Wow. Still kind of processing the American Crime season finale, as well as the entire first season as a whole. I feel like I would upon completing a first read of a good novel, thinking back upon the entire experience, as well as the individual elements that stuck out.
First, let’s look at Season 1’s final “chapter,” Episode 11. Recently, at a screening event for the season finale, costar Timothy Hutton said of the final episode and the first season: “I think hopefully what [the audience] take away from it is that they’ve watched 11 chapters of a really amazing story that comes to quite a remarkable conclusion.” That we did, and Hutton’s character Russ played a large part in the chain reaction of events that helped lend such an emotional wallop to the conclusion.
You knew the season finale was going to be different right from the start. It was the only episode aside from the first one that did not lead in with a “Previously On” recap, and even when the American Crime title came up, it was not done with the usual musical theme by Mark Isham, and even the font of the title seemed different.
The themes of the episode, and the season in general, were touched on right away, as the episode led in with cuts to three different scenes in which three different religious leaders, including Aliyah and Timothy’s imam, played by Shelton Jolivette, pictured above, are each delivering a sermon on forgiveness. Though these particular characters are literally proselytizing, series creator John Ridley, who wrote and directed this final episode, said at the premiere event that his show was not meant to do that.
“We never wanted to preach or proselytize, even with this last episode,” Ridley said. “I hope that we’re not saying things; I hope that we’re delivering a space where audience members feel things, emotions that were unexpected, feeling for characters that they never thought that they could feel, and elements of the story that are surprising, surprising in the narrative, surprising in the emotion — surprising, more important than anything, that through these difficult circumstances you will see hope, you will see renewal, you will see love in ways that could not exist in that first episode. And the reason that we are here at this last episode is because, as in life, there are always possibilities, and we’ve always believed that with American Crime this is a story of possibilities.”
Forgiveness and the sense of possibilities did factor in big ways in the finale; unfortunately, there was also one notable and tragic instance of unforgiveness, and possibilities cut short. This tragic arc begins when Russ finds himself even more cut off from Mark and Barb (Felicity Huffman). Neither of them are returning his phone calls, and Russ finds himself alone, unable to talk to someone about his increasingly angry feelings about Carter (Elvis Nolasco) being let off. As we saw last week, Barb has joined Mark in taking herself out of the situation. We see Barb listening to one of Russ’ phone messages with some concern, but she does not return the call.
Russ is also getting no response from the Carlins, who are taking Gwen back home. We see flashes of Gwen in the episode, lastly as she’s in the back seat of the car. She says she likes when dad drives, because it “feels safe.” She’s referred to liking to feel safe before, in almost childlike ways, and I’m not sure if the brain injury is causing some of the reversion to childhood, or if she was always craved a safe place, especially in light of what we’ve learned about Matt and his tendency toward abuse.
In a strong scene, Russ finally visits Barb in person, hoping she will join him in seeing things through. Barb again tells him she is done, she just feels so alone. Russ comes in closer, telling her she doesn’t need to be alone. He reminds her that they’ve become closer through all of this, perhaps closer than they’ve ever been. He cautiously reaches to touch her hand, and they finally embrace. Barb does seem to at least briefly welcome the closeness, and she even kisses his shoulder during the hug, and she welcomes not being alone for a moment, but she eventually, tearfully, tells Russ — literally and figuratively — to let go. Russ backs off, and silently leaves her.
This reminded me a bit of earlier in the season when Carter, after his first release, asked Aliyah to just stick around a bit as his sister, and she didn’t. Eventually that led to further trouble for Carter with Aubry, and regret on Aliyah’s part for not being there as a sister. Later on in the episode, when things go so terribly wrong for Russ and others in his wake, Barb seems to have a similar sense of regret.
Carter is indeed out, and he eventually learns from Timothy (Cedric Duplechain) that Aubry (Caitlin Gerard) confessed to Matt’s murder, and that she knew details only the killer would know. After Carter learns this, we see him going up to Aliyah (Regina King) and whispering something to her. Aliyah seems taken aback and a little sad; Carter hugs her and leaves. This turns out to be the last time they ever see each other.
A scene like this is part of the fascinating approach American Crime has been using in its storytelling. Through this episode in particular, there are a number of instances where we as viewers are seemingly not allowed to “eavesdrop” on conversations among some of the characters, as if they are just too emotional and personal, and we are giving them their space, as we would in real life upon seeing others in such intimate conversation. This is done through showing us conversations but not letting us hear; through cutting away as lines are about to be spoken; scenes ending somewhat abruptly leading into commercial breaks; and through not subtitling scenes in other languages (although speakers of those languages certainly would understand; I’m speaking from my experience). It’s really a nice touch that, while frustrating to some viewers, also lends to the incredible realness of this show.
Costar Benito Martinez had some thoughts on that at the premiere event. “It didn’t have that sense of structure that most shows have,” the actor told a reporter. “It was just telling a story, and sometimes we needed to step away for a commercial, but when you came back the story continued. We slowly turned the page and slowly moved forward.”
Aubry is under observation in the psych ward at the hospital, and Carter goes to visit her. They are able to sit across a table from each other, no glass between, but are not allowed to touch.
It’s clear Aubry is still living in her dream world. She doesn’t seem to realize that she could eventually face the death penalty. She blows that off, saying they won’t kill her because she’s “crazy.” She thinks that even if she gets out in 15 years, she’ll still be young enough that she and Carter can be together again. As she talks, Carter looks very skeptical, and almost sad. He clearly seems to still care about her, but knows they can’t be together. He tells Aubry about the imaginary girlfriend he used to have when he was younger. As a kind of “nerdy” guy, he didn’t fit in with the other black men, yet he was too dark to hang out with the white men. He didn’t date, but he invented the fictional “Elaine,” whom he didn’t think anyone could compare with until he saw Aubry across the bar one night.
He tells Aubry that the only woman for him beside her would have been “Elaine,” but Aubry can’t be his fantasy girl, and likewise, he can’t be the man in the ads that she is obsessed with. “It’s not real,” he admits. He tells Aubry he will not be calling her, even though the facility allows patients to take calls.
But Aubry, again, wants nothing to do with reality as it is. She continues to try to mold reality to fit her will, and she tells Carter matter-of-factly, “You’ll call.” She knows they have to be together, and she gets up to kiss Carter before a guard pulls her away.
Later, Carter is at the bar where he first saw Aubry, looking down. He glances over and appears to see Aubry as he did that night, but of course, like most things with them aside from their feelings, it’s not real. He gets up and leaves.
Walking outside the bar down the street, Carter calls Aubry’s facility and asks to speak with her, and first seeming unsure of his decision when the receptionist asks for the name of the patient he wants to speak with. He finally says “Aubry Taylor.”
As Carter is waiting for Aubry to be patched through, we see a figure striding toward him with determination. At first it seemed like just an extra in the background, but quickly we see the man is closing quickly, with intent.
Just as Aubry picks up on her end and Carter begins to speak, the figure reaches Carter, raises a revolver, and shoots Carter point-blank in the head, in one of the more shocking scenes I’ve seen on network TV. “Hello? Hello?” Aubry continues to ask, on the other end.
Carter slumps over, and we see more of the figure and who he is. At first just his lower body is seen, and a first instinct might be that it’s one of Carter’s former drug associates. But as the camera pans up to the man’s face, goddamn if it isn’t Russ holding the gun.
Russ looks really out of it; he strides zombie-like across the street and sits down as police race up to the scene, demanding that he drop his weapon as they close in, guns drawn. During his walk, we hear a droning musical tone as we see quick flashes of Russ in Matt’s now-refurbished house, sitting in the middle of the floor and looking at photos of Matt as a kid (not the ones of Matt doing terrible things during his military stint). We also see flashes of Russ gathering the box containing the gun Barb had given him in last week’s episode. I thought that gun might come back to cause trouble, the way Russ was looking at it last week before putting it in the nightstand next to his bed. Given his increasingly agitated mental state and isolation, I thought there was a chance Russ would kill himself, but I didn’t see cold-blooded murder in his future. The things people feared Barb would do with the gun have fallen on Russ, who didn’t have people like Nancy and himself looking out for him the way they did with Barb.
The scene ends before we learn what happens to Russ. It’s an interesting choice to end the scene here and leave us guessing. Will Russ shoot himself? Will the police shoot him? Will he be taken into custody? Perhaps we were also meant to consider the scene in light of real current events. If Russ were black, would the police have been more inclined to shoot him quickly than they might have given Russ is white?
We later see an emergency medical team frantically working on Carter in the ER, to no avail. He is dead. When Aubry is later informed of this, she understandably is distraught. She blames it all on the people who didn’t want she and Carter to be together right from the start.
But is there still a chance for them to be together? We are kind of teased into thinking so later in the episode, when the door to Aubry’s room at the psych ward, normally locked, suddenly clicks open. Confused and curious, Aubry pushes the door open and leaves. Almost from the start this seems to fantastic to be real, and likely a dream scene, but there were likely viewers (me, to some degree) holding out hope that something might happen to save Carter.
Aubry wanders down into the hospital, and passes the maternity ward, were she smiles at the crying babies before quietly putting her finger to her mouth in a “Shh” motion. This moment helped further my suspicions that Aubry’s trip was not real; it was a bit too surreal, like something seen in a dream, and certainly flying in the face of the reality this show has delivered.
Things get even more surreal as Aubry makes her way to the emergency OR where Carter’s body is still laying. She tearfully looks at him before he suddenly gasps for air through his breathing tube. Stunned, yet excited, Aubry calls for a nurse, who rushes him and tries to keep Carter conscious. “Stay with me!” the nurse exclaims, alternating that with crying out, “I need a doctor!” But nobody seems to be coming.
Carter turns his head slowly and looks at Aubry with one good eye. Aubry reaches to touch his hand, and he slowly clutches it. Aubry and Carter are finally together, as the nurse continues to cry out, “Stay with me!” and “I need a doctor!”
Those words from the nurse slowly fade out, and we realize that this all is, indeed, a fantasy. Aubry’s very last fantasy, in fact. The nurse shouting “Stay with me!” and “I need a doctor!” is actually crouching over Aubry’s body. Aubry is seated in her room, unblinking eyes staring ahead, not seeing anything but the fantasy, and a large puddle of blood surrounds her; she has cut her wrists.
Some people theorize that the vision of “heaven” that some people have as they die is the brain imagining things as it shuts down. This would make sense in Aubry’s case; the last thing that she sees, or imagines she sees, is her vision of a heavenly situation. She and Carter are together, and she has saved him once again, even as she, along with him, is actually lost.
Though Carter and Aubry couldn’t be saved, their deaths lead to the sort of forgiveness touched on earlier in the episode. In a later scene, Aubry’s stepparents arrive at the hospital, and pass Aliyah and Timothy in the waiting area, all sadly coming to learn more about their departed loved ones. Ruth recognizes Aliyah, and stops in front of her. At first, it seems like there might be a standoff, based on their previous somewhat-prickly encounters. They stare at each other seriously, but Aliyah stands up, walks over, and hugs Ruth, each crying over their mutual losses. Aliyah says something in Arabic to Ruth, and, again, while Ruth and most viewers watching this scene may not understand the words, the idea behind them is clear, and we feel a vibe of comfort and forgiveness and understanding between the two women.
It turns out there is one more victim in Russ’ decision — Russ himself. Near the end of the episode, in a scene mirroring a scene in Episode 1, where Russ is asked to identify Matt’s body, we are put in front of a white curtain, and the person on the other side is told that when the curtain opens, she will be asked to confirm if the body on the table is her husband. We know who’s on the other side even before it opens, and it is Barb. I wrote after last week’s episode about how Barb and Russ have reversed roles, and now that reversal is complete. It’s like an endless loop of misery for the Skokies.
Barb is revealed, stunned and with tears in her eyes. “You know it’s him,” she tells the police, but they need confirmation from her. “Yes, it’s Russ,” she says, quietly. She is informed that Russ killed himself.
Later, outside, Mark (David Hoflin) and Richelle (Gwendoline Yeo) are talking to Barb. When Mark asks her what she is going to do with “the body,” Barb kind of sharply corrects him: “What am I going to do with your father?” She says she’ll take him to Oakland to be buried next to Matt. When Mark brings up how “we” should make funeral arrangements, Barb is again curt, reminding Mark of his recent admission to being adverse to any association with his dad and racist mom. Barb says she’s fine doing it alone, and Mark, not sounding too upset with that, agrees, and he and Richelle walk away.
As Barb heads to her car, she accidentally spills the contents of her purse. Crouching down to pick things up, she breaks down in tears. Mark and Richelle rush over and crouch down next to her. Richelle, once again being a strong voice of reason, says that the Skokies have to stop burying each other. Things have to change. “You still have a son,” Richelle reminds Barb. Richelle says she and Mark will have grandkids for Barb and that she deserves to be in their lives. “You have to choose what you want out of life,” Richelle continues, “You can hate, or …” Richelle’s voice then trails off as the camera pans away, leaving the Skokies in their private conversation, with Richelle continuing to try to get through to Barb. Perhaps she does to some degree; before the scene cuts away, we see Barb slowly reach for Mark’s hand.
Will Mark pull her up, and will the Skokies try to start anew with what’s left of the family? Like other things in this episode, that isn’t spelled out for us, which is good. It’s that sense of “possibliities” that Ridley talked about, as well as the forgiveness that we saw talked about at the start of the episode. It’s certainly possible Barb’s increasing self-awareness over the past few episodes, coupled with Richelle’s strong desire to keep them a family, could slowly bring everyone back together again, perhaps even forgiving each other over time.
The sense of possibility is felt even more in the Gutierrez storyline. When we see Tony (Johnny Ortiz) at first, he is at school, getting hassled by another boy who saw the video of Tony beating Joaquin. Things start getting tense, and suddenly we cut to the principal’s office, where Tony and Alonzo (Benito Martinez) are meeting the principal. As always, Alonzo stands firmly in support of his son, even as we the viewers may have thought, “No, Tony, not again.” But it turns out nothing happened; Tony restrained himself from fighting, and it was more of a heated verbal argument. The principal says she was concerned, given Tony’s past, and Alonzo cuts her off, remanding her for calling him out of his job for something Tony did not do, just because of Tony’s past. He gets up and leaves with his son.
Later, Alonzo is showing Tony and Jenny (Gleendyllis Inoa) pictures of a shop he is considering buying. As we could tell from last week’s episode, the idea of working for someone else does not sit well with him. It would be hard work; they’d have to sell the house for the money. It’s also not in Modesto, but farther away. Tony seems excited at this prospect, especially since it could be a new start where people don’t know him and aren’t judging him on his past. Jenny seems less thrilled. She later admits to her father that she doesn’t want to leave Modesto. Carlos’ parents own a restaurant, and she could get a waitstaff job there as they begin to start their lives.
Alonzo, as we’ve grown to expect from him, is sad at the prospect of his “little girl” being away from him on her own. “I got this,” Jenny tells him, reminding him of the good example he and her mother set for her (and also reminding him of the age he was when he left Mexico for America, and that she’s not quite the young girl he thinks she is). Over the course of the season, Alonzo seems to have realized he can’t hold onto his kids forever without suffocating them. It’s a bittersweet scene as Jenny reinforces that she’s not leaving him. Alonzo has tears in his eyes as he finally realizes it’s time for Jenny to start a life of her own.
Again, the possibilities here are presented without any certainty. There’s no end title card saying “Alonzo started a business and is living well,” or, “Jenny and Carlos got married.” We’re left with that sense of possibility — good possibility, bad possibility, or, likely, a mix, could happen to these characters, and we’ll have to imagine what might be. A sign of good art is leaving things up to the viewer/reader/listener to work out.
Another strong sense of possibility comes with Hector (Richard Cabral). His story bookends the season finale. When we first meet him, he is in the Mexican prison, meeting with his lawyer, who cannot get through to Hector about the need to set up a defense. At this point, Hector seems to have given up on himself, not even bothering to work with his frustrated attorney.
When Hector’s trial starts, his girlfriend Sibila (Kattia Ortiz) is in the gallery, as she promised. Even if Hector has given up on himself, she still believes in him, and Sibila has been one of the terrific female characters throughout this season who has been a source of strength, along with Ruth, Eve, Richelle, Nancy, Jenny and, of course, Aliyah.
As the judge begins the proceedings, and denies Hector’s request for a continuance, Hector is looking grim. But fate intervenes. It turns out that the prosecution’s witness against Hector, their only evidence for the case, has not shown up. It is not known what has happened with him, but given his history with gangs it might be implied that he met his end somehow.
Without a witness, there is no case, the judge determines, and he dismisses the charges against Hector immediately. Sibila rushes up to hug him. Just as Carter had, though, a stunned Hector wonders what happened with his case. And, like Aliyah, Sibila basically tells him to be happy for what he has. Sometimes there are no answers in life. We don’t know what happened to the witness, just as we don’t fully know what happened to Matt and Gwen, or other questions posed in the series. Again, that may be left up to us as viewers.
It’s also left up to us to determine Hector’s final comment, which ends the episode, and the season. Hector has just applied for a job at a call center for a tech company (he finally got that tech job he always talked about, in a way). It sounds like a job with lots of room for advancement, but the employer has some concerns about Hector’s past, and arrests.
Asking if Hector is done with cartels and gangs, Hector gives a strong, emotional speech. He’s 26 years old with nothing but a limp and scars to show for it. He’s worn down by his old life, and all he knows is he has a girlfriend and a little girl who needs her daddy to straighten up (we see Hector seeing a quick mental flash of the two girls in his life as he speaks).
The job interview ends with Hector admitting he only has a few years of a high-school education, but he likes to read. “What do you read?” the interviewer asks with interest, and it seems like he is somewhat taken with Hector’s passionate speech about what he now wants from life. Perhaps Hector himself only realizes what he wants in that moment.
We next cut to Hector meeting a waiting Sibila in the car. He can’t contain his excitement, and eventually reveals he got the job, to her excitement, as well. Hector says they should stop at a store and get him a new shirt, because he wants to look good on the job. “You’ll be on the phone,” she reminds him. “You don’t need a new shirt.”
“But I feel like a new shirt,” Hector exclaims, almost laughing with giddiness over the new possibilities in his life. “I feel … I feel like …”
And then the episode ends, before he can describe what he is feeling. Perhaps because it is indescribable, his new sense of hope, and of a future. Or perhaps we can just fill in the blanks for ourselves.
It’s also a question viewers might ask of themselves, following the episode. How do we feel about what has happened, and what might happen, to these characters? The season certainly ran the gamut, and each person was put through the wringer, and it’s probably right that we leave them in whatever peace they can find at this point.
“The conclusion, I think, will give everyone a sense of closure, a sense of completion,” said costar Benito Martinez, at a recent event. “You’ve lived with these characters for 11 weeks, and you’re going to be able to say goodnight to them and finish that journey with them.”
It will be up to us to wonder and think about where they go from here, since, although American Crime was renewed for a second season this week, it will not be featuring these characters.
“It’s a completely different scenario and a completely different crime, placed in a different part of America,” ABC Entertainment President Paul Lee said earlier this week of American Crime Season 2, which will debut in midseason 2016. He said that John Ridley has “very specific new roles” for some cast members from American Crime‘s first season. So it is taking a page out of the American Horror Story playbook.
“I’m looking at the here and the now, and what kind of stories are out there that deserve to be told, need to be told, that people can’t see anywhere else,” Ridley said about Season 2.
“I thought it was a baller move on ABC’s part,” said Felicity Huffman, of the show’ renewal. “Those people have ovaries, and I take my hat off to them. I think it can be a gamechanger for network TV.”
American Crime has already been a gamechanger for network TV, and it will be fascinating to see where it goes from here. For my part, actors I’d like to see returning for Season 2 would be Felicity Huffman, Timothy Hutton, Elvis Nolasco, Regina King, Glendyllis Inoa, Caitlin Gerard, for starters. Although you couldn’t go wrong with any of the actors in this show, which was exceptionally well cast even down to its background extras in its very successful effort at keeping it real.
Between now and then, there should be plenty of awards for American Crime. It’s been nominated for some Critics Choice Television Awards, and should get plenty of Emmy love, as well.
What about you? What did you think of the season finale, and the season as a whole? What actors do you think should return for Season 2, and what sort of crime and location would you like to see featured? Let us know in the comments section!
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Photos: ABC/Ryan Green
I really enjoyed American Crime. I have never missed a minute of it. I hope the series will be on for a very long time
Thank goodness for On Demand. I’ve watched the show a few times. I am thoroughly hooked. At first I had no feeling about the characters and I wanted to know why. A good t.v show gives the viewer something to take away from the story. With American Crime, I am enthralled by the story line, the characters, the writing, the acting, the dialogue and whatever is said and not said in the entire presentation. Thank you so much for such thoughtful well scripted and directed program.
American Crime is the best series I have ever watched. The best acting and best story line. I have not been interested in any show for so long and this series has me hooked. All of the actors are breathtaking with their acting. The show should definitely go on.
It took a few episodes only because it was so hard to watch such hurt, but hooked me thoroughly. Still can’t stop thinking about Aubrey’s walk from her room, past the nursery and her smiling”shhhh” to the babies, almost floating by. She was outstanding, as were the actors playing Hector and Carter. and of course Barb and Russ. I was introduced to the Wire within the last year, and watched that without much sleep – that was and is my ultimate favorite series, especially the season about the school system in Baltimore — this is close second. Keep up for next season the great work! TV that makes you think, cry, hurt, and question.
Thanks for all the thoughts, everyone. It’s clear the show has gotten a lot of people thinking.
Lets not bring current real life events to a great TV series. I feel it could only divide America even more.
Emmy-worthy? Absolutely! Why? One fan presents exhibit A:
This entire series was breathtaking!The writing was superb the acting was incredible across the board and the presentation was excellent! This was a truly realistic glimpse into the American psychy. Felicity Huffman and Regina King especially deserve Emmies! It’s a shame more people haven’t gotten into this show. I honestly believe some find that it hits too close to home,but for me that’s the beauty of it. We must be able to view life from each other’s point of view if there’s ever to be any real growth or unityunity. How can we get along if we lack empathy for one another? Excellent series, glad its been renewed!
American Crime – great story, great story telling, best cinematography ever on a TV series (better than most movies), incredible acting, incredible acting, incredible acting. No condescension. No two dimensional characters. High Art. Best TV series I have ever seen, by far. I only wish more people, many more people had experienced it. If America ever has “the conversation” we talk about so much, this series should be seen before anyone says a word.
American Crime was true to life in that there was something to like and something to dislike about all the characters. The writing, the acting, and the direction was outstanding. It is very rare when network television aires a program that is so strong and honest. The issues of race, politics, religion, economics, poverty, immigration, and law and order are around us every day.
Being promised everything will be revealed and then not finding out what actually happened was very disappointing. If it was not going to be revealed then teasers should not have said it was!!! Not cool! Also I hated Barb so great acting! I also really enjoyed the acting by actors playing Hector, Aubry, and Carter.
Oh my goodness what away to end a series first season!!!!!!!!! I wish the best for “American Crime” that it keep getting better and have a very long journey ahead on televison. I shed tears for Carter Nix, and Aubrey these two deserve emmies for the their brillant performances as lovers with serious issues. I first find out about this series through a friend and have fellen in love with the series, it has been years since i have made it a point to make sure to be home to watch it, i found out about the series about a month ago.
The character of Aubry was simply sensational as were most all of the actors. Just like life doesn’t usually turn out the way you want it to as well as many questions left unanswered, this was superb writing, casting, and a finale that surprised yet satisfied. I am glad that some redeeming qualities were apparent, but thought it was very realistic.
I loved this series, but was a little disappointed in the final episode. I really liked Carter and Russ and was sad that they both had to die. It was never determined who actually did the killing. Only the wife knew what happened and was not allowed to tell? But that was the point, right? To me the best part of the series was the character development in the first two episodes. This is so important when reading a good book or watching a TV series. Whatever you do please bring back Elvis Nolasco, he was amazing and nailed his character. So did Timothy Hutton and Felicity Huffman. I will look forward to the next season. John Ridley is the best.There are very few TV shows that I look forward to seeing. The last one was The Closer. Also thank you ABC for taking a chance with this wonderful show.
My first thoughts on American Crime were predictably passive; what more could be said about the epidemic that is American crime? But, from the first episode, Russ’s gut-wrenching agony after learning of his son’s death touched a nerve with me. There is something happening here.
It was at times challenging to avoid getting caught up in the stereotypes of the different characters, yet there was a latent humanity that was at times within reach, and always hoped for by the viewer. Weekly discussions with my dentist (an African American student) were anticipated with the reality of what we were seeing, followed by introspection into how the soulful nature of each character, while flawed, offered vast hope and possibility for their individual redemption, even though some were destined to fail.
To say the least, the characters were, for the most part, well defined. Tim Hutton’s nervous energy was palpable and Regina King is laser like in her commitment to character, as always. But I also think special attention should be paid to Elvis Nolasco and Richard Cabral. I felt a very strong connection to the goodness in each of them, and am sad to see them go. Perhaps the deepest reaction to this short series is to reveal to us just how alike we all are, how flawed, how damaged, and undeniably good.
I look forward to the work of the next episode of American Crime.
Nice thoughts, Richard, thanks.
Am I missing something? Who absolutelykilled Matt?
American Crime had me from the first time I saw the commercials about it. When the program began I was also watching Empire. It has been many, many years, that I have eagerly awaited TV time. I have my shows, actually shows that my husband and I watch together, recorded or in the moment. A time where things stop, I stop, and I watch, and take in what I am seeing. American Crime had me involved in each episode, unfortunately seeing parallels from my family, sometimes so strong it was difficult to watch, difficult to not just cry to the point I couldn’t see. I will miss the show, the finale was gut wrenching, heart breaking, optimistic and hopeful with a touch of joy.
Well said, thank you for the feedback.
Johnny Ortiz should definitely return for the new series. I was very impressed by his portrayal of Tony, especially considering his relative inexperience.
As for next season’s storyline, it would be very interesting if they followed an incident similar to what’s happening in Baltimore (or Ferguson, or any number of American cities) right now. I’d like to see how John Ridley would dramatize the situation.
Yes, I agree on both counts.
Lets not bring real life events to a great TV series. I feel it could only divided America even more. Jim69