I Am The Night Review: Is This The Black Dahlia Killer?

"I Am The Night" premiered recently on TNT on January 28. It is a six part series from producer Patty Jenkins (of "Wonder Woman" fame). She also directs the first two episodes. The script is written by Jenkin's IRL husband Sam Sheridan. It is based on a book by Fauna Hodel "One Day She'll Darken". She sadly passed away in 2017.

The show investigates the horrendous 1947 murder of Elizabeth Short (aka the "Black Dahlia"). No one was ever convicted of the crime and it remains one of the most talked about mysteries in American history.

When the show begins, Elizabeth is nowhere in sight. It's now 1965. Jay Singletary (Chris Pine) is a down and out reporter. He has PTSD from his time in the Korean War and a coke habit to support. One of his assignments is to sneak into a morgue and take pictures of a dead girl. Jay's career was ruined when George Hodel sued him for libel. Despite being beaten, Jay is still determined to find out the truth about Hodel.

We also meet Pat (the biracial daughter of an African American woman in Reno, NV). Golden Brooks plays her mother Jimmy Lee Greenwade. Pat has to deal with all the racist BS of the time. She eventually learns her true identity. She is Fauna Hodel (the granddaughter of prominent Los Angeles gynecologist Dr George Hodel (Jefferson Mays). A teenage Tamar Hodel gave birth to Fauna and then gave her to Jimmy Lee (who was working as an attendant in a casino). Off to LA Fauna goes in search of her family.

Upon her arrival, Fauna visits Hodel's home. It's a big Aztec-looking mansion called Sowden House. It was designed by Lloyd Wright (son of Andrew Lloyd Wright). The house is still standing today. George wont speak to her. Instead she meets with Corinna (played by Connie Neilsen). She is Fauna's grandmother and tells Tamar (her bio mother) is dead. Fauna should run screaming away from people as quickly as possible but we know she won't.

Grade: 4 Monsters (out of 5). The production values are very high. The actors are compelling. Chris Pine is great as a sleazy reporter. India Eisley (daughter of Olivia Hussey) is also wonderful as a naive young girl who is about to end up in a hornet's nest. The fact that it's based on Fauna's real life story is all the more fascinating.

I also enjoy the true crime aspect of the show. Did George Hodel really kill Elizabeth Short? That's what his son, retired police detective Steve Hodel, would have us believe. He lays out his evidence in the book "Black Dahlia Avenger". We may never know for sure. One thing we can agree on is this is one seriously screwed up family. Just dont expect any quick answers from this series or you'll be disappointed. "I Am The Night" is a slow burn. We'll see in the end if was worth the wait.