Crimes on cable: Fox premieres drama anthology ‘Accused’
As many TV viewers, moviegoers, podcast listeners and avid readers will already know, crime sells. Whether it is presented as true and detailed coverage of real-life cases or as wild and imaginative fiction thought up by a creative author, human beings have always been known to show a morbid interest in criminal activity and what could drive one of their own to commit cruel and potentially deadly acts. On Sunday, Jan. 22, Fox premieres “Accused,” a new anthological drama series exploring the decisions that lead ordinary people to commit terrifying atrocities when they feel they have no other choice.
According to Fox, each new episode of the series is said to be a “fast-paced provocative thriller, exploring a different crime in a different city with an entirely original cast.” One part procedural and two parts crime thriller, Fox’s “Accused” is based on the BBC One series of the same name, which first premiered in the U.K. in 2010 and ran for two seasons. Interestingly, as British series tend to have shorter (often six-episode) seasons, Fox’s adaptation of the
BAFTA-winning show created by Jimmy McGovern (“Moving On”) will eclipse the original in length by the end of its freshman run, coming in at 15 episodes versus the U.K.’s total of 10.
Similar to its across-the-pond counterpart, however, this new iteration of “Accused” begins each new episode in the courtroom, introducing the titular accused party before explaining their crimes, their motives or who their victims are. Another aspect that makes this series unique is the point of view from which the stories are told. While most procedurals and crime dramas adopt the perspective of either the victim or the law enforcement officials assigned to the case, “Accused” puts viewers in the hottest seat by presenting them with the supposed criminal’s outlook — regardless of how accurate or unreliable it may prove to be in the end.