Accused

In this crime anthology series, viewers discover how an ordinary person got caught up in an extraordinary situation, ultimately revealing how one wrong turn leads to another, until it’s too late to turn back. Told from the defendant’s point of view, each episode opens in a courtroom on the accused without knowing their crime or how they ended up on trial.

Accused (2023-2024) is an American crime anthology series created for FOX. Told from the defendant's point of view, each self-contained episode opens in a courtroom on an ordinary person whose crime is not yet known to the viewer, then folds back to reveal how a chain of small, understandable decisions carried them into an extraordinary situation. Jill Hennessy plays Lynn Corbett, a mother whose family life becomes entangled with the case, alongside Robert Wisdom as Mitch Becker and J. Harrison Ghee as Kevin Milstead, with each episode bringing a new cast of principals. Across two seasons and 23 episodes, the series keeps its format tight, a courtroom frame wrapped around a personal backstory that builds toward the moment escape becomes impossible. The tone is tense, intimate and morally knotty, more interested in the human slide than in procedural spectacle. Its atmosphere is that of a courtroom drama told from inside the accused's head, a structure that rewards viewers who enjoy anthology trial stories in the vein of Law & Order and Fargo. The result is a steady, claustrophobic character study of guilt, pressure and inevitability.

Audience reception is mixed, with the first season rated more favorably than the second.

• Law & Ordercourtroom trial focus, anthology structure, legal drama tones
• Fargoanthology format with a new case and cast each season, crime and courtroom themes
• Mare of Easttowndefendant-centered courtroom storytelling, anthology crime drama

Release Date

2023-01-22

Episode runtime

43 min

Rating

7.0 / 10 (86)

What is Accused about?

Each episode opens in a courtroom with an ordinary person on trial, then traces how one wrong turn led to another until there was no turning back.

What is Accused like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Accused as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Accused violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Accused as mild.

What did critics think of Accused?

Audience reception is mixed, with the first season rated more favorably than the second.

Which shows are like Accused?

Shows with a similar feel include Law & Order, Fargo, and Mare of Easttown.

How long is Accused?

Accused: 2 seasons, 23 episodes.

Is Accused still running?

No, Accused has ended.

Where can I watch Accused?

In United States, Accused streams on Hulu, FOX One Amazon Channel.