Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Presumed Innocent Episode 3.
Apple TV+‘sPresumed Innocentis already ratcheting up the suspense in its third episode. Both the filmand the series are based on the novel of the same name byScott Turow, butthis latest iteration is already distinguishing itself.The thriller details the storyof Rusty Sabich (played byJake Gyllenhaal, in one of his best roles yet), who is an accomplished deputy prosecutor in Chicago. Within the first few minutes of the series, Rusty learns that his colleague, Carolyn Polhemus (Renate Reinsve), has been brutally murdered in her home. Viewers quickly discover that Carolyn was much more than a co-worker to Rusty; the two had been having an intense affair for quite some time. Rusty’s loyal wife, Barbara (Ruth Negga), had already known of the affair and decided to stay with Rusty to keep their family (which consists of their teenage son and daughter) together.
By the end of the first two episodes, it’s also revealed that Carolyn was pregnant at the time of her tragic death. Rusty is subsequently arrested for her murder, with his former colleague Raymond Horgan (Bill Camp) stepping in to defend him in court. Episode 3 follows Rusty and Raymond building their case as the aftermath of his arrest plays out, butthe final scene has the potential to change everything we think we knowabout the fateful night that led to Carolyn’s murder.
Presumed Innocent
It tells the story of a horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorneys’ office when one of its own is suspected of the crime.
What Does That ‘Presumed Innocent’ Twist Mean for Rusty’s Case?
In Episode 3, Carolyn’s teenage son, Michael (Tate Birchmore), confesses to Rusty that he was there the night of his mother’s murder. He even took pictures outside of her home, which he has turned over to the police and the prosecution. The end of the episode sees Rusty flipping through the images on his iPad, only to reveal a photo of his son, Kyle (Kingston Rumi Southwick), nearthe scene of the crime. Rusty’s shocked face undoubtedly mirrors the audience’s reaction, as he clearly had no idea that his son even knew about the affair before the events of the murder unfolded. So, why was Kyle riding by on his bike that night? As surprising as it is that Kyle was there,his appearance brings up a ton of questionsthat Rusty will now need to address.
Rusty is convinced that the only thing standing in the way of him being acquitted in Carolyn’s murder is that the jury needs to be presented with another suspect. They need to know that he wasn’t the only person who could have been at Carolyn’s house that night. Rusty will now have to interrogate his own son in order to find out what Kyle truly knows. And the biggest conundrum that will be weighing on Rusty: should he offer his son up as another potential suspect? Rusty has so farproven to be a good father(aside from the whole cheating on his wife business), butwould he ever compromise his son’s safety or well-being to save his own skin?Rusty might be desperate to profess his innocence, but could he ever be willing to sacrifice his son in the process?
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Rusty’s Family Will Never Be the Same in ‘Presumed Innocent’
The dynamics in Rusty’s familyhave already changed drastically just in the first three episodes of the series. He’s already on extremely thin ice with Barbara because of the affair, and now there’s also the additional pressure that she’s under because Rusty’s notoriety has caused a giant spotlight to be placed on her and her children. With the new knowledge Rusty has gained regarding Kyle’s whereabouts the night of the murder, he now has to decide whether he will disrupt the delicate balance he’s trying to strike with Barbara by telling her about it. Rusty would also have to admit that Kyle likely knew about his mistress much earlier than they’d realized. Barbara is afiercely devoted mother; she would never let Rusty do anything that would jeopardize her children’s future. So, moving forward,there’s a possibility that Barbara and Rusty will be even more at oddswhen it comes to what they think should be the right course of action for their family.
Even this early on in the story, it’s clear that Rusty values his role as a father and wants to keep his family unit whole. Despite his indiscretions, he claims to still love Barbara and the dedication he has to his children is evident. However, since Rusty has confessed to his son and daughter about his relationship with Carolyn,the tension and dysfunction within the familyhome is obvious. Kyle even goes so far as to suggest that perhaps his father should enter a guilty plea on the chance that he can serve less jail time. Now that the wild reveal has happened in the latest episode, viewers are wondering if Kyle’s suggestion has something to do with his own inside knowledge of what happened that night. There are already so many secrets within this family, andthere’s no way any of them can move forward without suspicion and distrustclouding their perspectives.
There are so many ways that Rusty’s new discovery about his son can play out. Even if he doesn’t push Kyle forward as a suspect, the police and the prosecution also have access to the same photos that prove Rusty wasn’t the only one present at the scene of the crime. No matter what decisions are made, Kyle’s fate is now just as much up in the air as Rusty’s is.The legal thrillerhas definitely painted Rusty into a corner. As he continues to try and figure out what really happened to Carolyn, he’ll need to assess whether his longing to clear his name is more important than the sanctity of his family. This reveal also proves thatPresumed Innocentis committed to providing a twisty rideuntil the very last episode.
New episodes ofPresumed Innocentdrop every Wednesday on Apple TV+ in the U.S.
