Guilt or Nah?

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Or Nah? is a feature where we watch and review the first episode of a new TV show. We’ll let you know if it’s worth checking out. As always, these reviews are the opinion of the reviewer, but we’ll try to adequately explain why you should or shouldn’t give the show a chance and provide shows for comparison.

Guilt | S1E1 - Pilot | Starring: Cristian Solimeno, Billy Zane, Daniel Ben Zenou, Daisy Head, Emily Tremaine, Naomi Ryan, Simona Brown, Zachary Fall, Kevin Ryan, Anthony Head, Rebekah Wainwright | Freeform | Mondays

What’s It About?

Guilt’s premise is ripped from the headlines surrounding the Amanda Knox case. Knox (an American) was studying abroad when her roommate was brutally murdered. Knox and her boyfriend were eventually charged with and convicted of the murder. The media frenzy surrounding the case and Knox’s relationship with her boyfriend made international news. Despite flimsy evidence and Knox maintaining her innocence, she spent several years in an Italian prison before her conviction was overturned and she returned to the states.

Guilt has made a few changes, of course. American student Grace (Head) is in London when her roommate Molly (Wainright) is murdered, and her attorney sister flies in to assist when Grace becomes a suspect. The series has a soap opera feel to it as everyone involved in the case (cops, lawyers, suspects) are all young and good looking.

What’s Good?

Not really a whole lot. It’s possible to take real life tragedies and turn them into compelling dramas that remain respectful to the victims (see: The People v. O.J. Simpson). However, nothing in Guilt’s pilot leads me to believe that will be the case here.

Anthony Head, while not in many scenes, was a pleasant surprise.

What’s Bad?

It feels like a music video with the occasional pause for laughably bad dialogue and mediocre acting. Billy Zane is at his Billy Zaniest, chewing scenery like a pro.

The Verdict

Watch This If: you like Shadowhunters, Pretty Little Liars, and other melodramas without a lot of substance

Don’t Watch This If: you’d like to retain a few brain cells