Scott Turow's legal thriller, Presumed Innocent, was first picked up for an adaptation in 1990. With Harrison Ford as its lead, the movie performed fairly well among critics. Owing to this, when Apple TV decided to adapt the book for the small-screen again, it became hard not to wonder how the new show would change the original story's compelling twists and turns.
Surprisingly, even the Apple TV show managed to leave its mark. It perfectly combined the procedural court drama from shows like The Lincoln Lawyer with psychological thriller elements from compelling movies like Gone Girl. Presumed Innocent season 2 is officially in the works, and it seemingly has the potential to further elevate the Apple TV series.
Apple TV’s Presumed Innocent Can Become 1 Of The Greatest Legal Thrillers Of The Decade
In Presumed Innocent season 1, the overarching murder mystery alone was compelling enough to keep most viewers hooked throughout the show's runtime. Adding to that, intense performances from Jake Gyllenhaal, Chase Infiniti, Renate Reinsve, Peter Sargaard, and Ruth Neega further elevated the series, almost giving it a prestige TV feel.
While the season was also weighed down by a few genre conventions and predictable story beats, its true strength came from its gripping portrayal of the anatomy of a messy marriage. On paper, none of its flawed and morally complex characters should have been rootable. However, the show brilliantly finds a way to make all of them feel deeply human and relatable, which further raises the stakes of its drama.
After a strong season 1, Presumed Innocent seems to have all the right ingredients to rise in the ranks and find its place among the best thrillers of the decade. Right now, it is still not up there because of its inability to defy a few genre conventions. However, its season 2 pivot to an anthology format gives it the opportunity to level up.
Since the show's season 1 tells a complete and well-rounded story, it would not have made a lot of sense for it to continue the same story. Another season with another murder mystery involving the same characters would have felt forced. By taking the anthology route, Presumed Innocent is already on the right path to bring something novel to the table and potentially rectify some of season 1's issues.
Presumed Innocent Season 1 Fell Short Of Being Perfect, But Season 2 Can Be Epic
Presumed Innocent season 2 will adapt Jo Murray's Dissection of a Murder, which has no underlying connections with the Scott Turow book season 1 adapted. Dissection of a Murder focuses on a relatively new attorney, Leila Reynolds, who lands her first big case. She is expected to defend a man accused of murdering a high-profile judge.
What makes this case even more complicated is that her husband stands against her in court as the prosecutor. In Presumed Innocent season 2, Leila Reynolds will be played by Emmy winner Rachel Brosnahan. Other big names like Matthew Rhys, Jack Reynor, Fionna Shaw, Courtney B. Vance, and Lesley-Ann Brandt are also a part of the show's new roster.
With so much seemingly going in Presumed Innocent season 2's favor, it seems like it has the potential to be as good as season 1, if not better. If it proves to be better, the Apple TV show will finally find its place among the genre's best. Hopefully, its upcoming installment will not disappoint and eventually pave the way for more follow-ups in the future.
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