Teeing up next week’s season finale, Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent really got to the “point” with the closing image of Episode 7, as the murder weapon used against Carolyn Polhemus unexpectedly showed up — in dramatic fashion, and in a key character’s home.
Leading up to the cliffhanger, this Wednesday’s episode largely revolved around Rusty (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) taking over his own defense, after Raymond (Bill Camp) was sidelined by a non-fatal cardiac event. This marked the TV series’ latest major deviation from both the Scott Turow novel and the Harrison Ford movie it begat in 1990.
Explaining that change-up, Presumed Innocent showrunner David E. Kelley told TVLine, “You know, Rusty has a real narcissistic core. And man, oh man , you want to put that on full display.” He added with a laugh, “This guy thinks he’s the best person to defend himself!”
Alas, Rusty’s manner of questioning Rigo (Nana Mensah), his investigator, opened the window juuuuuuust enough for Tommy Molto (Peter Sarsgaard) to demand that the defendant take the stand himself. There, Rusty asserted that while he may have been “volatile” and “desperate” in the wake of his and Carolyn’s break-up, he did not take her life. Tommy, though, countered that testimony with a line of questioning that effectively suggested that Rusty has “snapped” before (with Painless, and Ratzer) — and very possibly “snapped” with Carolyn on that fateful night.
Coming off of that winning grilling, Tommy returned home that night to find that his place had been ransacked, by someone who apparently entered through a back window. Tommy shut the window, found and cradled his trusty cat… and then regarded an object laid across his kitchen counter.
A fire poker. Presumably the one missing from the late Carolyn Polhemus’ home.
Attached to it is a printed note, saying, “GO F–K YOURSELF.”
Is Tommy, the chief deputy prosector out to prove Rusty guilty of murder, like, happy to see the thus-far-elusive murder weapon?
“That’s a good question. Yes, and no,” says showrunner Kelley.
“He knows something’s up and it could work to his favor — or it might not ,” the EP added. “So I think he’s a bit paralyzed by that visual. The question you’re asking is exactly what we want the audience asking,” heading into next week’s season finale.
What do you make of Tommy’s reaction? Who do you think dropped off the fire poker? And heading into next week’s finale, who is your very final pick for Carolyn’s killer?
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