by Joseph Carlson
In 2013 The Sundance Channel tried it's hand in original programming and came out with a show called Rectify. The story revolves around Daniel Holden(Aden Young) who has almost 18 years on death row for raping and killing his girlfriend when he was 17. He gets a break when new DNA evidence is discovered and he is released.
The premise itself isn't only great but also the performance of the lead and cast. Since Daniel has spent so much time behind bars you actually see him start to unravel a bit after he gets let out of prison. He doesn't do anything violent or dangerous, but instead Aden Young does an amazing job of just showing how damaged and fractured Daniel really is.
The town also doesn't want Daniel around. Especially the town sheriff Carl Daggett(J.D. Evermore) and Senator Roland Foulkes(Michael O'Neil). We soon discover though that there may be something to the DNA evidence that was discovered and the whole narrative is turned inside out.
For me though although this is interesting the most fascinating thing about the show is the town's reaction to Daniel and the fact that he is not totally embraced with open arms when he returns. The family of his deceased girlfriend also don't want to see him come back and this creates tension in the town.
Daniel even has flashbacks to when he was in prison and even befriends the man in the cell next to him, Kerwin Whitman(Johnny Ray Gill). They talk through a vent in the floor and develop a really amazing friendship for never having met face to face.
All in all if you want to see an amazing story with solid acting and great pacing, check out Rectify on Netflix. Season 1 and 2 are streaming right now.
Let me know in the comments below what you think of the show.