Trial 4: Season 1

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 5 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 4 Ratings

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5.8

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5.8	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 4 Ratings

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Season Details & Credits

Netflix | Season Premiere Date: November 11, 2020

Summary: The eight-part documentary series directed by Remy Burkel loooks at the case of Sean K. Ellis, who was accused of killing a Boston policeman in 1993 and sought to overturn his conviction over 22 years and four trials.

Genre(s): Movie/Mini-Series, Documentary

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Season 1 Episodes

tbd
S1:E8. Chapter 8: Worst Case Scenario
Air Date: November 11, 2020
tbd
S1:E8. Chapter 8: Worst Case Scenario
Air Date: November 11, 2020
tbd
S1:E7. Chapter 7: Black Irish
Air Date: November 11, 2020

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Aaron Barnhart

Nov 12, 2020

Riveting. ... These directors do not disappoint. Read full review

John Anderson

Nov 11, 2020

Fans of either work [“Murder on a Sunday Morning” and “The Staircase,”] will find much to like in the legal labyrinths and behavioral complexities of “Trial 4.” Read full review

RogerEbert.com Brian Tallerico

Nov 11, 2020

Clearly, there’s a lot to admire about “Trial 4,” but it suffers from a common problem in recent docuseries (looking at you, “The Vow”) in that there’s a five or six-episode version of this story that feels more urgent. The story of Sean Ellis should rage with righteous anger, but the length of this project allows that to dissipate more than it needed to. Still, I won’t forget this story, and anyone who commits eight hours of their life to it will likely feel the same. Read full review

Joel Keller

Nov 11, 2020

Trial 4 takes some time to get going, and the first episode ironically shows very little of Sean Ellis, it’s still a compelling story of corruption and the determination of a man to clear his name. Read full review

Brian Lowry

Nov 11, 2020

Ever since Netflix helped launch the modern true-crime docuseries craze with "Making a Murderer" five years ago, networks and services have been seeking stories with similar heft. Trial 4 fits that bill -- dealing with police misconduct, systemic racism and a miscarriage of justice -- without quite reaching those levels, mostly due to stretching the project over a few-too-many parts. Read full review

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5.8

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User Reviews

geewah

Aug 12, 2021

An excellent series, that examines the multiple trials of Sean Ellis, and the subsequent efforts to clear his name for the murder of a policeman in 1993.

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UncleWillard

Nov 11, 2020

Fantastic when it concentrated on the case and police corruption. Drops the ball when it takes a sideturn down woke alley. Of course theres systemic racism, but it's not the root cause. Power, and how it corrupts is the root cause. It's a mistake to focus on race, and it will never fullyFantastic when it concentrated on the case and police corruption. Drops the ball when it takes a sideturn down woke alley. Of course theres systemic racism, but it's not the root cause. Power, and how it corrupts is the root cause. It's a mistake to focus on race, and it will never fully bring justice. I dont think the political fight was compelling. I just wanted to see the case play out. Intersectionality always gets this wrong.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Seasons & Episodes

79

Series Overview
Season 1

79
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: November 11, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E8. Chapter 8: Worst Case Scenario
  Air Date: November 11, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E8. Chapter 8: Worst Case Scenario
  Air Date: November 11, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E7. Chapter 7: Black Irish
  Air Date: November 11, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E7. Chapter 7: Black Irish
  Air Date: November 11, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E6. Chapter 6: A Taste Of Freedom
  Air Date: November 11, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E6. Chapter 6: A Taste Of Freedom
  Air Date: November 11, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E5. Chapter 5: Hidden Link
  Air Date: November 11, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E5. Chapter 5: Hidden Link
  Air Date: November 11, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E4. Chapter 4: Badge Of Shame
  Air Date: November 11, 2020
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  S1:E4. Chapter 4: Badge Of Shame
  Air Date: November 11, 2020
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  S1:E3. Chapter 3: Three Trials
  Air Date: November 11, 2020
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  S1:E3. Chapter 3: Three Trials
  Air Date: November 11, 2020
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  S1:E2. Chapter 2: Usual Suspects
  Air Date: November 11, 2020
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  S1:E2. Chapter 2: Usual Suspects
  Air Date: November 11, 2020
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  S1:E1. Chapter 1: Execution-Style Murder
  Air Date: November 11, 2020
- tbd
  S1:E1. Chapter 1: Execution-Style Murder
  Air Date: November 11, 2020