The Sinner

Season Two has only just begun its twists and turns. But so far, so good, with ample possibilities still in play while Harry’s head tries to stay in the game.

The exploration is carefully laid out so each twist is effectively teased, and it’s also made to be a good time, even when it gets dark. The cast of likable actors helps out on that front, and Letts, in particular, stands out early on as a good ol’ boy who’s almost too well-meaning to be trusted.

One of the greatest strengths of this season is its confidence in the compelling nature of the story itself to carry the day. Under the supervision of showrunner Derek Simonds, who also wrote the first episode, The Sinner takes twists and turns but is neither flashy nor heavy-handed. It’s straightforward, smart, and doesn’t condescend to its audience.

If the first few episodes are any indication, this is yet another disturbing/thought-provoking mystery worth unraveling.

Harry remains something of an inscrutable protagonist. It’s a credit to Pullman’s charisma (and his ability to infuse the character with an innate goodness) that such impenetrability isn’t alienating but, on the contrary, captivating. ... Alongside the sturdy Paul and disturbing Henig, they more than ably justify The Sinner’s continued existence--and help make it a late-summer saga of unconventional, and unnerving, thrills.

The Sinner deserves more than a passing glance, if for no other reason than to admire its balance: The core mystery is complicated but not overly so; the ambiguities are presented in terms of human flaws rather than philosophy tracts; the gore is politely measured out in necessary doses; the twists are plausible enough to pass muster; and, above all else, The Sinner’s pace and writing lure you in and resist the urge to drift, promising a conclusive wrap-up.

It may not be reinventing the wheel here, but it doesn’t need to. It’s a simple structure with a twisted story, and it’s good.

The plot twists are absurd, but the fine cast shimmers. [3 Aug 2018, p.53]

The Sinner is the Los Angeles Lakers and Carrie Coon is LeBron James.

[Bill Pullman as Detective Harry Ambrose is] not a great performance, but with its introductory quirks somewhat reduced, it's a sturdy and inquisitive one, allowing the new figures in the story to attract his attention and that of the viewers. Paul is comparably meant to be more solid than exciting. ... Coon is perfectly enigmatic, not quite the season's villain and yet utterly unsettling.

Coon proves a compellingly enigmatic and imperious figure, and not incidentally has the chance to share billing with her real-life husband, Tracy Letts, who appears as an old pal of Harry's.

Some of the storytelling feels less refined than last year--people often sound like they’re over-explaining everything or verbalizing every question flitting through their minds when more subtlety would make for more effective drama--but the cast is again strong enough that The Sinner could again be an addictive summer distraction right when we need it.

Skeletons from Harrry's past further rattle his composure in an atmospheric tale that might be just the thing for those who find HBO's similarly unnerving Sharp Objects too pokey. [23 Jul - 5 Aug 2018, p.11]

Too much of what Season 2 presents feels dully familiar, less playing with genre tropes than serving them back up, reheated. ... But the show is anchored by performers who engage even when the enterprise threatens to fall apart. Bill Pullman returns as Harry Ambrose, a detective whose deep wells of angst help him to read situations other cops can't fathom. His saltiness and Coon's smug disregard make for a potent combination, one that deserved a richer premise. [24 Jul 2018, p.65]