Acting an asset in show that puts morality to test

Television’s continuing fascination with analyzing a crime from several sides has produced inviting series that remind us of the degrees of morality beyond absolute guilt or innocence in any human story.

Shows such as “American Crime Story” and “Law & Order: True Crime” have come a long way from the cops-andlawyers setup of the original “Law & Order.”

ABC’s “American Crime” was among the best of these shows for three seasons until its regrettable cancellation in May. One of its stars, the Emmywinning Regina King, stars in the new Netflix series “Seven Seconds,” whose first season will be available for streaming on Friday.

King’s presence is only one of the reasons the new show evokes memories of “American Crime,” making comparisons unavoidable.

“Seven Seconds” was created by Veena Sud, her first new show since the groundbreaking “The Killing,” which premiered in 2011.

The new series focuses on how life, in a matter of seconds, can radically change direction — for the victim, the perpetrator and many others.

Peter Jablonski (a superb Beau Knapp) is driving his SUV on a snow-packed road through a northern New Jersey park, using his cellphone because his wife, Marie (Michelle Veintimilla), has gone into early labor. He hits something, stops the car and sees a child’s bike under his wheels when he gets out.

What happens next cannot be undone — a fact reinforced often by the series.

Jablonski is convinced by fellow Jersey City cops, including Mike Diangelo (David Lyons), to flee the scene. We so much want him to make the right decision, knowing that what he is about to do will inevitably catch up with him, but Jablonski caves.

We don’t see the face of the injured bike rider for quite a while, just flashes here and there, but he is the teenage son of Isaiah and Latrice Butler (Russell Hornsby and King). Their lives, of course, are profoundly affected by those seven seconds, as are the lives of Jablonski and his wife and the lives of Jersey City detective Joe “Fish” Rinaldi (Michael Mosley) and a young, alcoholic assistant district attorney named KJ Harper (Clare-Hope Ashitey).

Rinaldi is driven to uncover the truth, suspecting involvement by the cops. One of his challenges is to keep KJ sober enough to focus on the case.

The series moves too slowly, slogging from character to character, taking its not-so-sweet time trying to make sure we haven’t missed the point and, in doing so, constantly underestimating the audience.

But “Seven Seconds” is often redeemed by superb performances from actors who are constantly called on to make the best of overwritten and not-always-credible dialogue.

King serves as the emotional center of the story, but Knapp, Mosley, Lyons, Gretchen Mol (as a cold-blooded defense attorney) and especially Ashitey give equally effective performances.

KJ Harper is a troubled, complex character, and Ashitey wisely underplays the role to make her credible and empathetic.

As the story builds, so does the excess.

I would have gladly given Sud a few extra seconds to edit “Seven Seconds” into the series that it wants to be — and that the cast and audience deserve.