Aden Young
Abigail Spencer
J. Smith-Cameron
Adelaide Clemens
Clayne Crawford
Luke Kirby
Bruce McKinnon
Jake Austin Walker

Created by:
Ray McKinnon

2013-
Drama
Sundance
TV-14

“Rectify” is a show with very dark themes, but it addresses those themes with a surprisingly gentle tone (for the most part). It’s the opposite of what you would expect from a show about a former death row inmate who was released due to new DNA evidence. He still may have done the crime, though. That juxtaposition makes this show unique; there’s nothing else like it on television.

The pace is fairly slow, especially at the beginning of the first season, so this may not be for everyone. However, they earn that pace; it’s warranted. In addition, the acting is thoroughly excellent, led by Aden Young’s performance as the former death row inmate (Daniel Holden) at the center of this show. Similarly, the writing has depth without being overdone: There’s dialogue when you need it, and no dialogue when you don’t. These people know what they’re doing.

“Rectify” touches on many themes in unexpectedly subtle ways. Those themes include identity, perception, change, uncertainty, freedom, family, love and loss, friendship, forgiveness, justice, and rehabilitation. Everything here is unforced and authentic; it just feels right. But there’s always something rumbling just beneath the surface. …

We really don’t know what to think about Daniel by the end of the first season, and the first episode of the second season picks things up right where they were left off, both plot-wise and tone-wise. We’re thrown right back into things. However, overall, the second season doesn’t have the same build-up as the first season. It’s not as consistent from episode to episode. It just doesn’t draw you in as much as the first season did. However, it’s still very good. And the second season finale is well-played, especially by Young. So, while “Rectify” still hasn’t entered great territory for me, it’s very close. …

The first episode of the third season is a reminder of what makes this series highly effective: the expertly slow pacing, the spot-on acting and writing, the confident directing, and the authentic styling. It’s like an old sweater that just feels right every time you put it on. The story keeps getting deeper and deeper, and, somehow, it avoids being frustrating even as we remain in the dark regarding what Daniel did or didn’t do. I’m hoping for a great season this time, and I just might get it. …

And I did. The third season of “Rectify” is the best season so far. It’s certainly my favorite. It’s consistent, even more so than the first two seasons, and it maximizes the full potential of the show’s story. It achieves greatness. You see, the writing’s the thing: It’s specific and considered. While it’s idiosyncratic, too, it feels just right. You just know that there are people who talk like this; they must.

A perfect match to the writing is the acting: It’s so subtle, yet crystal clear. You could mistake most of the performances as delicate, but, actually, they’re strong and deep. J. Smith Cameron, as Daniel’s mother, does a particularly beautiful job of conveying that distinction this season. Her character finally comes into her own without announcing it in any way. (Love it.)

Watching “Rectify” is like being in an acting class or in a small theater when a scene clicks into place. It’s not a showy scene. No. It’s a scene that draws you in. You hold your breath as you watch it and hope that no one makes a sound. The spell has been cast.

Verdict: Very, Very Good to Great

About: (Source: rectify)

Season 1

After spending 19 years on Death Row for the rape and murder of his teenage girlfriend, Daniel Holden is going home. His conviction has been vacated due to new DNA evidence, thrusting him back into a world he no longer knows. Having spent his adult life waiting to die, Daniel must now learn how to live again. But, his reentry into the outside world may be as unforgiving as prison. He is haunted by the past, dogged by the present, and uncertain of the future. As he struggles to adapt to his new life, his return will reignite the fears of a small town and threaten to shatter his family’s fragile peace. Daniel’s alleged crime divided a community. His freedom could tear it in half.