Apple TV+ continues a strong year with Presumed Innocent, a crime drama done right.
The series stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Rusty Sabich, a prosecutor for the Chicago District Attorney’s Office, who is arrested for suspected involvement in the murder of fellow prosecutor Carolyn Polhemus (Renate Reinsve). Together, he works to prove his innocence in a court of law while balancing his relationship with his family (Ruth Negga, Chase Infiniti, Kingston Rumi Southwick).
The novel was originally adapted into a 1990 film of the same name starring Harrison Ford, so Gyllenhaal and co. had a lot to prove with the show, and I am glad to report that they went above and beyond. The show isn’t perfect by any means, dragging in the series’ middle portion and a tad melodramatic in some areas. But when the series does hit, it hits hard.
Jake Gyllenhaal gives a nuanced and concise performance, making for a great protagonist that you’ll be happy to both root for and hate, given his volatile nature. This venture into the television field is a somewhat interesting move for the star and it turned out to pay off. Supporting actor Peter Saarsgard portrays a delightfully hateable antagonist who gives a career-high performance, really demanding the attention of the audience whenever on screen. O-T Fagbenle balances his chaos really well, something Bill Camp mirrors in conjunction with Gyllenhaal.
The show surrounds the audiences in an atmosphere thick with mystery, leaving audiences to question whether Rusty was involved in the murder or wrongly convicted. They carry the mystery through the entire show, right up to the final moments of the first season’s runtime. The show is inclusive of a twist that when revealed, shocked me, and as someone who has not read the book the show is based on (by Scott Turow) or seen the 1990 film, it is apparently different to the ending of those instalments.
Tonally, the show shifts as it goes on too, in its opening episodes it’s typically quite grounded and sticks close to the court case sub-genre. But becomes more scandalous, branching, and even fantastical as it draws towards the end of the investigation and trial. It’s something I have seen many draw comparisons with regarding David E. Kelley’s full body of work but is something I cannot comment on, having only seen Love & Death from his filmography.
Presumed Innocent is the perfect show for those who are fans of court dramas, or just those looking for a solid series to watch. Solid performances from the entire cast contribute to an exciting and thrilling series that continues a great year for Apple TV+.
Presumed Innocent stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Ruth Negga, Bill Camp, Peter Saarsgard, and O-T Fagbenle. The series is now streaming in full on Apple TV+ and a second season was greenlit on July 12th and is currently in development.
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