Entertainment NOW

2 • January 22 - 28, 2023 Entertainment Now By Dana Simpson TV Media A s many TV viewers, mov- iegoers, podcast listeners and avid readers will al- ready know, crime sells. Whether it is presented as true and detailed coverage of real-life cases or as wild and imaginative fiction thought up by a creative author, human beings have al- ways been known to show a mor- bid interest in criminal activity and what could drive one of their own to commit cruel and potentially deadly acts. On Sunday, Jan. 22, Fox premieres "Accused," a new anthological drama series explor- ing the decisions that lead ordi- nary people to commit terrifying atrocities when they feel they have no other choice. According to Fox, each new episode of the series is said to be a "fast-paced provocative thriller, exploring a different crime in a different city with an entirely original cast." One part proce- dural and two parts crime thriller, Fox's "Accused" is based on the BBC One series of the same name, which first premiered in the U.K. in 2010 and ran for two seasons. Interestingly, as British series tend to have shorter (often six-episode) seasons, Fox's adaptation of the BAFTA-winning show created by Jimmy McGovern ("Moving On") will eclipse the original in length by the end of its freshman run, coming in at 15 episodes versus the U.K.'s total of 10. Similar to its across-the-pond counterpart, however, this new it- eration of "Accused" begins each new episode in the courtroom, in- troducing the titular accused par- ty before explaining their crimes, their motives or who their victims are. Another aspect that makes this series unique is the point of view from which the stories are told. While most procedurals and crime dramas adopt the perspec- tive of either the victim or the law enforcement officials assigned to the case, "Accused" puts viewers in the hottest seat by presenting them with the supposed crimi- nal's outlook — regardless of how accurate or unreliable it may prove to be in the end. It makes sense that such an interesting execution of the plot should attract a few big names, and "Accused" has quite a few in its cast list — a fact that is also heavily evidenced by the network's official teaser trailer for the show. Featuring Shawn Doyle ("Don't Say a Word," 2001), Abigail Breslin ("Little Miss Sun- shine," 2006), Rachel Bilson ("The O.C."), Rhea Perlman ("Cheers"), Neil Whitely ("RED," 2010), Jill Hennessy ("Crossing Jordan"), Molly Parker ("Deadwood"), Margo Martindale ("The Watch- er"), Wendell Pierce ("The Wire"), Whitney Cummings ("Whitney"), Michael Chiklis ("The Shield"), Malcolm-Jamal Warner ("The Resident") and Jack Davenport ("Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," 2003), among others, the star power behind this series is immense and will no doubt lend a new flavor to each fresh episode. Additionally, Chiklis, Academy Award winner Marlee Matlin ("CODA," 2021), Emmy-winning quadruple threat Billy Porter ("Pose"), award-winning Pales- tinian filmmaker Sameh Zoabi ("Tel Aviv on Fire," 2018) and celebrated Indigenous filmmaker Tazbah Chavez ("Your Name Isn't English," 2018) are among those who each take their place behind the camera to direct an episode. "Accused" creators include "24" and "Homeland" producers Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa as well as "House's" David Shore. Further direction is also provided by Michael Cuesta ("Homeland"), Milan Cheylov ("24"), Brad Turner (both "24" and "Homeland") and writer Keith Josef Adkins ("For the People"). Adamant that "Accused" is much more "about crime and punishment" than it is a proce- dural in the traditional sense, Gor- don and Gansa released a joint statement that was later shared by the entertainment news site Deadline. "For years we've been living on the seismically active fault lines of race, gender, income inequal- ity, social media FOMO and fake news," the creators' statement said. "'Accused' is our chance to work through and hold up a mir- ror to the interesting times we're living in right now, with charac- ters that break your heart. There's nothing more pressure-filled and character defining than someone who commits a crime." Fox, meanwhile, is delighted to add another series to its winter 2023 lineup, thus continuing the network's "legacy of bold risk taking and inventive storytelling," per Charlie Collier, Fox Entertain- ment CEO. "Howard [Gordon], Alex [Gansa] and David [Shore] ... are tremendous artists responsible for some of the most important and beloved series ever on televi- sion," continued Collier in an official statement. "It's a joy to once again bet on their creative brilliance." While episode synopses and crime/plot details are being kept closely guarded as of writing, Fox has noted its intention to show how an "ordinary per- son [can get] caught up in an extraordinary situation" and "how one wrong turn leads to another, until it's too late to turn back." Of course, just as various factors influence the justice sys- tem in real life, "Accused" does its best to weave gender, sex, politics, socio-economic status, race and more into the cases to create conflicting circumstances and point to barriers and biases in the prosecution process. Those interested in check- ing out the original "Accused" might struggle to find it, but it stars Chord Melodic ("Corona- tion Street"), Andrew Readman ("The Mark of Cain," 2007) and Rosina Carbone ("Gentleman Jack") in recurring roles across both seasons, while Andy Serkis ("Rise of the Planet of the Apes," 2011), Sean Bean ("Game of Thrones"), Peter Capaldi ("Doctor Who") and Olivia Colman ("The Favourite," 2018) are among the show's many guest stars. Don't miss the premiere of "Accused" when it lands on Fox Sunday, Jan. 22. Cover Story Jill Hennessy and Michael Chiklis in "Accused" Crimes on cable: Fox premieres drama anthology 'Accused' Farmers Insurance 2 x 2 Letters & Numbers Sudoku Fill in the grid so that every row,every column, and every 4x4 box contains the digits 1 through 9 AND the letters A-F. Solution on page 12.

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