The Sinner Season 2 Premiere Plot Summary:
Detective Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman) investigates of a case involving a young boy murdering his parents.
Many people surely skipped the first season of The Sinner, but the show brought enough eyeballs to the screen to warrant a second season. This is despite the fact that it was a limited series event, or whatever you want to call it. Networks use phrases like that now so they aren’t committed to keeping shows as strictly miniseries. Still, the network will probably push The Sinner as an anthology show come award season, even though Detective Ambrose returns from the first season.
You don’t need to have watched the first season to understand this one. The case is entirely different. But the question is whether the show can survive with Pullman’s Detective Ambrose as the protagonist. Last season Pullman shared the spotlight with Jessica Biel, whose phenomenal acting carried the series.
It’s always a gamble to make a kid a chief character in your show or movie. The quality of child performances greatly varies. But Elisha Henig, who portrays the prime suspect, Julian Walker, is pretty good. He’s not quite at Biel’s level, but she’s an adult who has years of acting experience.
The crime this season is not all that different from the previous. Julian kills his parents for unclear reasons. But it is clear he killed them. Detective Heather Novack (Natalie Paul), a daughter of an old friend, asks Harry for his assistance. Having the new case so similar to the old one in setup is great for newcomers to the series, but it may feel like a retread to returning viewers. Then again, it gives the show its identity.
The Sinner was particularly cryptic in laying out clues in the first season. This season, on the other hand, seems more straightforward. It’s pretty obvious from the first scene that Julian’s parents abuse him. He could be a psychopath of some kind, but that would be too easy. Then again, watch the show go in that direction, now that I’ve said that.
This is only the first episode of a total eight. It’s going to be a slow burn, and that’s not for everyone. Harry is likable, but he’s not the most charismatic or interesting protagonist out there. He walks around with a shadow hanging over him. And the show itself is bleak and startling violent.
With so many forms of entertainment nowadays, it’s easy to see how something like The Sinner would fall through the cracks. If you’re looking for a fun time, look elsewhere. But if you’re looking for an intriguing mystery, check it out.
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Good)
THE SINNER AIRS WEDNESDAYS AT 10 ON USA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8j61MUB8y4
