Presumed Innocent 1.8: The Killer

Well, in the thoroughly superb season 1 finale of Presumed Innocent on Apple TV+, we find out who killed Carolyn.

And that's not the person who killed Carolyn in the novel and the movie!

And I won't tell you who either is, in case you haven't read the novel, seen the movie, or the series, even after the Spoiler advisory below.

[Spoilers ahead ... ]

It wasn't Tommy Molto, even though he loved Carolyn too, and she rejected him.  He gave a great summation of the prosecution's case to the jury, but Rusty's in his own defence was even better, and carried the day.  All in all, one of the best courtroom scenes I've ever seen on screen,

It was also something to learn that Rusty staged the murder scene -- tied up Carolyn's body -- to protect whom he thought was the murderer.

Hats off to everyone who created this series for telling a story much like the book and the movie, but with some very different parts and angles, all sharp and intriguing.  There wasn't a single acting performance that wasn't powerful in all kinds of ways, and I can't wait to see where all of this goes in the second season.

See also Presumed Innocent 1.1-1.2: Presumed Excellent, And So Far Is ... 1.3: Sterling Performances ... 1.4: Under Fingernails ... 1.6: Tommy Molto ... 1.7: The Poker

Presumed Innocent 1.7: The Poker

[Spoilers ahead ... ]

First, let me say that I'm glad we find out in the first few minutes of episode 1.7 of Presumed Innocent on Apple TV+ that Horgan and is alive and well.  In fact, so well, that we see him back in court with a pacemaker in his heart as Rusty takes the stand.

Which, of course, is the last thing a defendant in a murder case is supposed to do, and Molto has a field day with Rusty, winning the rarely given praise of Nico.  But Molto's satisfaction is short-lived.  He returns home, finds his apartment has been ransacked, and a fire poker with the charming note attached, "G0 FUCK YOURSELF".

What does this tell us?  Well, Molto didn't write the note in all caps himself.  Someone put it there on the poker.  That poker, presumably, is the poker that was used to bludgeon and kill Carolyn.  I didn't see any blood on it, but that could have cleaned off.

I see two possibilities.  One, Molto is the killer, he cleaned and hid the poker in his home, and someone found it -- after ransaking the place -- and left it and the note.   Who could that person be?

Well, the other possibility is that the murderer in the book and the movie, angry about what Molto had put Rusty through in court, left the poker with the note in Molto's home.  I guess this is the more likely explanation, but then why was the home ransacked?

We'll find out the answer next week. And I'm glad there'll be another season of this superb drama.

See also Presumed Innocent 1.1-1.2: Presumed Excellent, And So Far Is ... 1.3: Sterling Performances ... 1.4: Under Fingernails ... 1.6: Tommy Molto

Presumed Innocent 1.6: Tommy Molto

Well, episode 1.6 of Presumed Innocent on Apple TV+ had a shocking ending which I won't tell you about until the end of this review, in which I want to talk about something else.

I think there's a good chance Tommy Molto murdered Carolyn in this excellent version of Presumed Innocent.   We saw previously that she said she didn't want to work with him on any more cases.  And in episode 1.6 we learn that she formally told Human Resources that she didn't want to work with Tommy because he was "ick"y.  

Now, again, I know who killed Carolyn in the novel and the movie.   It wasn't Tommy.  But I've already seen some differences between those and this TV series, and I can see why Carolyn would see some "ick" in Tommy.  Does that mean he killed her?  No, but it certainly makes him a good suspect.

[Spoilers ahead ... ]

Now for the shocker: Rusty's lead attorney, former DA Horgan, collapses in the courtroom.  I think Horgan is a great character, and Bill Camp's doing a fine job portraying him, so I certainly hope he survives.  If he doesn't, Mya's an excellent attorney, she can take over, but she doesn't have the gravitas that Horgan has as the former DA.  

I recall Horgan in the novel or the movie, so I have no idea how he'll fare in the TV series, but I sure hope -- for Rusty's sake and the audience's -- that we haven't see the last of him.

See also Presumed Innocent 1.1-1.2: Presumed Excellent, And So Far Is ... 1.3: Sterling Performances ... 1.4: Under Fingernails

Presumed Innocent 1.4: Under Fingernails

[Spoilers ahead ...]

Presumed Innocent 1.4 ended with a shocker: Rusty's DNA is found under Carolyn's fingernails.  This is obvious proof that the two were fighting ...

Of course, if we read the book or saw the 1990 movie, Rusty's DNA under Carolyn's fingernails is entirely consistent with who the real killer is, definitely not Rusty.  And since I have no idea how similar this Apple TV+ series and the 1990 movie will be, I'm keeping an open mind:  the killer could be the 1990 killer, or Rusty, or someone else entirely.

The relationship between Rusty and Raymond, his lawyer, continues be strong, and Mya on the defense team is an excellent asset.  Over on the prosecution side, Nico continues to be unflappable, but also not having 100% confidence in Tommy.  I'd like to see more focus on Tommy's character.  He actually seems to be doing a pretty good job, which makes me wonder why Nico seems so quick to disagree with him.

We also need to know more about Carolyn.  What was Tommy's relationship with her in the office? What was Raymond's relationship with Carolyn -- he after all was her boss.  Shouldn't there be more investigation of Carolyn's cases, and whether any of the people she prosecuted were now in a position to kill her?

I'm very much looking forward to seeing how this literally life-and-story, and saga of justice, unfolds.

See also Presumed Innocent 1.1-1.2: Presumed Excellent, And So Far Is ... 1.3: Sterling Performances

Presumed Innocent 1.3: Sterling Performances

I was struck by the sterling performance of just about every actor in Presumed Innocent 1.3 on Apple TV+.

[And here let me advise you not so much about spoilers, but that I saw the 1990s movie with Harrison Ford, and I'll try not to in any way indicate the ending of that, because I have no idea if this series will end the same way.]

Here are some of my favorite scenes in this episode:

• Every scene that  O-T Fagbenle as DA Della Guardia is in.  He has a strange, compelling presence that I've never quite seen before, which makes him instantly memorable.
• Noma Dumezweni as the tough-ass judge. Perfect
• The scene in which Rusty ( Jake Gyllenhaal) falls in love with Carolyn (Renate Reinsve), as she gently works to make a little girl who will be testifying feel safe 
• And, yeah, every scene with Bill Camp as Horgan, former DA and Rusty's attorney

But the truth is every character shines in this series, Rusty's wife and their children, the bartender at the beginning of the episode, Peter Sarsgaard as ADA Molto.  I can't recall another series in which every character was so vibrantly portrayed.

It occurred to me that Apple TV+ currently has two series -- Presumed Innocent and Dark Matter -- situated in Chicago.   The only thing missing from Presumed Innocent is maybe a scene with one of the Jasons in the background.

See also Presumed Innocent 1.1-1.2: Presumed Excellent, And So Far Is

See my reviews of Dark Matter

Presumed Innocent 1.1-1.2: Presumed Excellent, and So Far Is

I saw Presumed Innocent -- the movie with Harrison Ford in the lead role -- in 1990.  I shortly after read the Scott Turow 1987 novel from which the movie was adapted.  That was a long time ago, no blogging, and I was a devoted possessor of a Radio Shack M100.  I thought the movie and book were brilliant, with one of the cleverest endings, one of the most unexpected twists, I'd ever come across in a fictitious murder story.   I still feel that way right now.

So I was tempted not to see the series that just went up -- more precisely, the first two episodes -- on Apple TV+ yesterday.   But of course I did.  And as I was watching these episodes, I realized I had no idea if this new series would tell the same story as the novel and the movie.   And I realized that I didn't want to know beforehand, because not knowing that added its own level of suspense.

So far, if my memory from 23 years ago is ago is accurate, the story seems essentially the same.  Jake Gyllenhaal is excellent in the lead role -- Rusty Sabich, an ADA in Chicago, whose colleague and lover Carolyn Polhemus is found murdered.  Rusty is married, so he has some reason to want Carolyn eliminated -- to save his marriage.  

Movies and TV series of course are two very different media -- 120+ minutes vs. 8 episodes of around 50 minutes each to tell a story.  So I think there could be some riveting viewing ahead in the series.  Also, as of the first two episodes, I really liked Bill Camp, Peter Sarsgaard, and Renate Reinsve.  I'm going to review the series episode by episode, and I'll try my very best not to divulge any spoilers.