On the eve of its third season premiere, SundanceTV has renewed “Rectify” for Season 4.
With Season 3 premiering on Thursday (July 9) night, Season 4 will air in 2016 and, fittingly, SundanceTV said that an official episode count has yet to be announced, which makes sense for a show that has had six, 10 and six episodes in its first three seasons.
“Even in an increasingly crowded field of dramas on television, ‘Rectify” has established itself as something special,” blurbs Charlie Collier, president of AMC and SundanceTV. “What Ray McKinnon, this incredible cast and everyone associated with the show have been able to achieve is remarkable, and we are so pleased to usher in this third season with an order for a fourth. ‘Rectify” has had such a huge impact in establishing SundanceTV as a home for high-quality, intelligent drama. We are excited to continue this important partnership with Ray and the entire team.”
“Rectify” has made my end-of-the-year Top 10 each of the past two years and it joined Sepinwall's Top 10 for 2014. On this week's podcast, we raved about the start of Season 3, which finds the show on solid footing as it moves forward.
Sadly, though, most people still probably don't have a clue what “Rectify” is and with only 16 episodes to catch up on, here are five reasons you should watch Ray McKinnon's baby:
1) Aden Young is as good as any dramatic actor on TV. Lead Actor in a Drama is the most crowded of Emmy fields, but there is no short-list of five nominees that I would compose that wouldn't include Young for his performance as Daniel Holden, released back into his Georgia hometown after 19 years on Death Row for a crime we're still not sure if he committed. It's a performance of often silent reflection and reaction, punctuated an often halting delivery that milks every ounce of import from McKinnon's dialogue. So far, no major award-giving organization has seen fit to honor Young and that's just a shame.
2) The show isn't just Aden Young. Yes, he's the lead and he's the guy I'd give trophies to, but the ensemble including Adelaide Clemens, Clayne Crawford, J. Smith Cameron, Bruce McKinnon and even Abigail Spencer with her sometimes inconsistent accent is terrific as well.
3) No show on TV of this quality — Sorry, entries on Up and Hallmark and whatnot — honors faith this thoroughly. Come on, Conservatives and religious-minded folks! You want more TV that respects, reflects and reflects upon faith and spirituality? I get endless emails from groups telling me to watch horrible movies about people who die and maybe go to heaven and come back Changed, but I get no emails from those same groups telling me to watch a genuinely great show that is about redemption, renewal, forgiveness and the steps people take to find their way in the world. I guess those groups ignore “Rectify” because it asks questions and because this show treats faith as something that people have to chart out for themselves. That sucks. “Rectify” is a show that could be taught from the pulpit, while also being a show that doesn't offend or alienate agnostics or atheists. That's a crazy balance and nobody else comes close.
4) “Rectify” is also hilarious at times. Alan and I mentioned this on the podcast and people seemed incredulous, but if you don't sometimes laugh at Rectify, what show have you been watching? There was a Goat-Man! Daniel was captivated by flip-flops! Yes, “Rectify” is deep and sensitive and, at times, emotional and disturbing, but it's also a deadpan treasure.
5) “Rectify” just isn't like anything else on TV. In an industry of imitation, there are only a limited number of shows that you can look at and go, “Huh. This sucker is totally unique for the medium.” “Hannibal” is like that. “Rectify” is like that. And that doesn't mean that “Rectify” is like “Hannibal,” of course. If you want TV to produce unique things, it helps if you watch the unique things that television does produce!
“Rectify” returns on Thursday, July 9 at 10 p.m. on SundanceTV.