Rectified may be more of a miniseries than a series but The Sundance Channel has promoted it so heavily, you’d be forgiven for thinking they have high hopes for its commercial prospects.
It follows a man who has just recently been “freed” from death row (he’s not fully exonerated, just released from jail…the DA could re-file charges at any time, creating some tension in the first couple episodes as well as with members of his family who aren’t entirely sure he’s innocent) and now struggles to re-adjust to the banalities of life in the small Georgia town he grew up in, his family currently lives in, and also where the murders took place. The first two episodes aired tonight, with a third already available on-demand.
This is a sporadically strong show that lulls you into a state of near-boredom with its deliberate pace before unleashing a standout moment. [Not unlike the episode two moment where the main character’s clueless stepbrother tries to take him golfing, and has his “normal gesture” upended with talk of the living hell that was life on death row.] I particularly enjoyed Abigail Spencer as the main character’s fiercely supportive sister, and Hal Holbrook (not showing up until episode 3) as the original defense lawyer. So far, every episode has been just a little bit stronger than the one before it, and if you like your television slow-building with unexpected payoffs, then this is probably a good fit for you. Grade: B+