SundanceTV's Rectify - Episode 2.01 "Running With the Bull"
Daniel's family fears he won't recover from his injuries and his attackers will escape justice. Judy Dean shows Bobby some unexpected affection. Ted Jr. hides a shameful secret from his wife. Sheriff Daggett investigates Daniel's beating.
Rectify simply is one of the best shows currently on TV. It has a unique perspective and doesn't bow down to the general guidelines of television. It's fine with keeping things simple and just letting its character live and walk throughout life. It doesn't need big plot twists in order to be interesting. It has found a strong way to find emotional complexity out of the simple human need of connection. Now, there was the concern of Ray McKinnon doing some bigger plot stuff in Season 2 because the order has been upped to 10 episodes - instead of 6 like Season 1. But Rectify proudly and confidently returns as the same show it went out as last year. Actually it may be even better.Trying to describe an episode's plot to anyone not familiar with the show would be very hard to do while still making sense. Rectify is a show you have to experience in order to understand. The best way to distinguish between the episodes of the first season is to name the object that Daniel finds himself staring at in a profound way - the blow-up thing, sandals, the statue, etc. In the aftermath of his beating in the graveyard, Daniel is in a coma in an Atlanta hospital. That means he's not free to roam the world and learn from it and the people in it. The rest of the cast has to step up to fill that absence of screentime. They do so flawlessly. But this is not an inactive episode for Daniel either - as we continue to get flashbacks and dream sequences of his life on death row.
In the real world, Daniel is an outsider in a strange land. His life on death row was bleak but it was also a lifestyle he slowly got used to. It's devastating listening as Wendall Jelks confidently tells Daniel he was one of the guys who raped him in the early days while he's jerking off yet again. That's painful and yet quietly insignificant as his screams can't be heard at all. He needs to feel alive again. On death row, he could just refuse to listen to the guards. In the coma, he doesn't know what is happening anymore. He's confused and broken. It may just be easier to give in and finally just accept death like he always was suppose to. He was resigned with his fate. Kerwin had all the faith Daniel would get out. And he is overjoyed once Daniel tells him about his last week in the outside world. That's a joy to watch but also conflicting since Daniel is still broken. His family talks about him being a fighter. The world around him just keeps kicking him down over and over again. His death would bring order back into this community. But it would also completely wreck his family and the connections he has made during the last week. It's not an easy emotional solution to get to. And so, he's still in a coma.
This tragedy has already caused so much pain in the family. It has brought joy but it has also brought complications. Janet was hopeful she could finally have some good memories with her eldest son. And now, she may never get to redo that kitchen with him. She needed that good cry but it came as a result of Ted Jr. He has always believed that Daniel is guilty of the crimes he was accused of. And Daniel has had a very dark effect on Ted Jr. during their short moments of time together. He's an unwilling participant in all of this. He didn't want to take on any of this but because his dad married into the family he had to take them on. And that has only made his life a lot worse. But he also strangely seems a bit more sympathetic here. Daniel did humiliate him and now he's just suppose to stand over his hospital bed with the rest of the family. He's there for Janet but is angry when he's forced to stay there all by himself.
Early in the premiere, there's a wonderful scene between Tawney and Amantha - two characters who've never seen eye-to-eye - as they try to understand why this has happened to Daniel. Rectify's treatment of religion has been one of the best interpretations of the subject on all of TV. It respects these characters values and beliefs. This is a horrifying situation to be in. Tawney has gotten close to Daniel and yet Amantha still sees her as an outsider to the family. She's new to all of this pain and she's searching for some kind of answer. All of this has made her question herself but also strengthen her beliefs. And it allowed for an open and genuine dialogue between the two women for the first time.
Some more thoughts:
- "Running With the Bull" was written by Ray McKinnon and directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal.
- I love that the premiere opens with the same kind of shot that closed out the first season finale.
- Melvin was a minor character in one episode last year and yet him being here for Daniel does tell a complete story. He was a somewhat friend to Daniel in his youth but he never had the courage to visit him on death row. Now given another opportunity, he is there.
- Sheriff Daggett wants Daniel back in prison but won't let his own opinion fuel whether or not to investigate the case of who beat Daniel up. It could cause major problems in this community. That he would bring those people to justice for doing what everyone else was cheering them on to do.
- I caught up on Rectify earlier this year. So, that's the only reason why it wasn't on my year end Top 10 Best Shows list for 2013.
- Despite how much I love the show, I don't think Rectify lends itself to weekly reviews that well. I'm gonna try for these first few weeks since I have screeners for the first three episodes of the season. But then, I may just sit back, admire the season and then post something after the finale. Although that's not a concrete plan either. I'm still deciding on what to do.
