One Presumed Innocent Character Deserves An Apology After Season 1’s Finale

Warning! Contains spoilers for Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent.

Now that Presumed Innocent‘s finale has revealed the real identity of Carolyn’s murderer, one misunderstood character deserves an apology. After setting up several clever red herrings throughout its season, Presumed Innocent finally discloses the multi-layered truth about the central murder mystery. It confirms that even though Rusty always suspected that his wife, Barabara, killed Carolyn, it was his daughter, Jaden, who actually murdered her.

Before learning what happened on the night of Carolyn’s murder, Rusty also confesses that he altered the crime scene and made it look similar to the Bunny Davis murder to ensure no one suspected his wife. However, long before the show shed light on Rusty’s involvement in the crime, it dropped several intriguing clues that made nearly every main character in the series a potential suspect. Despite being one of the most likable characters in Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent, one was also suspected because he seemed too good to be innocent.

Presumed Innocent’s Raymond Killer Theory Made The Show’s Best Character Look Bad

Raymond Was Just Trying To Do His Job As A Defense Attorney

Before Presumed Innocent‘s finale, there was a popular theory that Bill Camp’s Raymond could be the actual killer. Since Raymond has been the only morally righteous character in the series since the beginning, and murder mystery dramas like Presumed Innocent often reveal the least suspicious characters as the real killers, it was hard not to be convinced that the theory had some merit. However, given how Presumed Innocent‘s ending confirms that Raymond had nothing to do with the crime, he deserves an apology because the theory made him look too bad.

After winning the case in Presumed Innocent‘s finale, Raymond keeps his promise to his wife and retires from his profession. As seen in the show season 1’s ending, he chooses to spend some quality time with his wife instead of leveraging his win to seek more political influence and power. The scene perfectly captures how Raymond was always a good guy and did not even deserve to be on the suspect list. However, Presumed Innocent did such an incredible job of planting red herrings throughout its runtime that it was impossible not to be suspicious about every main character’s motives.

Revealing Raymond As The Killer Would Have Ruined Presumed Innocent’s Ending

Presumed Innocent Is Supposed To Be About Rusty & His Family

Like the original Presumed Innocent book and the 1990 Harrison Ford movie, the Apple TV+ show has primarily been about Rusty Sabich and his complex familial ties. Although the show’s narrative is driven by the central murder mystery, its main character beats revolve around how Rusty and his relationship with his wife and children are affected after he gets accused of murdering Carolyn. Owing to this, it makes sense that a member of the Sabich family was the real killer.

Revealing the show’s most likable character, Raymond, as the villain might have felt forced because it would have conflicted with the established character dynamics and the show’s focus on Rusty’s struggles with his family. Throughout the series, Raymond also confronts Rusty for betraying his wife and kids. This would have made no sense if Presumed Innocent‘s ending had revealed him as the killer.

Presumed Innocent (2024)

An eight-episode limited series  based on the New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by Scott Turow. Starring Gyllenhaal in the lead role of chief deputy prosecutor Rusty Sabich, the series takes viewers on a gripping journey through the horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s office when one of its own is suspected of the crime. The series explores obsession, sex, politics, and the power and limits of love, as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together.

Cast

Jake Gyllenhaal , Ruth Negga , Bill Camp , Elizabeth Marvel , Renate Reinsve , Peter Sarsgaard , O-T Fagbenle , Chase Infiniti , Lily Rabe , Nana Mensah , Matthew Alan , Kingston Rumi Southwick

Release Date

June 12, 2024

Seasons

1

Streaming Service(s)

Apple TV+

Writers

David E. Kelley

Directors

Greg Yaitanes , Anne Sewitsky

Creator(s)

David E. Kelley

Where To Watch

Apple TV+

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