SPOILER ALERT: The story includes details about the Season 1 finale of Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent.
‘Presumed Innocent’ Renewed For Season 2 As It Becomes Apple TV+’s Most Watched Drama Series
The Chekhov’s Gun narrative principle stipulates that if a writer introduces a gun hanging on a wall, there must be a reason, such as it being fired later in the story. Presumed Innocent employed the classic plot device in a big way as creator David E. Kelley used an element he had introduced to Scott Turrow’s story for a surprise ending.
Rusty (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Barbara’s (Ruth Negga) daughter Jaden (Chase Infiniti) was revealed as Carolyn Polhemus’ killer in the last minutes of Presumed Innocent ‘s finale. In the book, as well as in the 1990 movie, Carolyn’s killer, Barbara, and Rusty have only one child, a young son. Kelley added a daughter, and made both siblings older.
While Jaden had spent most of the series in the background, her comments a couple of episodes ago about dissociation and snapping and acting outside yourself got fans’ attention, making her a potential suspect.
Jaden’s awkward, uneasy talk with her father as he was rehearsing his closing midway through the finale added to the character’s dark overtones — and the suspicion that she was somehow involved in the murder.
Kelley did give the original plot twist a nod. (In the book, Barbara used her knowledge of the Bunny Davis case to tie Carolyn after killing her.)
After Rusty and Prosecutor Tommy Molto (Peter Sarsgaard) made their closing arguments and the jury returned a not guilty verdict, Rusty confronted Barbara, accusing her of committing the murder and confessing that he had tied Carolyn up after returning to her house (?!) and finding his lover bludgeoned to death.
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Realizing that only Barbara could’ve done this (without elaborating why), Rusty said he tied her up to divert attention from his wife, an admission that was met with horror by Barbara. The only proof Rusy offered of his theory was that he had put a tracker in Barbara’s car, placing her at Molto’s home the night the fire poker — the presumed murder weapon — was left on his kitchen’s counter.
Barbara’s nightmare was about to get even bigger when Jaden came in and confessed that she killed Carolyn after the latter told her she was pregnant with Rusty’s baby and that she planted the poker while driving her mom’s car. In a double twist on the original ending, Carolyn’s murder turned out to be a two-person, father-daughter job.
As the finale wrapped the story, with the Sabiches sharing a meal, Raymond happily gardening and Molto and his beloved cat enjoying a game, it did not set up Season 2, leaving fans guessing as to how the hit series — Apple TV+’s most watched drama — will continue.
RELATED: ‘Presumed Innocent’ Is A Tale Of Two Trials – In Court & At Home, Star Jake Gyllenhaal Says – Tribeca Festival
As Deadline pointed out at the time of the renewal, there is no obvious blueprint for extending what was originally billed as a limited series from Turow’s body of work. His 1987 bestseller Presumed Innocent was followed by the 1990 The Burden Of Proof. Set in the same Illinois locale, the story follows the character Sandy Stern from Presumed Innocent after the events in that novel. The character was played by Raul Julia in the Presumed Innocent film adaption with Harrison Ford but does not exist in the TV series. Instead, the show introduced Gabby Beans’s Mya as a defense attorney.
Still, like other hit limited series that became drama series, including White Lotus and Shōgun , there are expected to be character(s) who link the seasons.
'Presumed Innocent' Is A Tale Of Two Trials - In Court & At Home, Star Jake Gyllenhaal Says - Tribeca Festival
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