Rectify

For articles with similar titles, see Rectification.
Rectify
GenreTragedy[1]
Legal drama
Southern Gothic[2]
Created byRay McKinnon
Starring
Opening theme"Bowsprit" by Balmorhea
ComposerGabriel Mann
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes30 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
ProducerDon Kurt
Production locationGeorgia
Running time43–68 minutes
Production companies
  • Gran Via Productions
  • Zip Works
Original release
NetworkSundanceTV
ReleaseApril 22, 2013 (2013-04-22) –
December 14, 2016 (2016-12-14)

Rectify is an American television drama series exploring the life of a man after he is released from prison after nearly 20 years on death row following a wrongful conviction. It was created by Ray McKinnon and is the first original series from SundanceTV. It stars Aden Young, Abigail Spencer, J. Smith-Cameron, Adelaide Clemens, Clayne Crawford, and Luke Kirby,[3] and premiered on April 22, 2013, with a first season run of six episodes.[3]

A second season of ten episodes, premiered on June 19, 2014.[4][5] A third season of six episodes premiered on July 9, 2015.[6] A fourth and final season of eight episodes premiered on October 26, 2016.[7][8][9] All four seasons of the show have been critically acclaimed.

Synopsis

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Daniel Holden was imprisoned as a teenager for the rape and murder of his 16-year-old girlfriend, Hanna. After nineteen years on death row, analysis of DNA evidence from his trial contradicts the prosecution's case, and an appeals court vacates the judgment of his original trial.

Daniel is allowed to return to his hometown, Paulie, Georgia.[10] The subsequent adjustments and events in the lives of Daniel, his extended family, and the townsfolk are explored as a character study in a slowly unfolding Southern Gothic story.[11]

Cast and characters

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Main cast

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  • Aden Young as Daniel Holden, convicted for the rape and strangulation murder of his teenage girlfriend Hanna but decades later released from prison after the discovery of conflicting DNA evidence
  • Abigail Spencer as Amantha Holden, Daniel's younger sister, who has always believed in his innocence
  • J. Smith-Cameron as Janet Talbot, Daniel's mother, who remarried after his father died
  • Adelaide Clemens as Tawney Talbot, Teddy's wife; she is a deeply religious young woman. She is sister-in-law to Daniel, Amantha, and Jared
  • Clayne Crawford as Ted "Teddy" Talbot Jr., Daniel's stepbrother and Tawney's husband. His father Ted Sr. married Daniel's mother after Daniel's father died.
  • Luke Kirby as Jon Stern, Daniel's new lawyer. He did not defend Daniel in the rape and murder trial but helped gain his release. He is in a relationship with Daniel's sister.
  • Bruce McKinnon as Ted Talbot Sr. (recurring season 1, main seasons 2–4), Daniel's stepfather. He worked at the tire store owned by Daniel's father, taking over its management after the man's death. The store is owned by Janet Talbot.
  • Jake Austin Walker as Jared Talbot (recurring season 1, main seasons 2–4), Ted Jr., Daniel and Amantha's younger half-brother
  • J. D. Evermore as Carl Daggett (recurring seasons 1–3, main season 4), a local sheriff

Recurring cast

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  • Michael O'Neill as Senator Roland Foulkes, who was the prosecutor who convicted Daniel. He was elected as State Senator in the aftermath.
  • Sean Bridgers as Trey Willis, one of the original "witnesses" to Daniel's crime
  • Sharon Conley as Sondra Person, a district attorney
  • Robin Mullins as Judy Dean, Hanna Dean's mother
  • Linds Edwards as Bobby Dean, Hanna's brother
  • John Boyd West as Melvin, manager of Amantha's apartment complex and a friend of Daniel's
  • Kim Wall as Marcy, a waitress at a local restaurant
  • Johnny Ray Gill as Kerwin Whitman (seasons 1–2, 4), a death row inmate and Daniel's friend
  • Michael Traynor as George Melton (seasons 1–2), another witness to Daniel's crime
  • Jayson Warner Smith as Wendall Jelks (seasons 1–2), a death row inmate who antagonizes Daniel and Kerwin
  • Stuart Greer as Lid Comphrey (seasons 2–3), Sheriff Daggett's partner
  • Ashley LeConte Campbell as Wynn Lovaas (seasons 2–3), the manager at Thrifty Town, where Amantha works
  • Melinda Page Hamilton as Rebecca (seasons 3–4), therapist for Teddy and Tawney
  • Caitlin FitzGerald as Chloe (season 4), an artist whom Daniel befriends in Nashville
  • Nathan Darrow as Billy Harris (season 4), an old friend from high school and romantic interest for Amantha
  • David Dean Bottrell as Dr. Milch (season 4), Daniel's PTSD therapist
  • Markice Moore as Tyrus (season 4)

Episodes

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Main article: List of Rectify episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
16April 22, 2013 (2013-04-22)May 20, 2013 (2013-05-20)
210June 19, 2014 (2014-06-19)August 21, 2014 (2014-08-21)
36July 9, 2015 (2015-07-09)August 13, 2015 (2015-08-13)
48October 26, 2016 (2016-10-26)December 14, 2016 (2016-12-14)

Development and production

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The series began development in 2008 when it was planned to air on AMC with Walton Goggins set to play the lead role.[12] Three years after originally being developed at AMC, sister channel SundanceTV announced it had ordered the series for six episodes, to become the channel's first original scripted series.[13] Production for the second season began on February 3, 2014, in Griffin, Georgia.[14] Production began on the fourth and final season in April 2016.[15]

Casting

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In April 2012, Abigail Spencer, Clayne Crawford, Adelaide Clemens, Jonah Lotan, and J. Smith-Cameron were all cast in the series.[10] Aden Young was cast as the series lead in May 2012.[16] Luke Kirby was cast in June 2012, replacing Lotan as Daniel Holden's lawyer.[17]

Reception

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Critical response

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Critical response of Rectify
SeasonRotten TomatoesMetacritic
188% (33 reviews)[18]82 (28 reviews)[19]
296% (23 reviews)[20]92 (16 reviews)[21]
3100% (20 reviews)[22]89 (11 reviews)[23]
4100% (20 reviews)[24]99 (11 reviews)[25]

Season 1

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The first season of Rectify received critical acclaim, scoring a Metacritic rating of 82 out of 100 based on 28 reviews.[19] One of the positive reviews of Rectify was from the Los Angeles Times, which called the series "mesmerizing."[26] A less positive review in The New York Times noted the slow pace of the series after the first episode and a quarter.[27] Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gave the first season a rating of 88% based on 33 reviews, with an average rating of 8.4 out of 10, with the critical consensus: "Rectify is a stylish drama that rewards patient viewers with deep characters and plotlines."[18]

Season 2

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The second season continued to receive critical acclaim, with a Metacritic rating of 92 out of 100 based on 16 reviews.[21] Rotten Tomatoes gave the second season a 96% rating, based on 23 reviews with an average rating of 9 out of 10 and the critical consensus: "Its scenic landscapes and rewarding slow burn prove Rectify's second season to be just as good, if not better, than the first."[20] Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter wrote that "it remains as riveting and unique as ever."[28]

Season 3

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The third season also received critical acclaim with a Metacritic rating of 89 out of 100 based on 11 reviews.[23] Rotten Tomatoes gave the third season a 100% rating, based on 20 reviews with an average rating of 8.3 out of 10 and the critical consensus: "Rectify's subtlety draws viewers in deeper during season three – and they continue to be rewarded with quality acting, compelling dialogue, and thought-provoking drama."[22] Jeff Jensen of Entertainment Weekly wrote, "It's rich with beautifully crafted scenes that capture the distance, anger, and confusion of a fragmenting family and souls in flux."[29] Brian Lowry of Variety wrote, "Rectify remains a master class in nuance — in small looks and long pauses that say more than pages of dialogue."[30]

Season 4

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The fourth and final season received universal acclaim with a Metacritic rating of 99 out of 100 based on 11 reviews.[25] Rotten Tomatoes gave the fourth season a 100% rating, based on 20 reviews with an average rating of 9.6 out of 10 and the critical consensus: "In its final season, Rectify endures as a vital and compelling drama, poignantly driven by a narrative that envelops its characters in complexity, humanity, and a bittersweet beauty."[24] Matt Roush of TV Guide called Rectify "One of TV's truest, finest and deepest dives into pure character drama."[31] Malcolm Jones of The Daily Beast wrote that "Rectify is the best series I have ever seen on television. Not may be. Not might be. It just is."[32]

Damien Echols, who as one of the West Memphis 3 was convicted and served nearly two decades in prison before being released in part based on DNA evidence, wrote about the series in The Huffington Post: "Rectify is the story of a man who was sentenced to death for a crime he didn't commit, and spent 19 years on death row before getting out. Much like my own real life case, the local politicians refuse to admit he's innocent even after DNA testing points towards someone else. In fact, there was so much about this show that mirrored my own life I began to wonder how much of my story had crept into the script." And, "I can tell you from first hand experience that Rectify is a very realistic show."[33]

Critics' top ten lists

Accolades

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Ray McKinnon, along with Mark Johnson, Clayne Crawford, Aden Young, J. Smith-Cameron, Abigail Spencer and Melissa Bernstein, accept the Peabody Award for Rectify.

Abigail Spencer was nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2013.[38] For the 67th Writers Guild of America Awards, Kate Powers and Ray McKinnon were nominated for Best Episodic Drama for "Donald the Normal".[39] For the 5th Critics' Choice Television Awards, Aden Young was nominated for Best Actor in a Drama Series.[40]

The series was awarded with a 2014 Peabody Award, with the organization stating, "A powerful, subtle dramatic series about a death-row inmate released after nearly two decades thanks to new DNA evidence, it ponders whether what's been lost can ever be repaid, not just to him but to everyone he and his alleged crimes touched."[41]

For the 6th Critics' Choice Television Awards, the series received three nominations, for Best Drama Series, Aden Young for Best Actor in a Drama Series, and Clayne Crawford for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.[42]

Home media

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On DVD, the first season was released on June 18, 2013,[43] the second season was released on June 2, 2015,[44] and the third season was released on September 6, 2016.[45] The series was available to stream on Netflix in the United States and Canada until March 2021.[46]

References

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  1. ^ Potts, Kimberly (November 3, 2018). "Rectify' Creator Ray McKinnon on 'Yolk' And Breaking Free of The Past". Yahoo. Archived from the original on March 25, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2020. They are very astute. They want to be challenged intellectually, but they also want to feel things emotionally. They want to feel. That goes back to Greek tragedy days. People are still drawn to stories that make them feel sad, feel the tragedy, and the bittersweet sadness of the human condition.
  2. ^ Sims, David (July 9, 2015). "Rectify Is Still Television's Quiet Triumph". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on April 22, 2016. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Sundance Channel original series RECTIFY premieres April 22 at 9PM". Sundance Channel. December 12, 2012. Archived from the original on December 20, 2012. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
  4. ^ "'Rectify' Renewed for Season Two by Sundance". TV by the Numbers. May 1, 2013. Archived from the original on May 4, 2013. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  5. ^ "The Second Season of Sundance TV's Critically-Acclaimed Original Scripted Drama "Rectify" Will Premiere on Thursday, June 19th at 9:00 PM ET/PT" (Press release). Sundance Channel. March 6, 2014. Archived from the original on March 6, 2014. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  6. ^ Surette, Tim (May 15, 2015). "SundanceTV Slowly and Methodically Gives Rectify Season 3 a Premiere Date". TV.com. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015.
  7. ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (July 8, 2015). "Rectify Gets Early Season 4 Renewal". TVLine. Archived from the original on October 1, 2018. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  8. ^ Iannucci, Rebecca (January 8, 2016). "Rectify to End After Season 4". TVLine. Archived from the original on January 9, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
  9. ^ Welch, Alex (July 31, 2016). "'Rectify' season 4 premiere date announced by SundanceTV". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on August 1, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  10. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (April 25, 2012). "Quintet Of Actors Cast In Sundance Channel's Drama Series 'Rectify'". Deadline.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2013. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  11. ^ Dollar, Steve (April 25, 2013). "Building a Southern Gothic". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
  12. ^ "AMC Announces Rectify as New Series in Development" (Press release). AMC. November 11, 2008. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  13. ^ "Sundance Channel Greenlights Original Scripted Series "Rectify"" (Press release). Sundance Channel. October 31, 2011. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  14. ^ "Season Two of SundanceTV's Critically-Acclaimed Original Series "Rectify" Begins Production" (Press release). SundanceTV. February 3, 2014. Retrieved February 3, 2014.
  15. ^ "SundanceTV Begins Production on the Fourth and Final Season of Acclaimed Drama "Rectify"" (Press release). SundanceTV. April 11, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  16. ^ Guthrie, Marisa (May 31, 2012). "Aden Young Snags Lead in Sundance Channel's 'Rectify' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 20, 2013. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  17. ^ Marechal, Al (June 13, 2012). "Luke Kirby cast in Sundance's 'Rectify'". Variety. Archived from the original on March 25, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  18. ^ a b "Rectify: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on March 25, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  19. ^ a b "Rectify - Season 1 Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on June 9, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  20. ^ a b "Rectify: Season 2". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on March 25, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  21. ^ a b "Rectify - Season 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on July 3, 2018. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
  22. ^ a b "Rectify: Season 3". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on March 25, 2021. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  23. ^ a b "Rectify - Season 3 Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on August 19, 2018. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  24. ^ a b "Rectify: Season 4". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on March 25, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
  25. ^ a b "Rectify - Season 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on January 1, 2019. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  26. ^ McNamara, Mary (April 22, 2013). "Review: 'Rectify' is a revelation that sets a new standard". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 20, 2013. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  27. ^ Hale, Mike (April 21, 2013). "After Freedom, Peace Is at Stake". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 2, 2013. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  28. ^ Goodman, Tim (June 17, 2014). "'Rectify': TV Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 21, 2014. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  29. ^ Jensen, Jeff (July 6, 2015). "Rectify Review". Entertainment Weekly.
  30. ^ Lowry, Brian (July 6, 2015). "TV Review: 'Rectify,' Season 3". Variety. Archived from the original on November 9, 2018. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  31. ^ Roush, Matt (October 21, 2016). "Rectify Review". TV Guide (October 24–November 6, 2016): 17.
  32. ^ Jones, Malcolm (October 26, 2016). "'Rectify' Is Still the Best Damn Show on TV". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on May 20, 2017. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
  33. ^ Echols, Damien (April 19, 2013). "Returned From the Land of the Dead". Huffington Post. No. 45. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  34. ^ "Best of 2013: Television Critic Top Ten Lists". Metacritic. December 10, 2013. Archived from the original on February 8, 2015. Retrieved January 11, 2015.
  35. ^ "Best of 2014: Television Critic Top Ten Lists". Metacritic. December 9, 2014. Archived from the original on November 6, 2015. Retrieved January 11, 2015.
  36. ^ "Best of 2015: Television Critic Top Ten Lists". Metacritic. December 8, 2015. Archived from the original on July 6, 2016. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  37. ^ "Best of 2016: Television Critic Top Ten Lists". Metacritic. December 6, 2016. Archived from the original on January 20, 2017. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  38. ^ Gonzalez, Sandra (May 22, 2013). "'American Horror Story' and 'The Big Bang Theory' lead Critics Choice nominees". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on June 7, 2013. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  39. ^ Gelman, Vlada (December 4, 2014). "Good Wife, True Detective, Thrones, Louie Among 2015 WGA Nominees". TVLine. Archived from the original on February 20, 2019. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  40. ^ Li, Shirley (May 6, 2014). "The Critics' Choice TV Awards 2015: And the nominees are..." Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 6, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2015.
  41. ^ Holston, Noel (April 16, 2015). "74th Annual Peabody Award Winners". The Peabody Awards. Archived from the original on April 16, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  42. ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (January 17, 2016). "Critics' Choice Awards: TV Winners Include Fargo, Mr. Robot, Master of None, Rachel Bloom and Carrie Coon". TVLine. Archived from the original on January 20, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  43. ^ Lambert, David (May 24, 2013). "Rectify - Press Release Announces 'The Complete 1st Season' of the Sundance Channel Show". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on June 8, 2013. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  44. ^ Lambert, David (March 17, 2015). "Rectify - Press Release, Box Art Announcing 'The Complete 2nd Season'". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on March 20, 2015. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  45. ^ Lambert, David (August 5, 2016). "Rectify - DVDs are Scheduled in a Month for 'The Complete 3rd Season'". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2016. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
  46. ^ Moore, Kasey (February 6, 2021). "'Rectify' Seasons 1-4 Leaving Netflix in March 2021". What's On Netflix. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
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