Wednesday, January 4, 2017

What I’m Watching: Rectify (Series Finale)


Rectify: Season 4, Episode 8 “All I’m Sayin’”

Probably more than any show I’ve seen since “Six Feet Under,” this show has been preparing for its final episode all season long. That doesn’t mean a hastening of events, but instead a recognition that things are changing, something that on this show has been very tough. It could have been a complete vindication of Daniel – which happened as much as it could in a very public way – and a triumphant return home for the man who has finally been proven innocent. Instead, it was an acknowledgment from all of his family members that he could move on and be okay with the person that he is. He recounted the sadness he felt at Chloe leaving and had touching conversations on the phone with his sister and others in his family, but he can’t ever return to being the person that he was, an unrealistic expectation that was never going to come to fruition. It was really touching to see the closing of the store as such a momentous even that meant bringing the whole family together, including Amantha showing up with a date and Tawney showing up to a truly warm reception from people that were never going to leave her behind. Teddy and Tawney talking on the phone to Daniel was a nice bonus, and it’s good to see that they all ended up in a good place. Ending the show with a return to Daniel being on death row as his friend was about to be executed was a sobering, haunting way to go out, but it’s an important reminder that Daniel will always be stuck there in a way. This has been a truly thought-provoking and well-done show, and I hope that those actors we’ve already seen on other shows just this season – Abigail Spencer, Clayne Crawford, and J. Smith-Cameron – remember just how strong their performances were here and how much they can contribute to other shows that will never be quite like this one.

Series finale: B+
Series grade: B+
Season MVP: Clayne Crawford as Teddy
Season grade: B+
Series MVP: Abigail Spencer as Amantha
Best Season: Season 2
Best Episode: Until You’re Blue

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