American Crime

[bjluver80]

Maybe I just missed it, but I'm surprised that there's not more conversation about the ABC series American Crime during this season. At the heart of the story are two gay high school students. This is not lovey-dovey stuff, but difficult story lines. And it doesn't hurt that the two students are extremely hot. Is it just me watching this show?

[Reluctant Daddy]

Just Googled it and it looks quite good. Have to give it a try if it's On Demand

[nycguy]

To expand a bit on the show. It started its second season this January. Each season focuses on a different story line. Last season was about racial issues. This season is about an alleged rape of a male student by the co-captain of the basketball team. Critical acclaim is virtually unanimous. It is one of the best, most realistic dramas ever. Each episode introduces new complexities between Eric (the alleged rapist) and Taylor (the alleged victim.) It is unclear if it was a brutal rape or consensual sex.

 

There have been 5 episodes so far this season. It is available On Demand. If you start watching it, be prepared to binge watch because you will get hooked on it.

[body2body]

This show is so well written and acted it is almost beyond belief that it is on network television. I love that they have used many of the same actors from the first season in very different roles for the second season. I don't think there has ever been a television series, or film for that matter, that has dealt with coming out, rape, race relations, educational inequality. Some of the episodes have been brutal. When the first season premiered to critical acclaim the writer revealed the show had originally been developed for HBO, and they had decided not to order it. I'm happy that ABC picked it up. It is wonderful.

[MrMiniver]

Maybe I just missed it, but I'm surprised that there's not more conversation about the ABC series American Crime during this season. At the heart of the story are two gay high school students. This is not lovey-dovey stuff, but difficult story lines. And it doesn't hurt that the two students are extremely hot. Is it just me watching this show?

 

I didn't care for the first season but this second season is quite compelling. I'm not sure both of the students are gay. It seems the student who may or may not have been raped is at least bi-sexual. I would say the heart of the story is the chilling headmaster played in all delicious evil by Felicity Huffman. Every time she is on the screen she gives me chills. I also love the subversiveness of making the powerful wealthy family trying to protect their messed up son as black. Regina King is knocking out of the park as the angry privileged mother who will literally do anything to protect her son's future.

 

It's been a brutal series so far but I'm always completely interested. I am very much wondering where it is going. I can't figure it out which is a sign of great writing.

[MikeyGMin]

It is fantastic writing and acting, but almost too gritty for me. I never feel good after watching an episode. I like to be relaxed and entertained by TV -- not feel like I've been hit by a Mack truck. I'm sticking with this season, but I bailed on the last season. It was just too hard to watch.

 

I'm a big fan of BBC television because I think they can do gritty without it being so awful that you have to go to bed and sleep it off.

[notforme]

oh i an riveted by both seasons. there are such complexities in the story lines. acting is top notched huffman , king and lili taylor. in both seasons there is a point where you watching and thinking oh no don't making like the waltons. however they plowed through showing all shades of their story.

[Rod Hagen]

I hated the first seasons so much, felt so cheated by the end of it, I let this second one pass. OOPS.

[Reluctant Daddy]

So, I'm all set to binge watch It this weekend, and ABC has decided to pull Episode 1 from the On Demand line up.

[Samai139]

Did not see the first year but began watching this year based on an interview with Felicity Huffman. The fist episode turned me off with its host of unresolved issues and brutality. But I watched the second episode and was hooked. The writing, acting, directing are all first-class, especially for network tv.(Easy to see that it was originally targeted for HBO).

There are so many "issues" examined and the pace is so fast that I am never bored---very unusual for a network series. For those who have little experience with schools, public and private and how teachers, administrators, parents react to problems and attempt to solve them, cover them up or ignore them, this series may be a revelation. But trust me, it comes very very close to reality.

From sports to racial conflicts, wealthy families to blue-collar families, sexual orientation to bigotry. It's all over and presented with a maturity that is truly refreshing.

Highly recommend American Crime Season Season Two and hope it receives critical acclaim and popularity.

[+ purplekow]

I live very close to Sayreville High School which had an episode of hazing with freshmen being sodomized. This happened about 3 years or so ago. This show touches all the hot button issues, adding in race, economic inequity and in a separate story line, black on Latino racism. It is hard to breath after an episode and the writing is just so fucking smart and the acting amazing. Overlooked gem.

[MrMiniver]

It is fantastic writing and acting, but almost too gritty for me. I never feel good after watching an episode. I like to be relaxed and entertained by TV -- not feel like I've been hit by a Mack truck. I'm sticking with this season, but I bailed on the last season. It was just too hard to watch.

 

I'm a big fan of BBC television because I think they can do gritty without it being so awful that you have to go to bed and sleep it off.

 

I like complexity and like to be challenged. I don't see art as something that should feel like a warm glass of milk. But that's just me.

[+ purplekow]

This last episode, episode 7 of season 2, spun this series off in another direction. While it was not as surprising as it was disturbing, it raised a whole lot of new issues. Heart breaking and disturbing, I really do not know where this is going next. As compared to the more obvious writing on television procedurals, this series challenges your notions about every subject it touches. One cannot help by have one's beliefs shaken.

It does take time to evolve so it is an investment in time and it requires concentration. Not a "what happened while I got my drink" kind of show, you definitely have to be there to see for yourself.

[Rod Hagen]

So, I'm all set to binge watch It this weekend, and ABC has decided to pull Episode 1 from the On Demand line up.

 

They are available on Hulu and iTunes.

[MrMiniver]

This last episode, episode 7 of season 2, spun this series off in another direction. While it was not as surprising as it was disturbing, it raised a whole lot of new issues. Heart breaking and disturbing, I really do not know where this is going next. As compared to the more obvious writing on television procedurals, this series challenges your notions about every subject it touches. One cannot help by have one's beliefs shaken.

It does take time to evolve so it is an investment in time and it requires concentration. Not a "what happened while I got my drink" kind of show, you definitely have to be there to see for yourself.

 

The scene that sticks in my head more than any other ocurred, I think, it episode two. It's when the young man goes to be examined for his rape kit. The entire scene is done with the nurse talking but the camera focused in extreme close up on Connor Jessup's face. It was heart rending. He said more on that face in a couple minutes than most actors do in a lifetime of acting.

[spiro3]

Having finished the entire series recently, I agree with all the raves this second series is getting. Acting, directing, photography, everything is what any good cable series should be, let alone network. I even liked the creepy background noise in most scenes, like a window left open over a busy highway. It all kept me on the edge of my seat.

 

Not everyone will be satisfied with the way this series ended, but to me it seemed just right.

 

If you haven't watched this American Crime season yet, DOWNLOAD it now!

[Rod Hagen]

Can't wait to watch the season. Don't know when however. Have a few eps of this season's HOC, I'm also watching The Family, Billions, Bates Motel (because it's batshit crazy), tonight is the Nora Ephron doc, VEEP starts soon, Selfridges starts soon. Too much gay tv!

[Kevin Slater]

They are available on Hulu and iTunes.

 

Speaking of, a friend just introduced me to https://www.fan.tv/ . It tells you whether and where shows are streamable.

 

Kevin Slater

[TruHart1]

Having finished the entire series recently, I agree with all the raves this second series is getting. Acting, directing, photography, everything is what any good cable series should be, let alone network. I even liked the creepy background noise in most scenes, like a window left open over a busy highway. It all kept me on the edge of my seat.

 

Not everyone will be satisfied with the way this series ended, but to me it seemed just right.

 

If you haven't watched this American Crime season yet, DOWNLOAD it now!

I agree with all the positive comments about season 2 of American Crime here but to me the final episode seemed a bit rushed. I was later told by a friend that he'd read the original plan was to have two more episodes than they ended up shooting. For that reason the writers had to condense the original 3 episodes into the one final episode.

 

TruHart1

[+ purplekow]

Having finished the entire series recently, I agree with all the raves this second series is getting. Acting, directing, photography, everything is what any good cable series should be, let alone network. I even liked the creepy background noise in most scenes, like a window left open over a busy highway. It all kept me on the edge of my seat.

 

Not everyone will be satisfied with the way this series ended, but to me it seemed just right.

 

If you haven't watched this American Crime season yet, DOWNLOAD it now!

Count me among those who felt the rushed nature of the last episode after the deliberate pace of the previous ones. I thought perhaps that the point was to show how quickly things can start to move once they have been set in motion. Now to here is wa just because of a hort order on the series, it at once conforming that there would have been better ways to make the point and disheartening that whomever had insight into this show did not see the need for more time.

[+ WilliamM]

Count me among those who felt the rushed nature of the last episode after the deliberate pace of the previous ones. I thought perhaps that the point was to show how quickly things can start to move once they have been set in motion. Now to here is wa just because of a hort order on the series, it at once conforming that there would have been better ways to make the point and disheartening that whomever had insight into this show did not see the need for more time.

 

For me, the last several episodes felt rushed, and not at the same high level as the rest of the series. Perhaps I should watch those final episodes again.

 

Too bad one of the premium cable stations did not pick up American Crime. Each episode had a few cut away moments to 'protect' the public from language or whatever. I did not bother me. However, the cut moments always reminded me that American Crime had moved beyond regular TV.

[+ purplekow]

The cuts were clearly more bothersome than whatever they cut would have been.

[Rod Hagen]

Just watched it. It's on Netflix now https://www.netflix.com/search/american cr?jbv=80024103&jbp=0&jbr=0

 

I've always loved ambiguous endings, but I REALLY wanted a more conclusive ending. This may be a better ending, but it's not what I wanted, lol.

 

But don't let my complaint, and the "rushed" complaints above, about the final ep dissuade you from watching: It's a Very very good season, MUCH better than the first season. And while I'm sure most of you will melt over Taylor

 

http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTgzMDU1NDg2M15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwODQ2NjEzODE@._V1_.jpg

 

Or Eric (ha ha, life is complex and so this show will make you like an accused rapist)

 

 

(or both), Eric's dad made me stand up and notice. That beard!

 

http://i.vimeocdn.com/video/555874916_1280x720.jpg

[MrMiniver]

I thought the season was amazing and the Academy's failure to nominate Taylor Jessup for his amazing performance is a crime in itself.