People who are subscribed to Apple TV+ are currently binging on the Jake Gyllenhaal starrer “Presumed Innocent” without knowing what they will do once they are done with that finale. Based on Scott Turow’s bestselling novel, the show isn’t the first adaptation of the book. The 1990 legal thriller directed by the great Alan J. Pakula was the first in line and starred Harrison Ford as Rusty Sabich – a character that Gyllenhaal reprises in the show. Co-starring Peter Sarsgaard, Ruth Nega, Renate Reinsve, Elizabeth Marvel, and Bill Camp, the plot centers around a horrific murder that disrupts the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s Office when one of its own, Sabich, is accused of the crime. The show delves into themes of obsession, sex, politics, and the complexities of love as Sabich fights to maintain his family and marriage amidst the chaos. If you have landed on this page looking for TV shows that are like “Presumed Innocent,” I do have a few recommendations for you.
1. Better Call Saul
Created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, the prequel to their acclaimed “Breaking Bad” focused on the character of Jimmy McGill, a small-time lawyer who eventually becomes the morally challenged Saul Goodman, the lawyer who represents Walter White in BB. The series mostly delved into Jimmy’s transformation, exploring his personal and professional struggles, his relationships, and his descent into the criminal underworld.
One of the major aspects that gets “Better Call Saul” in a list of shows like “Presumed Innocent” is the way the shows provide deep insights into their main characters, examining their moral complexities and struggles in professional lives. While “Presumed Innocent” feels like a legal thriller in comparison to Better Call Saul, since both stories deal with corruption, ethical dilemmas, and the grey areas of morality within the legal profession, it would be right to include it here.
2. The Night Of
Created by Richard Price and Steven Zaillian and based on the British Series “Criminal Justice,” HBO’s miniseries “The Night Of” follows the story of Nasir “Naz” Khan, a Pakistani-American college student who is accused of murdering a young woman in New York City. The series explores the legal and criminal justice system as Naz’s case unfolds, highlighting the complexities and flaws within the system.
Much like “Presumed Innocent,” “The Night Of” is one of those shows that focuses on a protagonist who is accused of murder, and throughout the narrative, he is trying to defend themselves and uncover the truth. The two shows follow similar patterns, dealing with the emotional and psychological impact of the accusations on the protagonists. Additionally, “The Night Of” also highlights the flaws and limitations of the legal and criminal justice systems, including issues such as corruption, bias, and the challenges of mounting a defense.
3. Your Honor
Bryan Cranston is at the center of “Your Honor,” a legal drama about Michael Desiato, a respected judge in New Orleans whose life takes a drastic turn when his teenage son, Adam, is involved in a hit-and-run accident that kills the son of a powerful crime boss. Michael’s moral principles are tested as he goes to great lengths to protect his son, leading to a series of increasingly dangerous and morally compromising decisions.
As far as shows like “Presumed Innocent” are concerned, Your Honor comes with its shared set of dissimilarities. While the Apple TV+ show centers around a prosecutor, “Your Honour” is about a judge. However, both of the shows tackle their entanglement in criminal cases that challenge their ethics and professional duties. Since the shows are mainly about the personal lives of the characters, these legal proceedings affect the protagonists and their families, leaving them in emotional and psychological turmoil.
4. Defending Jacob
If you want another TV show like “Presumed Innocent” and don’t want to look beyond Apple TV+, I have another recommendation for you.
Based on the 2012 novel of the same name by William Landay, “Defending Jacob,” the Apple TV+ miniseries stars Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery, and Jaeden Martell and tells the story of a family dealing with the accusation that their 14-year-old son, Jacob, has committed murder.
Much like “Presumed Innocent,” the Apple TV+ miniseries revolves around the legal system and the intense courtroom drama that ensues when a protagonist or a family member is accused of a serious crime. Similar to each other, the episodes explore the themes of innocence and guilt and the difficulty of determining the truth amid conflicting evidence and personal biases.
5. Goliath
While there are clear differences between the two shows, I would still put “Goliath,” starring Billy Bob Thornton, in a list of shows like “Presumed Innocent.” The Prime Video show was created by David E. Kelley and Jonathan Shapiro and is about a disgraced lawyer named Billy McBride who now works as an ambulance chaser. When he is wrongfully drawn into a death case against a powerful corporation and his former law firm, Billy gets back on the seat toward redemption.
As far as similarities with “Presumed Innocent” are concerned, both shows have a central legal case that has high stakes and significant personal and professional consequences for the protagonists. Additionally, both Billy McBride and Rusty Sabich are flawed characters who face challenges and must navigate complex moral landscapes.
6. Anatomy of a Scandal
The story of “Anatomy of Scandal,” the British miniseries which premiered on Netflix, centers on James Whitehouse, a charismatic and influential politician who is accused of raping a parliamentary aide, Olivia Lytton. Much like “Presumed Innocent,” the Netflix TV show follows the courtroom drama as James’s trial unfolds, with prosecutor Kate Woodcroft seeking justice for Olivia while the defense fights to clear his name.
Like “Presumed Innocent,” you are never completely aware of whether the protagonists are innocent or guilty, leading to the high-profile case, which attracts public and media attention and makes the legal proceeding difficult. While there is no murder involved in “Anatomy of a Scandal,” the show’s psychological aspects match those of the Gyllenhaal Apple TV+ show.
7. The Undoing
“The Undoing” is an HBO miniseries starring Nicole Kidman and High Grant that follows Grace Fraser, a successful therapist living in New York City with her husband, Jonathan, a pediatric oncologist, and their son, Henry. Their seemingly perfect life is shattered when Jonathan is accused of murdering Elena Alves, a woman connected to their son’s private school.
As the investigation unfolds, secrets about Jonathan’s life and the nature of his relationship with Elena come to light. Grace finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew about her husband.
When it comes to shows like “Presumed Innocent,” “The Undoing” makes the cut because it deals with the complexity of legal maneuvering. While both shows are character-driven, bringing the personal lives of the main players to the forefront, “The Undoing” is also different in tone from the Apple TV+ show, which is more investigative than suspenseful.
