Rectify: Series Two   Starring: Aden Young, Abigail Spencer, J. Smith-Cameron, Adelaide Clemens, Clayne Crawford and Luke Kirby Distributor: ITV Studios Global Entertainment RRP: £24.99 Certificate: 15 Release Date: 25 January 2016

Rectify: Series Two (2014, 10 eps) is an American drama created by Ray McKinnon and staring Aden Young as Daniel Holden. Holden has been released from prison after being convicted of the rape and murder of his girlfriend. We have already reviewed series one, which should bring you up to date.

Series two opens a week after the attack on Darren. For those of you who didn’t read the review of series one, Darren’s release on a technicality has produced strong reactions in his small community, dividing people into the minority who are happy to see his return and the majority who want to see him six feet under.

In series one the show continued to play with the audience’s expectations and perceptions, with the character of Darren; swinging between confused fish out of water, trying to integrate back into the world, to someone who would do something particularly uncomfortable and unspeakable with coffee grounds. In the same way the show plays with its characters it also plays with the format. Which is why, in many ways, the show reminded me of Twin Peaks, which is both a strength, but also a weakness as the show relies on you never being quite sure if Darren was guilty or not.

Even when the show adds in a revelation, as series two does, it is never enough to completely exonerate or convict him. Of course, should the show do this, they suddenly don’t have a show, so it will be interesting just how long the writers can string us along until we get bored and no longer care. Hopefully the writers will be able finish the show off with a suitable ending.

So series two opens up with Darren in a coma and apart for some dream sequences he doesn’t really appear in the first couple of episodes. When he finally comes around part of the show becomes about different viewpoints as to whether the beating was deserved and who did it. The show also continues to tease some more information out about what happened the night his girlfriend was raped and murdered, all against a well observed background of small town life.

Series two was only ten episodes long so comes on a three disc DVD set. The disc come with the option of English subtitles as well as audio option for either 2.0 or 5.1. The soundtrack of the show is really good, so go for the 5.1 if you have it. The set contains no extras.

From the strong start of series two the show just keeps you riveted to the television and that’s a weird experience as the show is, for the most of it time, quiet and understated. But within the quiet is a tension ready to explode, which is sensed and felt by the audience. To discuss here what happens in series two, or how it ends, would only spoil the enjoyment. If you have not seen the show I highly recommend it.

9

Charles Packer