Rectify

This series has the quality and intensely personal nature as "The Killing" and "Breaking Bad", but so far, without the violence.

It's incredibly well acted and gives us some time to know the characters, which is something I truly appreciate. It might not be action-packed enough for some viewers, but if you enjoy observing what each character is experiencing and reading between the lines a little, you'll quickly warm up to the unique premise of this series.

Personally, I already feel very attached to the lead character and am feeling tremendous empathy for him. In my view, without emotional attachment to the characters, there is no show!

I am greatly looking forward to this mystery unraveling and I find myself wondering, exactly how will JUSTICE be rectified...

....and who will rectify it???

This is a review for the first 3 episodes of Rectify.

The recently concluded and utterly superb Top of the Lake has a partner well in crime in the form of Rectify.

Like Top of the Lake, Rectify is magnificently acted and directed and both concern how crime can affect a community. Rectify deals with an issue I have been fascinated with for some time and that is people being wrongly accused of a crime and sent to prison. Only instead of showing us the legal wrangles the family and lawyer would have to go through Rectify picks up when Daniel Holden (Aden Young) is released after new DNA evidence throws his case out. Daniel has served 19 years on Death Row for rape and murder and now has to adjust to coming up and living with his family again.

One of the genius things about the show is whilst the evidence gets Daniel out of jail it doesn't necessarily prove his innocence and he could face a new trial. Also as an audience we really don't know if he is guilty or not, even three episodes in I have no clue if he was involved or just the two males we saw briefly in episode one.

Daniel is a bit strange, a bit weird but is that just an effect of 19 years shut away in a cell or was he always like that? Does it mean he has a hidden more sinister agenda? Or perhaps just a little eccentric?

Most of the town seem to think he is guilty including the State Senator and the Sheriff. His family or at least his sister Amantha (Abigail Spencer) is convinced of his innocence, I think his half brother Jared (Jake Austin Walker) does as well. Meanwhile step brother Ted, Jr. (Clayne Crawford ) seems to care more about how it will affect the family business than getting to the truth whilst his wife Tawney (Adelaide Clemens) seems to have formed a touching connection to Daniel. As for the mother Janet (J. Smith-Cameron), she is just overwhelmed by the entire situation.

Rectify was originally developed by Ray McKinnon for AMC with the intention of Justified actor Walton Goggin playing the role of Daniel. Whilst I would loved to have seen his take on the character I have to say Aden Young has impressed me so much in the role I can't imagine anyone else now. Daniel has this awkwardness about him which is natural after being away from the real world for so long and Young brings to the character this mesmerising charm. You can't help but listen to what he has to say, listen to his experiences and life view.

Whether or not Daniel committed the crime isn't really the central point to the show, it is about how prison changes a person, about how life moves on for everyone else and how they have to deal with his return. How victim's family have to cope when the justice they thought had been served perhaps hadn't been.

Rectify is every bit as good as dramas airing on HBO, AMC and Showtime. I can't wait to see where Rectify ends up and the other intense beautifully filmed dramas Sundance Channel commissions.

This is un doutably the best new drama of 2013, I know the year isn't even half over as yet, but I really doubt any other show can beat this, in fact I'm not even sure if returning series could compete with this.

In 6 episodes this show manages to take you to a depth which a lot of others fail to achieve in their entire run. The show is just so amazingly well done that 1 is almost tempted to label it as "flawless", although I understand that that might be a bit much.

Right from the 1st episode you realise that each scene, each dialogue and each silence, is pregnant with meaning, a meaning that slowly takes you deeper into this word and these characters. Most of the episodes are written by creator Ray McKinnon and that in itself is win situation in my book, whenever you have a show runner that's also handling the writing/directing then chances are that the show is going to be more focused and rounded, going on a single trajectory rather than having people just throw random ideas around.

The characters are all complex in their own way, although that might not be obvious at 1st, and as the show unfolds you start to see different sides of them which slowly emerge out adding shape to their personalities. Daniel, of course is the most interesting character of all, and after the 6 episode season you perhaps know him no more than you did when you started.

The show also presents a wonderful portrait of small town, rural American life. Not just in the settings and locations but also in the social environments, the beliefs and prejudices of the people who live there.

To sum up, this is an absolutely brilliant new show, and if you like through provoking, philosophical, intense dramas, then this is the show for you.

My favorite shows of all time are Lost, Breaking Bad, and Rectify. Lost had a diverse cast, and riveting mistique. Breaking Bad had incredible peformances, and masterful writing. Rectify transcended television for me. This wasn't a TV show for me. It was real.

The writing, directing, and performances (especially Aden Young's) fully immersed me into Daniel's life. I have never in my life felt such a deep connection with a fictional character. My soul believes he is a real person. His journey was so tragic and emotional for me. I've never experienced anything like Rectify.

This may not be for everyone because it is slow and painful at times. Although, I believe it does contain elements that a mainstream audience can experience such as shocking moments, memorable, well developed characters, and outstanding performances.

For me this was more than just entertainment. It was a powerful life experience that I will never forget.

My Review-Rectify A Sundance film My Rating 9/10

We finished watching the 30th and final episode of this fine 4 part Series tonight and I think it's the most moving and authentic story of what it's really like when a prisoner who has been incarcerated in a gaol for many years and then is released into society with all the prejudices and suspicion that awaits him on the outside. In the case of Daniel Holden played by Aden Young in an astonishing performance cast as the released Prisoner . Daniel's release is even more traumatic as he has spent the last sixteen years from his teenage years to manhood on Death Row where his best friend Kerwin was executed and he himself was minutes away from a lethal injection himself. The modern technology of DNA has led to Daniel's release but not acquittal of the murder and rape charges he was on Death Row waiting execution. If there has been a better argument for abolishing Capitol Punishment I've yet to hear it while watching Rectify I couldn't help thinking how many poor souls have been murdered by the State and later found to be innocent. We've watched Justin Timberlake play a released convict recently in Palmer and he also gives a fine performance but Aden Young is absolutely superb there were acting moments in Rectify that I felt if this had been a feature film instead of a series Aden Young would have to be an Oscar contender he's that good . To be able to stay in character and develop this quietly spoken broken character through 30 episodes and convince an audience of the reality of the trauma and violence real physical and sexual violence that Daniel experienced from the beginning to his release is phenomenal acting. Rectify is not a Prison Drama there are Prison scenes in flashback to explain why Daniel is so damaged and shut off from humanity. Rectify is a journey into this mans psyche it's as though we are inside Daniel or at least his perception of reality as he tries to assimilate back into his family and his community some of whom wish he was executed. Daniel's immediate family are loving and supporting especially his Sister Amantha played by Abigail Spencer and his Mother Janet who is a complex and fiercely protective mother of Daniel and the matriarch of the family and . The casting of J Smith- Cameron in this sensitive role is perfect and her moment in one of the closing episodes touched me as she simply described her son Daniel as in this simple way she says Daniel her son " is wise beyond his years but fully adolescent " a perfect description to my mind . Daniel's stepfather and Janet's husband Ted played by Bruce McKinnon is also impressive in fact everyone is in Rectify. This is great ensemble acting and an impressive creative team with in superb Direction from Stephen Gyllenhaal ,Maggie and James talented father who directed 6 episodes plus 16 others and superb script by Creator Ray McKinnon and 8 writers. Special mention to key characters Clayne Crawford cast as Daniels troublesome Step brother Ted Talbot Jnr and Adelaide Clemens as his troubled wife Tawney Talbot . Also Luke Kirby as Daniels Defence Attorney Jon Stern and Jared Talbot as Daniels younger Stepbrother there's so many excellent performances in Rectify which was first aired in 2013 and the last series screened in 2016 I would have missed it if a friend on Terryard hadn't recommended it ,I'm so grateful to Kenny G for the thumbs up on this thought provoking sensitive at times challenging and fascinating journey of human passions , frailties and injustice . That's the premise of Rectify, a Sundance Channel series that premiered in AprIl 20 2013 . It's set in the fictional Georgia town of "Paulie," Rectify has real Southern roots: Creator and executive producer Ray McKinnon (The Accountant) was born in Adel, Georgia, and filmed the series in Griffin, just south of Atlanta. It amazes me that Rectify won only one major television award The Peabody Award in 2015. It should have won every major television drama award it deserved to don't miss it.