American Crime

This series is undoubtedly one of the best series we have right now.

Season 1 wasn't everyone's cup of tea. But, it highlighted so much that I've never seen on television before and was arguably one of the best scripted and acted series of 2015.

Season 2 is on a whole other level. Just a few episodes in and this series shows how all series should follow-up to previous acclaim. This season has one of the most original and intriguing plots I've seen in ages. I predict this season will also earn several Emmy nominations.

What really stands out in this series other than its acting and script, is that it greatly focuses on race, gender and gender roles, sexuality, drugs, wealth, power and status.

American Crime focuses on the people surrounding a criminal case and the difficulties that they go through rather than the actual crime or criminal investigation itself. While I understand the merits of this and appreciate it the point they're trying to make, the fact of the matter is that I want to know the outcome. I want to know what happened. The acting is great and the series is well written (probably too good for network television though) but it's a let down getting to the end of the season having no idea what actually happened. The series doesn't need to focus on the investigation or be a police procedural to give the viewer a but more payoff at the end. We can struggle with the families of crime victims and ultimately learn the truth/see how things turn out without losing the main message of the show.

Just two episodes in, and I am hooked and heart-broken again. I just keep thinking "this is all around us, this is all around us." The strawberries that we ate for dinner? And the low cost hotel I drive by on the way to work..what's happening in those fields and rooms?

The new members of the cast are as strong as the old. I feel that the issues that American Crime addresses this season are wider-reaching, yet personal at the same time.

It's hard to watch bright and shiny commercials during the show - a weird juxtaposition.

Life doesn't happen in neat chapters where one part of the story wraps up neatly and then moves on to another. Life doesn't present its main characters always with perfectly coiffed hair and Hollywood-style makeup. And that's exactly why I'm really liking American Crime. It's a slice of life - a very sad and often confusing slice of life. American Crime festers in the dark side. It brings out the worst in humanity ... so far. I imagine as the series gets further along, there will be changes that come with plot revelations and character development. I'm enjoying the well-thought out plot so expertly put into words, the richness of the acting that brings that script to life and the occasionally brilliant and always good cinematography. The score by Mark Isham contributes just he right tension without becoming overbearing or, like so many other productions, just too loud. I can't think of a thing missing. This is the formula for a very, very good TV crime series. I hope each episode is as good as the first two that I so much enjoyed.

I watch a lot of foreign movies and TV series because I find most domestic products to be formulistic, highly predictable, shallow or simplistic (many fine exceptions exist - as examples True Detectives, Breaking Bad, Justified etc.). This holds particularly true for anything offered by the big 4 networks. As an example watch both versions of the series " Secrets and Lies" and you will clearly see the difference between an off shore and a domestic take on the same story. For me there is no comparison, the original Aussi version is much more to my liking.

Now to "Crime Story"; it takes a couple of episodes to develop but like a fine wine after it breathes a bit the content becomes richer and more accessible. I really appreciate the casting, character development is strong and the pace is just right for me. All the actors are superb, pretty much every cast member gives an honest and compelling performance. The camera work is artful, not artsy but artful, adding to the experience. It is a drama and as such there is very little to feel good about here but the story so far is strong, well told and deals with serious issues. I eagerly look forward to each new episode. My typical viewing habit is to record episodes of shows I follow and then watch 2 or more at a time. Skipping through commercials, especially for dramas, allows the story to flow and for emotional or dramatic moments to make their point and to leave a mark. If you are a reality TV watcher or do not value well staged dramas move on - there is nothing for you here. However if you enjoy a script which is well written and deals with big relevant issues, stellar acting and something different from the majority of the cookie cutter series out there I'd say give this one a try. I was very surprised when I read through the other reviews here for this fine series and found the amount of negativity that they contained. My guess is that, like myself, the audience for a show of this caliber pretty much dismiss network offerings and will never find it. Regular network viewers need the familiar and don't know how to appreciate the slower more deliberate pace of the story , the depth of the questions raised, or the skill with which this series has been crafted - this is too bad because I find the time invested to be well worth it.