Watch a few episodes of "The Knick," and you very quickly realize you are watching something "revolutionary." Actually the first scene of the first episode will tip you off that something extraordinary is going on with this cable TV series.
Yes, the characters are compelling, there's great acting going on, a dynamic narrative, but it's the look and feel of the show that is something new, something different, something really unique. I actually Googled "What kind of camera is used filming The Knick?"
It looks like rich, saturated film, you know, the old kind of technology used by masters like Stanley Kubrick, but you find out that no, Steven Soderbergh uses a digital camera called "Red Epic Dragon." And its small and light, and can film in very low light, any available light like candlelight.
And Soderbergh uses it like a master. This show is a labor of love, and a feat of technical mastery. Really. And it's beautiful. Nearly every scene is rich, layered, colorful, beautiful. Made me immediately think of Kubrick, you know like Kubrick from "Eyes Wide Shut."
Soderbergh shot every episode. He works quickly, he edits the series too. All handheld, puts the camera in unique places, gives us a true feast for the eyes. A true, a pure, auteur approach. Pretty amazing. High art. Gorgeous.