‘The Sinner’ goes to a dark place in USA Network series

In the USA Network’s new series “The Sinner,” Jessica Biel plays a successful businesswoman and mother. She works with her husband, Mason (Christopher Abbot), and they seem to get along fine.

At home, his sexual advances are met with mixed signals. Later, on a day trip to the beach with the family, Cora swims out beyond everyone and submerges herself as if she wants to drown out what is troubling her.

She does return to shore, but as everyone else is enjoying their time in the sun, Cora’s face darkens and she viciously attacks a seeming stranger with a knife.

Quickly subdued and then arrested, Cora confesses. Besides, there were dozens of witnesses, the question quickly becomes is not about guilt or innocence or extenuating circumstances but how mentally disturbed is Cora?

She can’t explain her behavior. Only rumpled Detective Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman) isn’t convinced, though he is an outlier. As the justice system — mostly made up of men — grinds on determining her fate, Harry starts digging.

Obviously, there’s something more going on for this to be plotted out over the eight-episodes of the limited series. “The Sinner” is moodily set up by Antonio Campos (“Christine”) so that it will intrigue people. The story is certainly dark, and as the process goes on seems darker. Mason begins falling apart, and elements of Cora’s past reveal some disturbing secrets.

Biel is suitably enigmatic as the distressed Cora, and Pullman is quite fine in a role that is a trope in these sorts of mysteries. Whether “The Sinner” pays off in the end, will depend on how much you embrace the darkness.

PHOTO BY BROWNIE HARRIS — USA NETWORK Shown from left are, Jessica Biel as Cora Tannetti, Christopher Abbott as Mason Tannetti in “The Sinner.”

PHOTO BY BROWNIE HARRIS — USA NETWORK Bill Pullman as Detective Harry Ambrose in “The Sinner.”