'The Night Of' Renewal News & Updates: Riz Ahmed Says No To S2, But Producers Already Planning A Follow Up

HBO's legal drama "The Night Of" wrapped up its 8-episode first season offering last Sunday, Aug. 28 and, naturally, the next thing on viewers' mind is if there will be a second season. The show's star, Riz Ahmed, who played the murder suspect Naz Khan, expressed hesitation for "The Night Of" Season 2, but producers might have already something in mind for the follow up.

Speaking with Variety, Riz Ahmed said that "The Night Of" should be better off without a second season "to let it live as a piece." He reiterated the same thought when speaking with The Hollywood Reporter. He said that he from what he knows, "The Night Of" is supposed to be a one-season limited series. "Better to quit while you're ahead," the actor added.

However, back in July and while "The Night Of" was in the middle of its run on HBO, producers of the show expressed that they have already been looking into doing the second season. "There are ways of certainly kind of taking what it feels like and what it's about and doing another season on another subject," said writer, director and executive producer Steven Zaillian via a separate story on The Hollywood Reporter.

In HBO's The Night Of, the core of the criminal justice system is fundamentally human. https://t.co/iymh0aAMee

— Polygon (@Polygon) August 30, 2016

Critics and viewers alike raved about "The Night Of," which is actually an adaptation of a 2008 British show called "Criminal Justice." The latter series did get a second season as an anthology. It had a different case and new sets of actors.

"The Night Of" is centered on the story of a Pakistani-American, depicted as a good son and student, who is accused of murdering a young woman with whom he had a one-night stand encounter. John Turturro plays his lawyer, John Stone, who has become one of television's most unforgettable characters.

"The Night Of" scored a 9/10 on IMDb, a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 90% on Metacritic. Vulture reports that the show's viewers also grew during its run, earning season high ratings in its finale. The series can still be watched on HBO GO or HBO Now.