One thing you can depend on in American Crime, one of the most powerful and important series ever on television: when things get really bad, they get even worse. Until last night's episode 2.7, we had a rape and a searing portrayal of anti-gay bias and racial relations. Last night we had a murder - in a school.And in many ways the most horrifying thing about this shooting is that it was deeply motivated, to the point in which you can almost feel that the victim had it coming. Taylor was not only raped a few weeks ago, but beaten a few days ago by the homo-phobic jocks in the school. He shows up with a gun, but we don't know what he actually would have done it.
Possibly nothing. But he uses it after one of his beaters threatens to kill him if he makes any more trouble.
This part of the story is also an indictment of how easy it is to get guns in this country. Taylor gets it from a closet, where it shouldn't have been left. The irresponsibility of gun owners results in a continuing stream of deaths in America.
Connor Jessup gives a tour-de-force performance as the kid with the tortured soul and the gun. Even the people who have tried to help have been making his mental situation worse. He told his mother what happened - that was he raped - in the first place, but pleaded with her not to go to the press, which she did. His girlfriend tried to comfort him, but got furious when she found out he was gay.
And Taylor is still struggling with his sexual identity. Drugs, of course, only make all of this worse.
And now the police, who have had not much of a role this season, in contrast to last, will be pulling Taylor into the criminal injustice system. Look for things in American Crime to get even worse.
See also: American Crime 2.1-3: So Real, It Hurts ... American Crime through 2.6: Brilliant and Unflinching
And see also: American Crime, American Fine ... American Crime 1.7: The Truest Love ... American Crime 1.10: The Exquisite Hazards of Timing ...American Crime Season 1 Finale: The Banality of So-Called Justice
a different kind of crime
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