When a crime takes place, the first question asked is who done it? However, the show “The Sinner” focuses on the second question, why? Why was the crime committed? This show is about discovering the motives of unusual wrongdoings.

For example, in the first season, we are given a glance at a picture-perfect family. A wife, a husband, and a baby. In the very first episode, the family is shown going to a small public beach area. The mom, whose name is Cora Tannetti (Jessica Biel) decides to go for a swim. She is shown to be distraught as she swims out to the furthest point of the lake and for a moment- drowns herself. She quickly escaped the water and resurfaced only to hear her son calling out for her. She swam to shore. Her husband noticed a difference in her emotions and asked if she was okay, to which she answered yes. The next scene displayed the family casually sitting on the beach as they were surrounded by at least 100 other people. Cora Tannetti was interested in one group of young adults that seem to be having a very good time.

 There are a boy and a girl and they can’t seem to keep their hands off of each other. Cora watched these two as she sliced pear for her son, she seemed to zone out onto the couple. The couple finally separated and the girl took control of the radio to change the song. The song she turns on is composed by the boy and his old college band. The girl practically pounced on the boy and they resumed to grab and kiss each other, Cora still watched closely. The song played louder and louder, and something in Cora snapped. Cora took the knife she was using to slice the pear with and charged the boy, she stabbed him in the neck and other various places. Her husband grabbed her and kept her calm until the cops arrived. When they arrived, Cora is arrested and taken to the station. The rest of the season is about detective Harry Ambrose (Bill Pullman) building a bond with Cora, and the two trying to prove her innocence. The twist is Cora doesn’t remember anything in her past, or why she was triggered to stab the innocent man. With the help of detective Ambrose, Cora’s past is slowly but surely uncovered. 

The second season is about uncovering another motive to another crime. Ambrose is called to his hometown to help prove a 13-year-old boy innocent. However, the boy has killed a man and a woman. I highly recommend this series if you have an interest in mysteries or crime thrillers. It is exceptionally directed and the acting skills are purely brilliant. In summation, Netflix did a good job on this one.