Reviewer Rating: 4.5/5.0
4.5
“Imagine me falling into the pain of poverty…”
Yes, there is a quote from Tupac that stuck in my mind while watching The Accused Season 2 Episode 4 and Michael Chiklis’ masterful return to the show.
If you’re a music fan with eclectic tastes, you know that the intersection between rap and country music lies in storytelling that often provides a voice to disenfranchised communities and, ironically, society Like convincing that these communities are more different than similar.
But that’s clearly not the case, both in vast rural communities and in cities, from Appalachia to Rust Belt towns like the ones reported on this hour.
So it’s possible for two different musical genres to convey the same message and resonate so deeply.
The best music has that kind of impact, and television can have that kind of impact too if it’s done right.
That’s perhaps why, at this particular moment in “The Accused,” a late rap icon who spoke so honestly about poverty came to mind, showing the desolation and desperation of small Rust Belt towns and what it’s like to escape them. desire.
You know what else came to mind while watching this episode? Two wonderful series capture a similar vibe: American Rust and Horses of Easttown.
I highly recommend both.
What The Accused does in this one is capture the differences of the working class so well and add deep context to each character’s motivations to better understand how each is able to do what they do. .
Frankly, I loved “The Accuser” because it explored a class of people that doesn’t appear in most stories.
Given the subject matter, it was fitting that the hour focused on how one sport played such an important role in what happened.
Joining hands with those who long to escape, wherever they are, is their dream and the means through whichever movement can give them the opportunity to achieve this goal.
It’s a familiar story, whether it’s a kid from humble beginnings pursuing basketball or football in a big city, or a similar kid pursuing wrestling in the Midwest and heartland.
Sports as an outlet is more of an American reality than an American dream, and “Justin’s Story” captures this well at different stages.
I’m fascinated by how well Michael Chiklis embodies his character and incorporates all these nuances into his every move and performance.
You immediately find yourself drawn to this coach who seems passionate about helping his students achieve their dreams.
Coaching was everything to him, but more importantly, the drive to be the best, to escape a hopeless town with no opportunities and find success elsewhere was everything to him.
It seemed to take over his dream after an injury in college crushed his chances of leaving.
It says it all and confirms how difficult things can be, and how the pitfalls of where you come from and the position you’re born into can still ensnare you and keep you stuck, no matter what you do.
Justin was a hot star in high school, a talented athlete who was “going out into the world” and attending college at an Ivy League school on a wrestling scholarship and possibly the Olympics.
But all it takes is one serious injury to postpone a dream, and given his low pay and lack of opportunity, Justin immediately returned to the town he thought he was escaping to coach a sport he could no longer pursue for himself.
In many ways, he poured all the hopes and dreams that life and circumstances had taken away from him into students who he believed had a real chance of achieving something.
While this means his intentions are good, it also means he puts a lot of pressure on these boys, especially TJ.
When you go through what Justin went through, you don’t want anyone else to go through the same thing.
He sacrificed a lot to get to a certain place in his life, including presumably the love of his life, Erica, but it didn’t get him anywhere.
Justin can be a folk hero and a cautionary tale, and that’s how most people in the community view Justin.
From the moment we see them on screen, it’s clear to us that Justin really loves TJ.
He looks at him like he’s his own son, to the point where I wonder if that’s actually the case given the history and obvious chemistry between Justin and Erica.
Maybe part of the reason he liked TJ was that he knew he would be his son in another world if things were different.
They never delve deeper into what led to Justin and Erica’s high school sweethearts breaking up years ago.
The series leaves it up in the air, leaving you to consider many factors, or a combination of them all: He wants to focus on wrestling.
Justin knows that if he remains hopelessly loyal to the woman he loves, or that his father’s mean attitude might extend to seeing his son date someone of a different race, or that Erica is a real distraction for him of people could have stopped him and let him return to their town.
But whatever happened between them, Justin broke up with her after she helped him move into a dormitory, and there’s clearly still a lot of feelings flowing between them.
No wonder her husband is so jealous. Their rivalry started in high school and extended to his anguish over how Justin clearly still loved Erica and how TJ viewed Justin as a father figure.
Sadly, one can even understand TJ’s point of view.
It’s not that he isn’t proud of his father, but he seems genuinely afraid that he’ll be like him, stuck in a financially struggling town working some dead-end job that he hates just to support his family. For the sake of my family, I barely survive.
He wants more for himself and his family, and his father doesn’t seem to realize this, or is too proud to admit that he desires this too.
Instead, he thinks TJ looks down on him as a worker, and resents TJ for seeing Justin as his true hero.
One can sympathize with all this, which is one of the many reasons why this moment is so important.
Understanding the perspectives of the key players can have a greater impact on the complexity of the situation.
One of the most striking and effective moments was when they revealed that TJ was a twin.
This was a twist I didn’t see coming, and based on this revelation, the characters and their motivations took on extra layers.
TJ’s dad probably thought wrestling was impossible and a waste of time, especially since he saw where Justin ended up. TJ is focused on a real job, which may be more pressing for their family.
He couldn’t even fathom how they could afford part of TJ’s college tuition if the scholarship he received wasn’t a full scholarship.
It’s sad because it’s not that he doesn’t want the best for TJ, it’s that he’s too attached to reality and their family simply can’t take the risk.
What do you do when you’re too poor to dream…when you can’t even hope?
TJ’s father sees the bleak reality that his son, like Justin, will be stranded in their small town and need to find a more viable way to survive, while Erica has higher expectations for her son, with Some selfish, maternal desires.
To say that Erica sees TJ as a meal ticket makes it sound like she doesn’t care about her son at all, and sometimes it’s easier to blame parents who push their children in this way without understanding what they’re thinking. .
Erica knows what it’s like to want to leave that small town, and she talks about how desperate she is to face stocking the shelves for the next 50 years before she can afford to retire or pass away.
That’s part of the reason she and Justin are so connected. Her husband found some light, hope and comfort in their humble lives and inspired her to see the same.
It wasn’t until that conversation between the two outside the courthouse that it became clear how their marriage came to be and their love despite her feelings for Justin.
Erica couldn’t help but think about how difficult their lives were, and the expense and effort of supporting Nico, who faced challenges with health issues that they might barely be able to afford.
As a result, TJ is under pressure to be the best, to leave their small town, make a mark, and help his family, especially his twins, who need help of all kinds.
Such pressure could break anyone, and the hour also explores its impact on teenage athletes.
It makes sense that this drove him to take steroids in hopes of performing well enough to be discovered by talent scouts since his entire family and livelihood depended on it.
There was so much at stake, Justin understood, but couldn’t forgive when he learned the truth.
But he didn’t want to see this kid lose his ultimate move, so he covered for him when the time came.
The moment they took him into the bathroom I knew a urine test was coming and he was going to find a way to pee on TJ so he could pass.
He loves him very much; of course, he will, even though he doesn’t want him to take steroids.
Justin did his best to protect TJ’s future and the best interests of his children, but it wasn’t enough.
There are many stories of young athletes dying suddenly from heart problems, but when TJ fell, my heart clenched even though I knew it was going to happen.
It was frustrating to see how it all unfolded, with Justin having to stand trial for TJ’s death. Involuntary murder was a heavy charge for him.
Sadly, if his parents didn’t know about steroids and found out, they might as well have taken him off them and the results would have been the same.
Not to mention that after only three months of taking steroids, TJ’s heart tissue was a mess and he would likely still be in the same condition if he hadn’t quit the sport entirely.
Justin’s love for TJ landed him in the courtroom, while his love for Erica landed him in jail, covering for her.
It’s a fascinating showcase of what happens to the oppressed and economically disadvantaged who have few options.
I found Justin’s speech on the stand to be resonant because it was true – how all of his friends from that time onwards had died, overdosed, or died of suicide or alcoholism.
There’s also a good chance his students are going through the same thing.
The correlation between socioeconomic disadvantage and such a fate is too strong to ignore.
In the end, it felt like an inevitable sign of fate.
After all, despite Justin’s intentions and desires, he’s in jail, TJ is dead, and his parents will still be working their dead-end jobs, trying to make ends meet and take care of his brother.
The cycle never ends, and it’s hard to break, isn’t it?
Over to you, accused fanatic.
How do you feel about Justin’s judgment?
Will you tell Erica the truth about her involvement?
Let’s take a listen and see!
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