It’s never enough to know ‘that’ someone committed murder, for a number of reasons. More often than not, prosecutors even have to prove ‘motive’ in a court of law. Really though, almost everyone is curious of the ‘why’. Why did they do it? What’s the reason? There always has to be a reason, right? Crime shows most usually explore the ‘who’ and the ‘how’, occasionally the ‘when’. The Sinner is a dark, and very disturbing series that prioritizes ‘why’ someone would commit such a heinous crime. The best way to describe it is…there isn’t one. No one was prepared for this show.
There are currently three seasons of The Sinner on Netflix, and a fourth is said to be on the way.
There are currently three seasons of The Sinner on Netflix, and a fourth is said to be on the way. Normally, a series takes a season or even a few seasons to find its stride and to gain a following. The show’s following may be question, whether or not it hit its stride is not. Season one bursts into the world of TV, beating its chest like King Kong. A woman, with a husband and child, commits a violent murder in what appears from the outside to be a random act of violence. She can’t explain why, because she doesn’t know why. At least, that’s what she says. An obsessive detective has trouble buying this, thus making it his mission to get to the bottom of it. Like everyone else, he knows she did it. Now, he must know the reason, if there even is one at all.
Production-wise The Sinner competes with some of the best shows out there; High definition quality, cinematically framed, solid imagery, professional editing. The writing and the acting are the most interesting parts. The show is written to be situational with the characters’ past and present circumstances taking the most priority over the dialogue, though even there, there’s nothing wrong. Audiences will see a new side of Bill Pullman. His drive and obsessive behavior is loosely comparable to iconic characters like ‘House’ or ‘Sherlock’, though his personality is more akin to a true intellectual who lacks people skills rather than TV’s idea of that. The consistent, powerhouse performance of Jessica Biel is something that no one could have seen coming. Her time onscreen as Cora shows the world some of the best acting it might ever be witness to, the audience getting to dive into her subconscious in the quest for truth. She is present, physically exhausting, and responsive to anything and everyone around her. If any ‘why’ is relevant, it’s why she chose to wait so long to show everyone her true capability.
The Sinner is home to some disturbing stories, so it’s crucial to be aware of that. The entertainment factors are there, but weak stomachs and feeble sensibilities won’t survive it. It’s also a thinking person’s show. The entire thing is a puzzle and a bread crumb trail, constructed this way intentionally to keep each episode interesting and everyone watching guessing. Don’t be afraid to rise to the occasion.
