or not, begin with how it looks. Soderbergh’s direction is the point of agreement: the long takes, the play of light and shadow, the period sets and costumes, and the surgeries, which several reviews describe as gruesome enough to warn the squeamish away. Clive Owen’s drug-addicted surgeon draws steady praise, and Collider picks out Andre Holland’s Dr Edwards as the more layered of the two. The reservations gather around the writing. Variety argues that the bloody procedures stop telling us anything new once they have been repeated, and The Times finds Thackery a brilliant, brutal addict on a road to redemption we have travelled before. The Guardian, broadly warm, still finds it slow. The spread is wide: five clear recommendations against two dismissals, with the dissenters objecting to the story rather than the style. ## The Hollywood Reporter — Tim Goodman Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 1 August 2014. Tim Goodman hails the series as an ambitious and stylish period drama that rewards patient viewers with its bold take on early 20th-century medicine. He singles out the compelling dynamic between the two lead doctors and Soderbergh's masterful direction for particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/knick-tv-review-722709/) ## Vulture — Matt Zoller Seitz Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 5 August 2014. The critic finds The Knick the best thing Cinemax has produced, calling it a politically astute statement about the past and power dynamics rather than merely a period piece. Soderbergh's direction, with its use of light and shadow and long takes, is singled out for creating a visually and thematically rich atmosphere. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2014/07/review-the-knick-soderbergh-cinemax.html) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 17 October 2014. The Knick dazzles visually with its high production values and Soderbergh's direction, featuring gruesome experimental surgeries and a strong performance from Clive Owen as the drug-addicted surgeon. It is deliciously gory and oozes quality but is not especially pacey. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/oct/17/the-great-fire-knick-tv-review) ## Variety — Brian Lowry Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 6 August 2014. The critic finds the series a creative stretch for Cinemax but ultimately unconvincing, with its bloody medical procedures failing to offer new insights after repetition. Soderbergh's direction provides striking imagery but the narrative remains impressionistic and predictable. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2014/tv/reviews/tv-review-the-knick-1201271263/) ## The Times — Andrew Billen Rating ★★☆☆☆. 17 October 2014. The Knick looks amazing thanks to American budgets and Soderbergh's direction, with tense opening surgery scenes that are as bloody as Peaky Blinders. Thackery is portrayed as a brilliant but brutal drug-addicted cliché on a predictable road to redemption. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/tv-review-the-great-fire-the-knick-hvgcrc0l396) ## Den of Geek — Gerri Mahn Rating 4.5/5. 9 August 2014. The critic praises the series premiere for its grand, gory depiction of early 20th-century medicine and its painstaking historical detail in sets and costumes. While noting the show's extreme gruesomeness makes it unsuitable for the faint of heart, they express love for the episode's visceral impact. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-knick-series-premiere-method-and-madness-review/) ## Collider — Allison Keene Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 7 August 2014. The series offers a distinctive take on the medical drama by setting it in 1900 New York, with Soderbergh's stylish direction bringing period authenticity and modern flair through tracking shots and a minimalist score. The critic highlights the strong ensemble, especially Andre Holland's layered role as Dr. Edwards, while noting familiar elements in Clive Owen's lead character. [Read the review](https://collider.com/the-knick-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/the-knick.md