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‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ Season 2 Cast Interviews
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Premiering with two new episodes on June 6th on Paramount+ is the second season of ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution‘, which is a continuation of the popular series ‘Criminal Minds’.

The series stars Joe Mantegna (‘The Godfather Part III’), A.J. Cook (‘Final Destination 2’), Kirsten Vangsness (‘Kill Me, Deadly’), Aisha Tyler (‘The Santa Clause 2’), Zach Gilford (‘The Purge: Anarchy’), Ryan-James Hatanaka (‘Nancy Drew’), Adam Rodriguez (‘Magic Mike’) and Paget Brewster (‘Batman and Harley Quinn’), as well as guest star Felicity Huffman (‘Desperate Housewives’).

Related Article: Joe Mantegna Talks Paramount+’s ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’

(L to R) Adam Rodriguez, Kirsten Vangsness and Zach Gilford talk ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ season 2.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Kirsten Vangsness, Adam Rodriguez and Zach Gilford about their work on the new season of ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’, returning for the first day of shooting, Gilford’s character’s new arc, Penelope and Tyler’s new working relationship, and Rodriguez and Gilford’s experience each directing an episode this season.

You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Vangsness, Rodriguez and Gilford, as well as Aisha Tyler, A.J. Cook and Ryan-James Hatanaka.

(L-R) Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia, A.J. Cook as Jennifer ‘JJ’ Jareau, Joe Mantegna as David Rossi and Aisha Tyler as Dr. Tara Lewis in ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ season 2, streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+.

Moviefone: To begin with, Kirsten, in the first episode, there is a scene where all the characters are together at a party. Was it fun to do a scene like that, where you are not hunting a serial killer but just hanging out as a group? Was it too much fun? Did the director ever have to you remind you and the cast to stick to the script?

Kirsten Vangsness: It’s probably more than you’d think that they would have to. I mean, also we’ll just riff and then they get that. But it was a blast. I think it was our first day. Because we all love each other and we had twenty-eight different topics we’re covering and then you’re trying to run lines, and it’s all kind of bleeding in together. But when we do the roundtable, when we have all those crazy lines, if you came, it’s still like herding cats. Everybody knows their lines and we’re all kind of boom, boom, boom, because we’re all trying to get to the part where they say cut and we have a second to bulls**t.

(L to R) Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia, Aisha Tyler as Dr. Tara Lewis, Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez, Joe Mantegna as David Rossi and A.J. Cook as Jennifer ‘JJ’ Jareau in ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ season 2 streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+.

MF: Adam, what is it like for you to return to this character and reunite with the rest of the cast?

Adam Rodriguez: The excitement of being back, the excitement of seeing each other, and catching up on things, I mean those days are a lot of fun for us. We must remind ourselves, be professional and pay attention to what we’re supposed to be doing.

Zach Gilford as Elias Jasper Voit in ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ season 2 streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+.

MF: Zach, last season your character was the serial killer the team was hunting, but this season he is helping them catch another killer, Hannibal Lector style. Can you talk about how Elias is working with BAU this season?

Zach Gilford: It’s been a blast. I mean, last season I barely got to interact with anyone in front of the camera. I got to know everyone well and had such a great time doing so. But this season it’s been so fun getting to just f**k with them and I am the bad guy. They all hate me and Elias’s approach to manipulating them is getting under their skin and they may give me a lot of leeway to go off script a little bit when I feel like I come up with something that I think will needle them a bit. So, it’s been fun, but really the most fun of it is getting to be there for the bulls**t between cut and hang out with all of them. It really is just such a great group of people.

(L to R) Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia, Ryan-James Hatanaka as Tyler Green, A.J. Cook as Jennifer ‘JJ’ Jareau, Joe Mantegna as David Rossi and Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss in ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ season 2 streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+.

MF: Kristen, now that Tyler has joined BAU, does that cause some anxiety for Penelope because of their past relationship? Can you talk about how she will deal with that this season?

Kirsten Vangsness: Honestly, the whole thing’s uncomfortable. As an actor you’re uncomfortable because it’s this uncomfortable thing. So, it’s fun to do and I think it’ll be fun to watch and then it is so uncomfortable that it gets to a point where you’re like, “How do we set up boundaries so that they’re not around each other?” It is something I think that the writers were like, “We don’t want to put people together because then you must deal with the reality of how awkward it is. You know what I mean? So, I think she’s just understandably ticked that her friends would, out of all the people in the world that are experts, not get that one. It’s just mean.

(L to R) Aisha Tyler as Dr. Tara Lewis, Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez, Joe Mantegna as David Rossi and A.J. Cook as Jennifer ‘JJ’ Jareau in Criminal Minds: Evolution’ season 2, streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+.

MF: Adam, you are directing again this season. What is it like directing an episode of this series and working with your fellow cast members?

Adam Rodriguez: Everybody’s amazing. Amazingly supportive. Everybody shows up. Look, it’s very difficult for the writers and for the people that handle scheduling, the producers that are putting schedules together, the ADs to try and accommodate all of us to direct. It’s a huge undertaking for them, and we’re all grateful for the effort that goes into making that happen. I think everybody’s aware of the fact that we’re on a clock and because of that there is a pressure to get things done. So, everybody shows up incredibly well-prepared and ready to deliver, and we pick and choose our moments to have fun. We do have a lot of fun on the show. But everybody really puts the team first. Just to sum that up, no matter what it is that’s required of you as an individual, everybody’s always willing to give their best because we know it’s going to serve the team. The thing we want the most is to keep this show going because we love doing it.

(L to R) Joe Mantegna as David Rossi and Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss in ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ season 2, streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+.

MF: Finally, Zach, you are also directing an episode this season. What was that experience like for you?

Zach Gilford: This cast is, they’re the f**king best. Adam has been a bit of a mentor to me. We met before we went back to the season, he talked to me a lot throughout and then in my episode. I mean honestly, there were two points where Adam, I was just like, “Dude, thank God it’s Adam.” One was, there’s something where he had an instinct to do something, but it wasn’t the way the script went. I kind of liked it, but other people were like, “I don’t know. It’s just not the way we wrote it. It’s not the way we thought it was going to happen.” I was like, “Adam, I like it your way.” He is like, “Dude, you know what? Take your shot, man. If that’s what you want, you’re the director, go for it.” I was like, “All right, we’re going to do it that way.” It totally worked great. Then there was another point where Adam magically finds a box. This happens on the show, they had a piece of evidence and it just felt so convenient. I was like, “Adam, it’s going to feel awkward, but can you just search around this house for five minutes.” He did it and it played so well because he was like, “Cool, I’ll get it. It’s going to feel super awkward and silly to me.” But everybody’s so giving and gets how this show works.
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What is the plot of ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ season 2?

In the wake of last season’s shocking finale, the upcoming all-new season of ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ picks up as the FBI’s elite team of profilers investigates the deadly mystery of Gold Star. As the conspiracy unfolds, the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) is met with an unexpected complication when serial killer Elias Voit (Zach Gilford) negotiates a deal that transfers him to federal custody in the BAU’s own backyard. The team faces its biggest threat yet and cannot emerge unscathed from the mind-bending consequences.

Who is in the cast of ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ season 2?
- Joe Mantegna as David Rossi
- AJ Cook as Jennifer “JJ” Jareau
- Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia
- Aisha Tyler as Dr. Tara Lewis
- Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez
- Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss
- Ryan-James Hatanaka as Tyler Green
- Zach Gilford as Elias Voit
- Clark Gregg as FBI Director Ray Madison
- Paul F. Tompkins as Brian Garrity
- Felicity Huffman as Dr. Jill Gideon
(L to R) Joe Mantegna as David Rossi and Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss in ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ season 2, streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+.

TV Shows in the ‘Criminal Minds’ Franchise:
- ‘Criminal Minds‘ (2005 – 2023)
- ‘Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior‘ (2011)
- ‘Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders‘ (2016 – 2017)
Buy ‘Criminal Minds’ On Amazon
June 5, 2024
Lifetime Is Making a College Admissions Scandal TV Movie

ABC/Netflix

The college admissions scandal that rocked both Ivy League institutions and Hollywood alike earlier this year seemed tailor-made for a juicy retelling in TV or movie form. Now, Lifetime is leading the charge by commissioning a made-for-television flick about Operation Varsity Blues.

During a panel discussion in front of the Television Critics Association on Tuesday, A+E Networks president Rob Sharenow revealed the plan to premiere “College Admissions Scandal” (we assume that’s just a working title for now) later this year.

Here’s the official description for the telefilm:

“’College Admissions Scandal’ will follow two wealthy mothers who share an obsession with getting their teenagers into the best possible college. When charismatic college admissions consultant Rick Singer offers a side door into the prestigious institutions of their dreams, they willingly partake with visions of coveted acceptance letters in their heads.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, there was no explicit reference made to the two most famous faces caught up in the scandal, actresses Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman, though it seems likely that their stories will be featured in some way in the flick. Perhaps Lifetime is refraining from mentioning Loughlin and Huffman by name pending the outcome of their court proceedings.

Huffman already pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and is awaiting sentencing. Loughlin — who was fired from her Hallmark Channel and “Fuller House” gigs as a result of her alleged role in the scandal — rejected a plea deal, and appears poised to go to trial.

This Lifetime project is separate from the previously announced TV series chronicling the scandal, which Annapurna Television is currently developing. The Lifetime film is set to debut sometime in the fall.

[via: The Hollywood Reporter]

July 23, 2019
‘Otherhood Trailer’: Felicity Huffman, Angela Bassett, Patricia Arquette Ambush Their Sons

Netflix/YouTube

Netflix is ready to release “Otherhood,” starring Felicity Huffman, Angela Bassett, and Patricia Arquette. The streamer dropped a new trailer for the comedy on Thursday, and it is now set to premiere on Aug. 2.

“Otherhood” was previously scheduled for April 26, per EW; the film’s release date was pushed back after news of the college admissions bribery scandal broke March, as THR reported. Huffman was one of the dozens of parents indicted for allegedly paying bribes to give their children a leg up in the college admissions process. She later admitted she was guilty of paying an SAT proctor to make corrections to her daughter’s exam.

Huffman plays another kind of enthusiastic parent in “Otherhood.” She, Bassett, and Arquette star as a trio of moms who decide to force their adult sons to celebrate Mother’s Day with them. As the trailer shows, it’s an adventure that involves friendship, self-discovery, and even twerking. Watch below.

“Otherhood” hits Netflix on Aug. 2.

[h/t: EW; THR]

July 10, 2019
The College Admissions Scandal Is (Of Course) Being Turned Into a TV Series

ABC/Hallmark

It was just a matter of time: The juicy college admissions scandal is (as we’ve all been expecting) becoming a TV series.

Annapurna Television has optioned rights to “Accepted,” an upcoming book about the scandal from Wall Street Journal reporters Melissa Korn and Jennifer Levitz. The book will be published by Portfolio, a division of Penguin Random House.

Emmy winner D.V. DeVincentis (“The People v. O.J. Simpson,” “High Fidelity“) will adapt the book as a limited series. No outlet has picked up the project yet.

Now, who should play Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman (and unindicted hubby William H. Macy)?

Huffman intends to plead guilty to paying $15,000 for someone else take the SAT for her oldest daughter.

Loughlin and Giannulli have pleaded not guilty to paying bribes as high as $500,000 in bribes to help their daughters get into the University of Southern California. They have been charged with a separate count of money laundering conspiracy (along with 14 other parents).

Following the indictments, Loughlin was fired from Hallmark Channel’s “When Calls the Heart” and “Garage Sale Mystery” movie series. She was also canned from the final season of Netflix’s “Fuller House.”

A Netflix film starring Huffman had its release date pushed from April to August. However, “When They See Us” — the limited series about the Central Park Five from Ava DuVernay in which Huffman has a supporting role as a prosecutor — will be released as scheduled on May 31 on Netflix.

[Via THR]

May 7, 2019
Felicity Huffman Will Plead Guilty in College Admissions Bribery Scandal

ABC

Emmy-winning actress Felicity Huffman announced on Monday that she plans to enter a guilty plea to her charge in the college admissions bribery scandal, after admitting that she paid off an exam proctor to boost her daughter’s SAT score.

Huffman was one of dozens of wealthy parents — including fellow celeb Lori Loughlin, as well as several division one sports coaches — who were accused last month of conspiracy and fraud in order to ensure their children’s admission into elite universities. Federal prosecutors — who gave the investigation the amazing nickname, Operation Varsity Blues — alleged that Huffman funneled $15,000 into a fake charity in exchange for someone correcting her older daughter’s SAT answers, as well as giving her child extra time to take the exam.

Huffman was arrested on March 12 and charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. No plea hearing date has been set yet.

In a statement, the actress apologized for her crimes, and accepted responsibility for her actions. Her full statement said:

“I am pleading guilty to the charge brought against me by the United States Attorney’s Office. I am in full acceptance of my guilt, and with deep regret and shame over what I have done, I accept full responsibility for my actions and will accept the consequences that stem from those actions.

“I am ashamed of the pain I have caused my daughter, my family, my friends, my colleagues and the educational community. I want to apologize to them and, especially, I want to apologize to the students who work hard every day to get into college, and to their parents who make tremendous sacrifices to support their children and do so honestly. My daughter knew absolutely nothing about my actions, and in my misguided and profoundly wrong way, I have betrayed her. This transgression toward her and the public I will carry for the rest of my life. My desire to help my daughter is no excuse to break the law or engage in dishonesty.”

Huffman’s husband, fellow actor William H. Macy, was mentioned in the criminal complaint, but has not been charged with any crime. According to court documents, Macy knew of and agreed to the conspiracy; he and Huffman also discussed a similar plan for their younger daughter, though they ultimately did not go through with it.

Loughlin and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, stand accused of paying $500,000 in bribes to have their two daughters admitted as crew recruits at the University of Southern California, despite neither girl participating in the sport. In the wake of the scandal, Loughlin has been fired from her TV gigs on the Hallmark Channel and “Fuller House.” She and Giannulli remain free on bail.

[via: The Hollywood Reporter, Variety]

April 8, 2019
Felicity Huffman, Lori Loughlin Indicted in College Entrance Exam Scandal

ABC/Netflix

“Desperate Housewives” alum Felicity Huffman and “Fuller House” star Lori Loughlin are among dozens of people who have been indicted for allegedly paying bribes to get their children into elite colleges, including Yale and Stanford.

The actresses, several NCAA Division 1 college coaches, and others have also been charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud.

The scam was allegedly run by a man in California who ran a college-counseling agency nicknamed “the Key.” The service would accept payments from parents and direct their money to an SAT or ACT administrator, or a college athletic coach who would designate applicants as athletic recruits regardless of ability. The money for the payments allegedly was funneled through a charity.

Many of the children were unaware of their parents’ activities.

Huffman is accused of paying a $15,000 bribe through the charity. The actress allegedly met with a confidential witness who offered to proctor her daughter’s SAT test and correct the answers afterward. She allegedly discussed doing the same thing for her youngest daughter, though the documents show Huffman didn’t go through with it.

(The documents refer to Huffman’s spouse, “Shameless” star William H. Macy, but he is not among the indicted.)

Loughlin and husband, Mossimo Giannulli, are accused of paying $500,000 to USC in exchange for having their two daughters designated as recruits to the college’s crew team, though they did not row crew.

March 12, 2019
Felicity Huffman & William H. Macy Celebrate 20th Anniversary With Goals-Worthy Tributes

You have truly won at life when you find a partnership like Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy. Twenty years of marriage is like 200 in Hollywood years, and that’s just how long stars Huffman and Macy have been married. They dated off and on for more than a decade before that point, which Huffman referenced on their September 6 anniversary:

You took me home in ’85. Married me in ’97. You give me a thrill every time you walk through the door. TY for marrying me 20yrs ago today. pic.twitter.com/j1FATRHvAG

— Felicity Huffman (@FelicityHuffman) September 6, 2017

A thrill every time you walk through the door, even after 20 — no, more than 30 — years. That’s the dream.

Macy shared his own loving tribute:

Twenty years ago today I did the best thing I’ve ever done in my life. I married Felicity Huffman.

— William H. Macy (@WilliamHMacy) September 6, 2017

Fans lost it, of course, honoring the celebrity pair for helping them to still believe in love.

Huffman, 54, and Macy, 67, have two daughters together, and seem to be going strong as a family even as they both balance thriving careers. In 2015, Huffman told TribLive she was initially scared of marriage, and that’s why it took them so long to get hitched:

“Bill Macy asked me to marry him several times over several years. And I was finally smart enough to go: ‘I’m going to marry this guy or really lose him for good.’ And it was after we broke up for four or five years when he asked me again, I knew I couldn’t say no. It was the work I had to do in order to bring myself to the marriage and then the work that I did to be able to trust another person and see what comes out of that comfort and that safety. I was able to blossom out of that. […] I thought I’d disappear. Men’s stock when they get married goes up. Women’s stock goes down. Another thing, 60 percent of first marriages fail, 80 percent of second marriages fail.”

So far — knock on wood — this first marriage for both ain’t failing, and the “Desperate Housewives” star has done anything but disappear. They are “American Crime” and he for “Shameless” — and we should see them supporting each other in the 2017 Emmy Awards audience on Sunday, Sept. 17.

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September 7, 2017
‘Libby & Malcolm’: ABC Orders Pilot About a Politically Divided Family

“Divided” may very well be the word most frequently used to describe U.S. politics these days, so ABC’s first pilot order of the 2017-2018 season is fitting.

The network has ordered “Libby & Malcolm,” a comedy starring Felicity Huffman and Courtney B. Vance as newlywed political pundits, reports Variety. Interestingly, the couple will have opposing beliefs, with Libby (Huffman) being a Republican and Malcolm (Vance) a liberal. In the pilot, they’ll be settling into life together and — as if that weren’t enough — working on a new political talk show in which they routinely face off. Opposites attract … and team up, apparently.

The talented actors come to the project having each earned accolades with a recent crime drama series. Huffman starred in “American Crime,” while Vance had a lead role in “The People v. O.J. Simpson: An American Crime Story.” Although the “Libby & Malcolm” pilot should be much more lighthearted, it could certainly tackle some of the same issues, like race, class, and gender, among others.

Whatever topics the potential series takes on, we expect them to be done well and with a lot of laughs, especially given that it comes from “Black-ish” creator Kenya Barris and Vijal Patel. We’ll have to wait and see if “Libby and Malcolm” gets a series order, but right now, it has our vote. Who knows? It could be just what the country needs.

[via: Variety]

December 6, 2016
Felicity Huffman’s 5 Favorite Action Movies

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Desperate Housewives,” but it was her portrayal of Bree in “Transamerica” that really cemented her as a star. Now she’s filling the shoes of a CIA Director for her new movie “Big Game,” starring Samuel L Jackson.

To celebrate the release of “Big Game,” Felicity shared her five favorite action movies.

June 26, 2015
‘American Crime’: Can a Single-Murder-Case Series Succeed on Network TV?

“American Crime,” premiering March 5 on ABC, is being touted as an innovative series for spending an entire season focusing on a single murder case, taking a wide-ranging look at the victims, the accused, and their extended families as a way of taking a broader look at the dynamics of a whole community. Of course, this isn’t the first time it’s been tried, but it could mark the first time that the approach actually works on network TV.

“American Crime” has secured a high-powered cast, including Timothy Hutton and Felicity Huffman. Nonetheless, after this season is over, the show will move on to a new case next year, with a new cast — should the show prove a success and earn a renewal.

If that sounds a lot like HBO’s “True Detective,” that’s not an accident. As the old joke goes, imitation is the sincerest form of television. In fact, series that devote an entire season to a single murder case have become increasingly common on cable, from “Broadchurch” to “The Killing.” But they haven’t been that successful on the networks; witness Fox’s recent attempt to Americanize “Broadchurch” as “Gracepoint.”

In fact, ABC tried this experiment a couple times, more than two decades ago. Most famously, there was David Lynch’s “Twin Peaks,” whose investigation of a teen’s murder exposed the dirty, sometimes supernatural secrets of an entire town. The show was an enormous sensation — until it resolved its central murder mystery. What to do then? The writers had to invent new crimes and new villains to come up with an excuse to keep visiting FBI agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) from leaving town. The show petered out in its second season, ending on an unresolved cliffhanger. Yes, Lynch is bringing the show back after a quarter-century, but on Showtime.

ABC’s other effort was Steven Bochco’s “Murder One,” centering on the legal defense team of a wealthy murder suspect who had plenty to hide. This was a much more conventional drama, lacking the metaphysical murk of “Twin Peaks.” Plus, in real life, the nation had just spent months riveted to the O.J. Simpson case, so the premise didn’t seem that much of a stretch. Nonetheless, the show abandoned the conceit partway through the first season, shifting focus to a second defendant. In the second and final season, the focus was on three unrelated cases.

More recently, in 2006, Fox and NBC both launched series, each dealing with a single high-profile abduction case. Fox’s was called “Vanished,” NBC’s “Kidnapped.” (The former featured Penelope Ann Miller, the latter Timothy Hutton, both of whom are to be regulars on the initial season of “American Crime.”) Neither show lasted a full season.

What’s changed since then that makes “American Crime” seem like a wiser gamble? Most if it has to do with the changes in the way we watch television now. Between DVRs, DVD sets, and streaming, we can binge-watch now in ways that were much more difficult even nine years ago when “Vanished” and “Kidnapped” failed. We can go back and look at details we may have missed, and we can discuss the episodes the morning after they’re broadcast or even while they’re airing with the hive mind of our preferred social media platforms. So we’re much more comfortable with the level of nuance and detail common in single-case series than we were a decade or two ago.

We’ve already seen how the process works, having been trained in how to watch such shows by all the single-case series that have proliferated on cable. And networks too, sort of. We did get “Gracepoint” on Fox this fall, and we got “How to Get Away With Murder” on ABC, which, along with standard case-of-the-week plotting, offered a single murder mystery as its main plot throughout the fall, dropping clues and surprise revelations all the way.

In a way, real life and tabloid journalism have trained us as well. Ever since O.J. and the rise of what was then called Court TV (which has since mutated into TruTv), we’ve been accustomed to following high-profile murder and kidnapping cases for months at a time. It’s why Nancy Grace has had a nightly show for a decade on HLN, which used to be a general news channel. It’s why the “Serial” podcast became an addictive pop culture phenomenon.

Even so, “American Crime” has its work cut out for it. For one thing, as a network show, it’s likely to avoid the extremes of sexuality and violence that have characterized similar shows on cable, so it may have a harder time grabbing viewers by the throat. It’s also likely to avoid the dense thicket of symbolism, obscure literary references, and philosophical musings that characterized the first season of “True Detective.” That sort of thing doesn’t play as well when you have to pause every eight minutes or so to sell deodorant. Finally, “American Crime” promises to take a hard look at class and racial differences. Many Americans are squeamish about even acknowledging that these differences exist, much less watching TV shows that address them unflinchingly. Where’s the escapist fun in that?

By the way, USA launched “Dig” on the same night. That series, examining a single murder case in Jerusalem that turns out to have tremendous repercussions of a Biblical nature, has a lot of “Da Vinci Code”/Indiana Jones-style histrionics and conspiracy-mongering to dazzle and distract viewers. It’s ambitious in scale but still essentially escapist. In other words, it’s a series that would seem to be suited to network TV as well as basic cable.

If “American Crime” is to succeed in this otherwise uncharted territory, and if it manages to do so without borrowing the kind of sensationalism likely to characterize “Dig,” it’ll mark a new level of sophistication, not just for network TV, but also for the supposedly lowest common denominator viewers who watch network TV.
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March 5, 2015