The Verdict

I'll state right off the bat here that it is impossible for me to review Apple's Presumed Innocent series with "full innocence" (pardon the pun) simply because I have seen the iconic 1990 legal thriller multiple times. Harrison Ford, Brian Dennehy, Bonnie Bedelia, director Alan J. Pakula--that one is an all-time legal classic. This remake--perhaps more re-imagining, definitionally--is a solid successor to that legacy while also throwing in some unexpected twists along the way.

For a very basic overview, Presumed Innocent tells the story of Rusty Sabich (Jake Gyllenhaal), a prosecutor himself now charged with the murder of friend/mistress Carolyn Polhemus (Renate Reinsve). Facing down fellow prosecutor (and personal tormentor) Tommy Molto (Peter Sarsgaard) with only Raymond Horgan (Bill Camp) in his corner, Rusty must plant that all-important "reasonable doubt" within the minds of the jurors for his acquittal. All the while, Rusty's wife (Ruth Negga) and children (Kingston Rumi Southwick & Chase Infiniti) are conflicted about the entire ordeal. Did Rusty actually commit this heinous crime? It is not revealed until the season finale.

Like I said, it is tough for me to review this iteration of Presumed Innocent without bias because I know the "big twist" that defines the original. But I think this one is a solid legal thriller all the same. The cinematography and atmosphere is extraordinary even by today's high TV standards, and showrunner/writer David E. Kelley adds his usual panache to the proceedings. This whole endeavor is very much set up like one of his HBO "whodunnit" prestige dramas and features the ridiculously strong ensemble cast to match.

Even knowing the general plot points, however, I was still able to enjoy this season because of the deft way it services fans (like myself) who revere the original. After the first few "setup" episodes, it becomes clear that expectations--especially involving the big reveal--will be played with, if not outright subverted this go-around. As such, it was just as much fun watching to see "how things will/won't change" for a viewer like myself. In the wrong hands this could have been extremely messy or outright disastrous, but Kelley, Apple, & Bad Robot Productions are all up to the task.

Is Presumed Innocent as good as one of those prestige HBO dramas? Again, tough for me to say with 100% certainty, but I think the answer is "no". Once this season starts firing on all cylinders as a in-courtroom drama it churns out some 9/10-star episodes. But there are also a few 7/10 efforts where the pacing is a little odd or just outrightly slow.

I'm also not sure the "new twist"--which I won't spoil here--was the best choice. While certainly a shock, is it earned in the context of all that came before it? I'll argue "not quite", but it is certainly a doozy nonetheless.

Overall, it was simply fun to have a solid, non-fantasy/Game of Thrones series on the air for some water cooler discussion. Though perhaps a step below in overall quality/effectiveness, Presumed Innocent felt like a buzzy Sunday night drama, especially in its week-to-week format.

I must say the finale was unexpected at all !! The acting and the narrative are just masterpiece. Building of the story from the begining to the end is amazing. The final court trial was breathtaking. The closing argument of of Rusty is just WOW , very smart and neat. Jake Gyllenhaal acting in this speech was very good as well as throughout the whole series. Peter Sarsgaard was amazing as well in all hia speeches and acting, I think it might me his best role. The finale is very satisfactory. Every scene is breathtaking. Your heart will keep on beating from the begining till the end and will feel loke it is gonna explode after finding out the killer. BRAVO!!!

I Love it. I Love the unexpected. This twist was not just a shock for shock's sake; it was a meticulously planned narrative pivot that reframed the entire season. It cast previous events and character motivations in a new light, prompting a reevaluation of what we had seen. The brilliance of this twist lies in its ability to surprise while remaining true to the story's core themes and character arcs. But the final episode turned all expectations on their head. Instead of a straightforward resolution, the writers took a bold narrative risk that paid off in spades. The performances in this episode were nothing short of stellar.

I loved this show. It built up quite a generic premise to something interesting, and it eventually got me into binging it. Everyone watching was probably waiting for the payoff, and everything was looking fine.

Until the last ten minutes.

The plot twist is so baffling and terrible that it's almost insulting. I spent hours on a show that left me with a killer who had absolutely nothing to do with the story for seven of its eight episodes, and that alone broke down the realism and family drama for me. The actors are trying their best to salvage the scene, but the damage is done and it's really unfortunate to see an otherwise amazing show fall this quickly just because of its penultimate sequence.

After multiple episodes and curiosities building, it finally came out to be the least expected person. Personally, I had my mindset on Rusty from episode one so by the end of the series I was just waiting for the ball to drop. I'm glad the writers didn't give more hints to who exactly could've done it so as to leave the reveal even more satisfying.

Personally, all of the actors in my book did great work - I'm not sure what people are talking about with poor casting - everyone in this show felt believable like they were just trying to do the best with what they could, and I personally thought the writing was stellar. For those who did not enjoy the show, I really would like to know what shows they enjoy because this to me is the point of television. Week by week keeping you on the edge of your seat waiting for what will happen next and I cannot wait for season two.