‘City on Fire’ plot explained: Here's what Apple TV+’s crime drama is all about

‘City on Fire’ is a crime drama that begins in 2003, when a student at NYU is shot on the fourth of July
UPDATED APR 19, 2023
Still from 'City on Fire' featuring Wyatt Oleff, Max Milner and Alexandra Dok (Apple TV+)
Still from 'City on Fire' featuring Wyatt Oleff, Max Milner and Alexandra Dok (Apple TV+)

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Book readers and binge-watchers come together when a series is adapted from a book, despite the mixed feelings and ongoing discourse about whether adaptations should happen to begin with. Nevertheless, most series of late are adapted from books, which brings us to Apple TV+’s latest endeavor, ‘City on Fire.’ This crime drama is being adapted from Garth Risk Hallberg’s debut novel, with the same title.

Despite what your feelings are about adaptations, ‘City on Fire’ really does look ‘fire,’ as the millennials would say, and you wouldn’t want to miss out on it. The cast includes Chase Sui Wonders as Samantha and the series has been created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, who are seasoned veterans when it comes to matters of crime dramas and teen dramas. The premise of this Apple TV+ series looks promising enough but the platform will make sure you stay on the edge of your seats with weekly episodes. Albeit, that’s a commitment everyone will be willing to make!

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What is the plot of ‘City on Fire’?

‘City on Fire’ is a crime drama that begins in 2003, when a student at NYU is shot on the fourth of July. This death is the crux of the entire series, and frankly, captivating enough to stick around considering a lot of brilliant crime dramas begin with an untimely death. The case of Samantha, the student who was shot, is a little more unique considering there were no eyewitnesses and next to zero evidence. Despite this, her death doesn’t go unnoticed and creates a ripple across the city as things surrounding her begin to unravel.

Chase Sui Wonders in 'City of Fire' (Apple TV+)
Chase Sui Wonders in 'City of Fire' (Apple TV+)

A brilliant investigation, shocking citywide connections, and a deep dive into the people Samantha crossed paths with sums up ‘City on Fire’ in the best way possible. ‘City on Fire’ goes beyond the death of one student and focuses on its repercussions and everything surrounding it. While the plot of ‘City on Fire’ might resemble the blueprint of several other crime dramas, Apple TV+ is bound to bring a smidge of uniqueness to this series, just like they have with their other series in 2023!

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