
Anyone that’s been watching HBO’s The Night Of has noticed that lawyer John Stone has a very specific quirk, an affliction even, that follows him in many of his scenes. The itchy, unsightly, and incredibly mundane condition called eczema. I call it mundane for a reason.
Wikipedia tells me that anywhere between 10 and 30 percent of Americans have eczema at some point in their lives. Confession: I’m one of them! Honestly, just to have a main character on a television show living with eczema is unheard of.
The Night Of has taken a common skin condition and turned it into a significant metaphor for the frustration and difficulty of life and, in this case, the constant battle that is the criminal justice system.

Last week, TV Goodness was able to attend a panel featuring the cast and creators of The Night Of during the Television Critics Association summer press tour. The role of John’s eczema on the show was an unusually major topic of interest.
Case in point: Actor John Turturro, who plays Stone, was asked the broad question of what his connection to the character was. He said via satellite, “Well, I don’t have eczema, if that’s what you’re asking.â€
Before I discuss the show’s symbolism associated with eczema, I want emphasize how unique it is to see something like this is in a show. It’s deeply vulnerable. When his feet are out, John is laid out for the world to criticize, to demoralize, to judge.
I can relate. I once had a cashier tell me that they too got a bad sunburn once and that aloe vera really helps. That was a sweet response. For every one like that, I’ve gotten many more which were just wide eyes that glance away quickly, a flash of disgust. It’s fine. I don’t take it personally.

But to see a character go back and forth to a doctor, to stand in his kitchen with his raw, peeling feet covered in Crisco is something special, aside from anything symbolic. It’s just much more intimate than we usually get to be with the characters we turn in to watch each week. Sure, we don’t all have eczema. But maybe we have acne, or a big nose, or a lazy eye. We all have our “deficiencies” which expose us to the world. It’s all so refreshingly ordinary and we don’t get to see a lot of ordinary parts of life in television.
Let’s be clear: the featuring of John’s eczema in The Night Of has been triumphant; John Stone is real in a way no one else is on the show is. During the drama’s TCA session, the people both in front of and behind the camera on The Night Of were asked to explain the eczema in the show. Executive producer and writer Richard Price said, “I think when you have a malady that’s so personal and— it becomes part of who you are.â€
But let’s get to the bigger picture. John’s eczema isn’t just featured to make him more relatable. When asked about the decision to include this detail on the show, Executive producer, writer, and director Steven Zaillian hadn’t initially planned on it being so prominent. He said, “In the British series, he does have eczema. I think there’s one shot of it. And when I say we ran with it, it kind of gradually became a kind of symbol, you know. And it developed in a very natural way, but it spoke to who this character was.â€
Whether or not it was intentional, the writers have made the frustration of dealing with an autoimmune condition a metaphor for the frustration and endless difficulty of the criminal justice system.
Price was open about the fact that it was never the plan for the eczema to be so symbolic, but that in retrospect, it does make sense. He said, â€Once I started reading the reviews, people picked out that the eczema was a metaphor…for the frustration of finding a solution… it’s sort of a metaphor for the entire frustrating judicial system. And I guess it is.â€

And not just that. It’s a metaphor for John’s journey; his path to success. The back and forth, the two steps forward and one step back, is clearly depicted in John’s eczema struggle. He’s at his breaking point when he agrees to try the Crisco and saran wrap combo, only to have it result in feet that “looks like takeout sandwiches†according to Price.
He’s airing his feet out in sandals, and treating the rash with this and that, he never thinks it’s going to get better, which is a lot like how John treats his law career. But with the progression his career faces throughout the show, it’s not entirely out of line to suggest the possibility of an eventual calming to his foot eczema coinciding with the close of this monumental case.
Of course, when Turturro was asked if the two were connected, he replied, “Yeah, I have to say I have to take the Fifth on that one.â€
The Night Of airs Sundays at 9/8c on HBO.
Anisha Vichare
Related posts
Classics
John Griffin and Harold Perrineau Talk From on EPIX Season 1 Finale
[Warning: General spoilers ahead.] How are we doing, #FROMily? In case you missed it this morning, the very good news is that that cliffhanger will be followed by a second season, which was gifted this morning ahead of the linear broadcast of the finale. I always legitimately appreciate when we…
Elizabeth Saunders Talks EPIX’s From
[Warning: General spoilers ahead.] One of the things that makes EPIX’s From such a fun ride is the abundance of Canadian cast members. Elizabeth Saunders, who plays Donna, is a favorite from her turn on the third season of Mary Kills People, which US audiences still have not been able…
Corteon Moore Talks From “Broken Windows, Open Doors”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Tonight’s episode of From had us all in our feels as we learned through flashbacks about the Sophie’s Choice Boyd had to make to save his son, and back in the present as Boyd said his piece with Ellis before heading into the woods with…
Pegah Ghafoori Talks From “All Good Things…”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode] Tonight on From, Fatima’s anniversary celebration turned into a Colony House of horrors when a misguided Kevin let his monster bae in and she promptly killed him and left the window open for her crew. While the party devolved into terror and sent everyone running,…
Shaun Majumder Talks From “Book 74”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Tonight on EPIX’s From, Father Khatri made a bold move, kidnapping Sara instead of turning her in, and then recognizing her as a vessel for some big messages. That startling realization speaks to him on multiple levels–as a man of faith, a man trapped in…
Avery Konrad Talks About Sara’s Struggle in From “Silhouettes”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Over the course of the season so far on From, we’ve witnessed Sara’s battle against the voices telling her to to do terrible things, and tonight we saw her unravel further, threatening the Matthews and lashing out in a moment of terror with horrifying results….
Hannah Cheramy Talks From “Choosing Day”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Tonight, on EPIX’s From, the Matthews participate in the show’s version of the sorting hat, choosing where to call home–the town or Colony House. At the end of the episode, Julie makes the decision to split from her family and instead settle in with Fatima…
Ricky He Talks From “The Way Things Are Now”
[Warning: Spoilers for episode 102 of EPIX’s From.] Epix’s new series From is two episodes in and it’s already laying the groundwork for a seriously spooky season. Tonight’s episode demonstrated the careful balance of relief and horror that the show hits, with our characters’ worst fears realized, just not when…
Catching Up with Ted Lasso and Previewing Season 2
[Warning: General spoilers ahead.] The not so dirty little secret about how I approach a new series is that I sometimes make a call based on the headspace I’m in at the time. It’s been a minute since I’ve picked up a show after the first season and then binge…
Interview: Henri Esteve on Grown-ish Season 3
An interview with Henri Esteve, who plays Javi on Freeform’s Grown-ish. He talks about his season three experience.
What They Said: Three Revealing Conversations from Survivor’s Remorse “Closure”
WARNING: Spoilers for Survivor’s Remorse “Closure” The latest episode of Starz’s Survivor’s Remorse featured conversations that showed characters really digging deep into their thoughts, emotions and motivations.
Two Takes: The Catch “The Knock-Off”
Who can you trust? If this episode of The Catch was any indication, the answer is just about nobody. Betrayal was running rampant as Felicity (Shivani Ghai) arose from the dead to seduce-con Margot, Gretchen (Maria Thayer, Gotham, The Mindy Project) played gold-hearted Alice 2.0 before swindling Ethan, Tessa jumped…
What They Said: Top 3 Quotable Moments from Preacher “El Valero”
Both Quincannon and Jesse refuse to give up on what they each think is rightfully theirs. While Jesse is struggling to face the consequences of his actions, Quincannon has laid his past demons to rest and is hellbent on moving forward and putting Annville on the map again. Despite a…
What They Said: Favorite Quotes from Supergirl “Worlds Finest”
Oh, Supergirl. That ending was cold. But I can’t hate on you because the latest episode has quickly become one of my favorites.
What They Said: Top 4 Quotable Moments from Black Sails “XXIII”
The dialogue in “XXIII” is phenomenal. It’s always a fun ride when Black Sails carries its viewers along without giving them the chance to catch their breath. When an episode moves at this unforgiving pace, there is no chance for a breather nor is there a respite from the information…
What Lucifer Said: Favorite quotes from Supernatural “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
Supernatural episodes are almost always funny but thanks to the dialogue and a certain man speaking said dialogue, I laughed a lot during “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” You know, when I wasn’t busy fearing for Sam’s life or wondering what in the world was going on with Dean and…
What They Said: The Flash, “Legends Of Today” and Arrow, “Legends Of Yesterday”
Two nights of Arrow + The Flash = what more could we ask for?! I don’t know what it is about blending these shows, but I can’t help but feel that every time they come together, they somehow become greater than the sum of their parts. And that’s saying a lot…
What they Said: Top 4 Quotable Moments from Graceland “Little Bo Bleep”
Shoot outs. Fake outs. And long-awaited revelations. “Little Bo Bleep” was a jam-packed episode that wrapped up some loose ends and totally frayed others. Â It finally gave us one Sarkissian in jail and pulled back the curtain on Briggs’ master plan, but it also set up Jakes for a world…
What They Said: Favorite Quotes from Poldark “Part 4”
“What have I told you, I don’t require my wife to crochet and sip tea, but I do require her to remember she’s not a beast of burden.†No, I’m not talking about The Rolling Stones! I have to admit though, just for a second, the lyrics popped into my…
3 Moments of Goodness from Brooklyn Nine-Nine “Johnny and Dora”
The most satisfying part of this season’s finale has to the Jake and Amy kiss. Well, they kiss three times but the last one is the best one — and it means something. The Charles and Rosa dynamic was also great. I love how she’s convinced he doesn’t know anything…