Reviewer Rating: 4/5.0
4
Should we punish those who offer hope?
Fox’s critically acclaimed anthology series The Accused returns with the first episode of its second season, and the show remains committed to delivering compelling character studies.
Hosted by Felicity Huffman, the hour was surprisingly quiet.
Accused Season 2 Episode 1 Slow Premiere
The Accused debuted on The Accused Season 1 Episode 1, starring Michael Chiklis, reigniting last year’s watercooler conversation.
It’s the perfect dramatic and shocking moment to draw viewers into the series and its unique format.
Everything we know about Accused Season 2 suggests the show intends to keep the momentum going with a star-studded, ever-changing cast that has us eagerly awaiting each installment.
One of the most intriguing casting choices is Felicity Huffman, who shares the screen with husband William H. Macy.
Surprisingly, the first episode of Season 2 of The Accused was incredibly low-key.
It brings us back to the series again, involving a psychic and two parents working their butts off while their children go missing.
Defendant tackles exploitation in true crime
There is always controversy when it comes to psychics working with law enforcement.
To skeptics, the interest of psychics lies in hopping on some of the most high-profile and emotionally charged cases involving missing or dead individuals in order to gain attention or money.
It’s not uncommon for law enforcement to have to sift through a flood of information about a case from people who have some twisted desire to get involved.
In these cases, the general public reacts poorly to psychics.
However, when we have a family member like Frank, who is desperately clinging to hope and looking for anything to keep his faith alive, the response to channeling reaches an all-time low.
It’s understandable that anyone would think Lorraine was an opportunist who wanted to exploit the pain of these parents for her own financial gain or attention.
She needed to contact her parents, tell them about her flashes and visions, and initiate contact.
Lorraine has to be willing to put herself into these situations because most people won’t actively seek her out.
This puts her in a position where she can easily be scrutinized and doubted about her intentions, which is the centerpiece of the entire hour.
The defendant never confirmed the thin line Lorraine walked
Lorraine was on trial for exploiting the family and hindering the investigation with what police believed was her “spiritualism”.
With Melissa’s help, the prosecution did a good job building its case and convincing the jury that Lorraine was interfering with the investigation and obstructing the police investigation when she objected to the jury’s confirmation of Rory’s incident.
She also lived with Melissa and Frank for several months, who helped her financially.
Frank paid for Lorraine’s hotel stay while she was in North Carolina, and they also paid for her travel expenses since she lived in another state.
However, even if the prosecution made some arguments, it would never be enough to prove Lorraine’s intentions.
A key part of trying to bring these charges against her is Boyd admitting that he killed Rory, which of course doesn’t do the prosecution any favours.
The police are just as flawed and untrustworthy as Lorraine
Any reasonable person could have seen and heard the video footage of Boyd’s confession and concluded that the man was led to confess.
Detectives offered him a deal and guaranteed he would receive some form of protection in prison because the nature of his crimes would anger other inmates.
It was clear the detective told him what to say during the interview.
It was the most persuasive piece of evidence in the trial and likely the key moment in the jury’s finding of Lorraine’s innocence.
Truth be told, Lorraine should never have been on trial in the first place, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t have ulterior motives and take advantage of these grieving parents and their broken relationships.
Felicity Huffman Elevates a Relatively Flat Character in The Accused Season 2 Episode 1
Lorraine, played by Felicity Huffman, is meek and sullen, with a humble demeanor but still maintaining an air of mystery.
Lorraine is a character designed to scratch your brain and make you unravel where you stand on the puzzle of the mind, and whether people like her are opportunistic liars or people with good intentions.
But the problem with Lorraine is that you’re never quite sure where she fits into all of this, and that ambiguity can apply to many variations of the defendant’s case, but it’s not the most compelling.
Much of the first episode of The Accused’s second season doesn’t bother to confirm or deny whether Lorraine actually has psychic powers, nor is it interested in weighing in on it.
Lorraine’s first moments are shocking.
Lorraine and Frank’s conspiracy dynamic in The Accused Season 2 Episode 1
She zoomed in on the case as soon as she saw the news, and her main interest was the reward the couple offered to anyone with information.
We quickly learn that Lorraine’s financial situation is dire.
She essentially lost her home and faced other problems.
Clearly, money was a motivating factor for Lorraine, and conveniently, her psychic gifts were an exercise in patience, leading to her living with Rory’s parents for several months.
She reassured Frank with tidbits that fueled his hopes at a time when his wife had to accept that their son was gone and they would never see him again.
Some of the information she shares may lead the couple to believe that she may be interpreted as a shot in the dark, while other information may be the result of her being highly observant or doing some research.
Lorraine is the final nail in the coffin for a grieving couple
For example, who doesn’t have a nut allergy these days?
But Lorraine’s description of her talent seems reasonable.
There was nothing flashy about what she was doing, and she didn’t have the extensive psychic cooperation with police that one would expect from a long-time fraudster.
She also has some connection to the recovery of a child nearly two decades ago, which works in her favor, even if everything revealed in court touches on that.
Lorraine also does a great job conveying the flaws in her talent and showing empathy on the witness stand.
She doesn’t exaggerate her abilities, and she’s never dealt with ridiculous ideas like foreseeing the future or anything.
The entire incident, including her brother’s death and the guilt behind it, won over the jury.
But it’s also one of the few moments where the audience seems to be able to connect with Lorraine on any level.
Defendant’s opener calls for bigger case
The Accused is a great series largely because it’s good at making us care about characters we’ve just met but won’t see again.
There’s more character development in a single episode than some shows do in a season.
But Lorraine didn’t have the same impact.
Aside from her moments in the stands, Lorraine’s strongest character moments were with Frank.
It’s interesting to see this married couple at odds with each other and ultimately heading for divorce because they can’t cope with the loss of their son together.
It’s not uncommon for traumatic events involving children to break up a couple’s relationship, and this was no exception.
However, Lorraine’s presence seemed to speed up the process, as they were on opposite ends of the spectrum of buying what Lorraine was capable of and what would happen if their son was actually dead.
Daniel Maslany wins season premiere MVP
Daniel Maslany was named MVP for the first episode of The Accused Season 2 for his heartbreaking and unforgettable performance.
Until his last moments, Frank held the unwavering hope and belief that his sons were still alive and that they would one day be found.
It was fascinating to see these parents sitting on opposite sides of the room.
Frank was a staunch supporter of Lorraine in everything she did, including the trial, where she was set up as Melissa’s last-ditch effort to get him on her side.
William H. Macy is underutilized
But other than that, Lorraine wasn’t a character that stood out to me, and her story could have been more engaging.
William H. Macy’s lack of performance in The Accused Season 2 Episode 1 was surprising and disappointing.
Over to you, accused fanatic.
Do you like the theme of this opening?
Do you think Rory is still alive and Lorraine is the real psychic?
Let’s hear all your thoughts below!
Watch Accused Online
