Presumed Innocent is back, and this time it is not a movie. David E. Kelley has turned Scott Turow’s 1987 novel into an eight-episode limited series for Apple TV+. The result is a tense, character-driven legal drama that holds its own against the 1990 film starring Harrison Ford.
Jake Gyllenhaal steps into the lead role as Rusty Sabich, a chief deputy prosecutor. The series keeps the core of the story intact but expands the world around it. Kelley, who created Big Little Lies and The Undoing, knows how to build a mystery around a flawed man. He does it again here.
Trailer, via Apple TV.
Gyllenhaal and the Ensemble
Gyllenhaal is the engine of the show. His Rusty is smart, arrogant, and terrified. He does not play the role with the haunted stoicism Ford brought to it. Instead, he gives Rusty a nervous energy that makes you wonder if he is innocent or just very good at lying. The camera stays close to his face, and the performance carries the weight.
The supporting cast is just as strong. Ruth Negga plays Barbara, Rusty’s wife, with a weary, watchful presence. Their scenes together add a domestic tension the film barely touched; the marriage is a battlefield, and the murder case is just the latest weapon. Renate Reinsve plays Carolyn Polhemus in flashbacks with a cool, knowing edge. Bill Camp plays Raymond Horgan, Rusty’s boss and former friend, with a weary authority. Peter Sarsgaard is Tommy Molto, the prosecutor who chases Rusty, and he makes the character more than a simple antagonist. O-T Fagbenle plays prosecutor Nico Della Guardia, and the courtroom scenes between him and Gyllenhaal crackle.
A Slow Burn With an Altered Ending
The show is not a fast ride. It takes its time, spreading the investigation over eight hours. The pacing works for the first six episodes. Kelley lets the details breathe. The forensic evidence, the political maneuvering inside the prosecutor’s office, the public pressure — it all builds methodically.
The final two episodes are where the series makes its biggest change. The ending of the novel and the film is famous. The series alters it. Without giving anything away, the resolution here is more ambiguous and more psychological. It trades the shock of the original reveal for a quieter, more unsettling conclusion. Some viewers will love it. Others will find it a letdown. Either way, it proves the show is not just a remake. It is a reinterpretation.
| Presumed Innocent (2024) | Presumed Innocent (1990 film) |
|---|---|
| 8 episodes, streaming | 2 hours, theatrical |
| Jake Gyllenhaal as Rusty | Harrison Ford as Rusty |
| Ruth Negga as Barbara | Focused on the trial |
| Renate Reinsve as Carolyn | Faithful to the novel |
The production values are high. The cinematography is cold and gray, fitting the Chicago setting. The score, by Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans, is spare and ominous. It never overpowers the dialogue.
The writing is sharp, but it has limits. Kelley’s dialogue is often brilliant, but some courtroom exchanges feel too polished. Real lawyers do not speak in such perfect paragraphs. It is a small flaw in an otherwise tight script.
The series takes a clear stance on its central question. Is Rusty guilty? The show does not give a clean answer. That ambiguity is its strength. It forces the viewer to sit with the discomfort.
Presumed Innocent is a strong addition to the streaming thriller genre. It is well-acted, well-made, and it respects the source material while finding its own path. It is not perfect. The ending will divide people. But the journey is worth it.
The series holds an IMDb audience score of 7.9 out of 10.
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