Last Shift

If you want a crime drama that treats its mystery as more than a puzzle, Last Shift is available in the US on Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV right now. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch Juliana Harkavy work — the performance is a masterclass in restraint. Put it on tonight on Amazon Prime Video and see for yourself.

There is a reason Last Shift keeps coming up in conversation. The plotting in Last Shift is tight enough that the twists feel earned rather than assembled. Rookie police officer Jessica Loren has been assigned the last shift at a closing police station and must wait for a hazmat crew to collect biomedical evidence. Ordered not to leave the station under any circumstances, Jessica comes to learn that it's more than just an outdated station, it's home to the ultimate embodiment of evil and his devoted bloodthirsty followers. Jessica is left to fend for herself in the Devil's playground. Juliana Harkavy and Joshua Mikel lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2014. What makes Last Shift hold up is that the resolution matters less than how the characters get there. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Crime and mystery fans will find exactly what they are after in Last Shift. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Juliana Harkavy carries scenes that would sink a lesser production. The resolution feels inevitable rather than arbitrary, which is rarer than it sounds.