NetflixNew crime drama Black Rabbit just arrived on Netflix, and the show should be rocketing to the front of your watch queue, for the reasons listed below, and because it’s great.
From Ozark and Mindhunter to Ripley and Dept. Q, Netflix loves a crime drama, and new series Black Rabbit – which dropped today – is a thrilling example of the genre.
Created by Zach Baylin and Kate Susman, the show stars Jude Law as Jake, a seemingly successful restauranteur whose ‘Black Rabbit’ establishment has become one of the hottest spots to eat, drink, and party in New York.
But just as Jake is about to take his career to the next level, brother Vince (Jason Bateman) arrives in town with a whole heap of baggage, and a tendency to cause chaos and blow sh*t up. We’ve seen and thoroughly enjoyed all eight episodes, and the following are three spoiler-free reasons why you should also tune in.
Black Rabbit pays homage to the best
Warner Bros.While very much its own beast, Black Rabbit is also reminiscent of several other TV shows and movies, with the series cribbing from some of the greatest.
Mean Streets is an obvious one, as the Scorsese classic stars Harvey Keitel as a low-level mobster trying to move up in the world, but whose efforts are scuppered by best friend Johnny Boy (Robert De Niro), a live-wire who regularly lands the pair in trouble. Which is a destructive and co-dependent relationship that mirrors that of Jake and Vince.
TV hit The Bear is also comparable, as Black Rabbit concerns the running of an up-market eatery, and the stresses that come with that, from trying to buy good produce when money is tight, to dealing with staff drama and trouble in the kitchen.
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The Safdie brothers’ Uncut Gems could also be a companion piece, as both focus on characters wheeling, dealing, and trying to not be killed. Indeed, just as stress levels rise due to Howard Ratner’s life spinning out of control in the movie, so Black Rabbit becomes ever more tense as proceedings progress, and the proverbial noose tightens around the necks of Jake and Vince.
Jason Bateman delivers a career-best performance
NetflixHaving struggled to make the shift from child star to adult actor, Jason Bateman’s career was rejuvenated by sitcom Arrested Development, before he segued into drama through movies like The Gift and Air, and of course the aforementioned Ozark.
In that show, he made a deeply flawed character likeable, and he does the same in Black Rabbit, though Vince isn’t just flawed, he’s a mess, a liability, and frequently his own worst enemy.
Vince isn’t a bad person, but he makes bad decisions, often on the spur of the moment. But those decisions put those he loves in danger, which makes the character something of a menace.
The people around Vince regularly forgive him however – especially Jake – and that would be inexplicable were it not for the likability and vulnerability Bateman imbues the character with. Meaning that while Vince will annoy you just as he does pretty much everyone in the series, you’ll find yourself rooting for him.
New York has rarely looked better
NetflixBlack Rabbit is set in New York, and both the show, and the characters, have a New York attitude that brings an irresistible energy and excitement to the series.
That’s felt inside the titular restaurant, but Black Rabbit really comes to life when the characters are on the streets of the Big Apple, cruising bars and nightclubs, or being chased by police through Chinatown or mobsters around the subway system.
Meaning the show captures both the verve and the vitality of the city, and as Jake and Vince’s predicament becomes ever-more grave, Black Rabbit uses New York’s built-in tension to push you further and further to the edge of your seat, making the series must-watch TV.
Black Rabbit is streaming now, while you can head here for the best thrillers on Netflix, or here for the 20 Netflix shows you need to watch.