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March 12, 2017

The Brainerd Dispatch - Today's Entertainment Magazine

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2 • March 12 - 18, 2017 • Brainerd Dispatch By Jacqueline Spendlove TV Media A s anyone who followed the first two seasons of "American Crime" can attest, great TV isn't al- ways comfortable to watch. The anthology crime drama created by "12 Years a Slave" (2013) writer John Ridley may not be a ratings beast, but it's garnered much criti- cal acclaim for its raw portrayal of difficult subjects, all stemming from a central crime. The third sea- son of "American Crime," which features a new crime, storyline and roster of characters, premieres Sunday, March 12, on ABC. It's true that the series doesn't pull in the highest numbers, but what it lacks in ratings it makes up for in praise and accolades for the writing, directing and actors' per- formances. It scored 10 Emmy nods for its first season, winning one, and reviews are almost universally positive. Each season revolves around a crime that takes place in the first episode, but it's no whodunnit- type procedural. We follow the af- termath of the conflict and the ma- jor players throughout the duration of the season, and we're not given the full truth of the matter until the finale (and in the case of last sea- son, not even then). While Oscar winner Ridley is in- arguably the mastermind behind the show's success, a major strength lies in the acting talent. As an anthology series, "American Crime" features the same core cast every season, but portraying differ- ent characters in different settings (à la "American Horror Story"). Season 3 heralds the return of se- ries stars Felicity Huffman ("Des- perate Housewives"), Timothy Hut- ton ("Leverage"), Lili Taylor ("The Conjuring," 2013) and Regina King ("Ray," 2004) — the latter took home the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Se- ries or a Movie for both seasons. Connor Jessup ("Falling Skies") re- turns for his second season on the roster, and Richard Cabral ("End of Watch," 2012) and Benito Marti- nez ("The Shield") have been bumped back up to main cast members. The particular focus of the show is how the crime in question af- fects not just those directly in- volved, but also — and perhaps, more importantly — those con- nected to the victim and the ac- cused. "Unfortunately, very difficult things keep happening in our lives on a daily basis," Ridley told Vari- ety. "And there are things that are out there that are bubbling just be- neath the surface. For us, crime on this show is not just about the act itself but about the cascade effect. ... Not just, OK, here's the crime of the week, but the stories, where there's spillage from one person's life to the next. And there's so many of them out there." The show examines a number of social issues, and as each season unfolds, the legal process brings to light more details of the case in question. The freshman season takes place in Modesto, California, and looks at race, class and gender politics after a war veteran is killed during a home invasion. Season 2, set in Indianapolis, Indiana, zeros in on socioeconomic and sexuality issues when a teenage boy accuses his more well-to-do classmates of sexual assault. The upcoming season shifts the locale to Alamance County, North Carolina, where, as ABC puts it, "five people struggle to survive in a place where the American Dream is nothing more than smoke and mirrors." More specifically, the sea- son puts a spotlight on American labor issues and the abuse of workers made to pick fruit for a pit- tance while living in overcrowded, inhumane conditions. We see this from the eyes of Luis Salazar (Mar- tinez), a father who illegally makes his way over the border from Mexi- co in search of his missing son. He discovers how the laborers are forced into a life of terrible poverty and stuck in an inescapable cycle of servitude and insurmountable debt. Shae Reese (Ana Mulvoy Ten, "House of Anubis") similarly faces exploitation as a 17-year-old pros- titute trying to escape her pimp, with the help of social worker Ki- mara Walters (King). "There's an infrastructure in place that, unfortunately, allows these things to continue," Ridley said of the global immigration is- sue during the Television Critics As- sociation press tour in January. "That conversation is not new ... it's happening everywhere. In this show, it's called 'American Crime,' but it's happening across the world." Huffman plays Jeanette Hesby this season, a woman who has married into a family that owns a struggling tomato farm and comes to learn of the unsettling practices that have helped Hesby Farms make its money. Jessup plays a young drug addict trying to get clean and earn a living, only to get wrapped up in the activi- ties of the farm's cruel crew chief Isaac Castillo (Cabral). As those who are familiar with the show will know, "American Crime" is not always an easy show to watch — but that's part of what makes it so com- pelling. Just don't go into it hoping for a neat and tidy solution at the end of each episode, or even at the end of the sea- son. It's heavy and it's heartbreaking, but it's excellently put togeth- er, with many inter- esting angles and thought-provok- ing stories. Watch the sea- son 3 premiere of "American Crime" when it airs Sunday, March 12, on ABC. 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