An 11-episode miniseries created by Oscar-winning screenwriter John Ridley (“12 Years A Slave”) and set in (George Lucas’ hometown of) Modesto, Calif., “American Crime” is slightly similar to “The Killing” as it follows a murder victim’s family as well as a number of suspects in the slaying. Its cast includes Tim Hutton, Penelope Ann Miller and Felicity Huffman.
While I found the Hutton character particularly affecting, other aspects of the pilot – particularly the Huffman character – sometimes rang false for me, making me wary of Ridley’s ability to work effectively in longform. But the good stuff was good enough to keep watching for now.
Other critics have seen more episodes.
... The end result (I've seen the first four episodes) falls short of either Ridley's aims or ABC's hype, but it's interesting nonetheless. … This is a dour, humorless show about a vicious, devastating event, and "American Crime" never lets you forget that for a moment. It's an honest approach to the material, but also a wearying one. …
... Good intentions only get you so far, and "American Crime" is simply tedious. …
... an intense, spellbinding look at a murder case in Modesto, Calif., where drugs and gangs may be involved, but nothing is simple or clear. …
... a gratifying breakthrough for television and a truly golden child of the age. Though Ridley uses the newly minted anthology style of "True Detective"— each 11-episode season focusing on a different crime and with a new cast — his gaze is wider, more critical, yet less judgmental. …
... a strikingly good and wholly original series … I can’t remember the last time a network drama had my rapt attention and respect on this many levels at once. …
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says:
... The real question isn't whether "American Crime" is smart, sophisticated, even daring TV for a broadcast network. It's clearly all of those things. The real question is whether broadcast network viewers will embrace a series that's often bleak, painful, challenging and complex. …
The San Francisco Chronicle says:
... superbly written and acted … The world of “American Crime” is rife with prejudice and self-righteousness, more than enough to go around. And that, we inevitably conclude, just may be the most destructive crime of all.
... filled with some impressive material, if you can get past the pretensions ...
... while the first four episodes of the series are gripping, and each introduces new complexity to a sweeping story, I would not call it a murder mystery. And that’s precisely why it works. …
... This is America as we seldom see it — presented in a way we've never seen. And in TV terms, at least in the early going, it's also something else: A triumph for Oscar winner John Ridley (12 Years a Slave), who created, produced and directed Thursday's American Crime premiere (**** out of four), and a reconfirmation that Felicity Huffman is one of the best actors we have. …
... There’s no telling at this point if the highly charged content of both American Crime and Secrets and Lies will eventually derail later episodes. But it’s clear that people should be watching to find out — and that ABC is at least staking a claim that not all sophisticated adult drama has to be on cable. …
... this spare approach manages to make the drama feel both fresh and, frankly, potentially not very commercial, to the extent so much of this requires spending time with characters in such an obvious state of agony. … compels the audience to think by finding sympathy for its key players, seeking shades of gray beyond media labels like “criminal” and “victim.” …
10 p.m. Thursday. ABC.
