Season 1 (2017)
I normally don’t binge watch shows but there was something so alluring, mysterious and captivating about not only Jessica Biel’s performance, but the characters and premise of this entire story. I couldn’t look away from beginning to end; I watched the entire first season in one night.
Perhaps it was my familiarity with the catholic religion, or my empathy towards those living with terminal illnesses, but this show revealed information in such a way that each episode had a worthwhile cliff-hanger. The pacing of the season as a whole fit extremely well together and left enough room for multiple character arcs and relationship development to run their full course.
Relationships were a huge theme throughout the season, especially since it was set in a close-knit small town. What struck me most was how real and genuine the interactions were, whether that is the acting, direction or casting or a combination of all three, it was extremely believable and intimate. The show touched on first true loves, an unfaithful couple and was a coming of age story told through the flashbacks. The most unconventional sibling relationship develops over the season and always left me reflecting about really how far you would go for someone you loved like that (Nadia Alexander and Augie Murphy).
The main plot focuses on repressed memories and how traumatic resurfacing of the past can affect your everyday life, something like PTSD. Most of the main threads of the plot uncover extremely hard to talk about topics. The largest one contributing to the name of the show “The Sinner” which is reference to the main character struggling with the Catholic faith when forced upon her by her parents at an extremely young age.
The pilot is captivating, relatable, and terrifying instantly leaving you full of questions, curiosity, and intrigue. I’m sure we’ve all had moments where everything must remain normal but inside you feel like running, screaming, and breaking all the rules ( or maybe that’s just me).. What if one day you just lost control? What if for a brief moment you let your impulses take over, or worse, something triggered you and you had no idea what came over you? Scary right? That’s why I couldn’t look away.