First, as a writer, watching an hour-long episode with zero cuts is stunning. I’ve had to watch several videos of how they achieved this, the camera always recording, always moving and following the story. I’m still wrapping my brain around what was done here. Simply outstanding.
It strikes me that what makes this different from other television by doing that is the immediacy. Because there are no cuts, it feels real. There is no editing. What you see is what plays out. It’s almost reality tv. It’s as if you are participating in the story. Which is what’s intended because the story is something that is every parent’s worst nightmare. A child accused of murder.
This is not a who-done-it. It’s a why-done-it. Episode 3 is one of the finest episodes of television ever done and kudos to the actor and actress at the center of it. Owen Cooper is chilling in his debut role. And Erin Doherty as the psychologist is superb. You have to listen very carefully as she digs into his psyche and the moment he lapses in his denial almost passes unnoticed but in retrospect is glaring.
The series also focuses on the effect on the family of the perpetrator. Anyone who is a parent will relate to episode 4.
I’m not qualified to get into the psychology of the story, but it does show how a certain type of person will deny the most horrific things to the very end, no matter the cost to those around them. How their entire psyche is designed to protect themselves no matter who else it hurts. Most apropos for our current situation in the United States.
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