From the black community’s perspective of the police to religion, this episode pushed on multiple polarizing topics while all at once exposing a character whose savior complex caused his entire world to crumble.
Accused Season 1 Episode 4 was a symphony of emotional trigger points.
We meet Kendall, a successful do-gooder. He’s a loving father and a wonderful husband–a community pillar. He’s held back only by his incessantly overbearing childhood friend and career criminal, Lamar.
The nature of their friendship is one rooted in favors and history. They go way back, and loyalty, in addition to a lack of boundaries, seems to be their stick. Both alpha males, their friendship is puzzling.
Since they have been friends since third grade, Kendall is more than aware of Lamar’s proclivities and temper. Yet somehow, he gets carried away and seems helpless to stop the path they’re on.
Kendall exposes the need to be a follower when he insists on his daughter’s Catechism, citing that all of her friends are doing it. Despite the traumatic circumstances, he wanted her to keep up with her friends.
This parental insistence on peer pressure exposes his desire to be accepted by friends.
One persistent element of this episode is the black community’s mistrust of the police department.
Detective Douglas: Lamar is spinning in circles going nowhere. And his brother David, come on, is he always so jittery?
Kendall: Cops make black men nervous. You should know that.
Detective Douglas is known for mishandling a police brutality case. Detective Douglas failed to act in a way that would have helped the victim. And because he is black himself, this made him a pariah within his community.
Detective Douglas varies in his response to these claims. At times, he seems defensive, but ultimately, he expresses remorse.
The writers thrust the police brutality angle into the storyline to justify the character’s actions. How could they wait on a police response that would never happen? What if Detective Douglas looked the other way again?
As natural as that fear was, it was unrealistic to think Kendall would miss his daughter’s Catechism. He is shown through many moments to be a superior father, obsessed with his love and devotion to his family. But his actions and following Lamar were the antithesis of being a good dad.
Kendall suffers from a savior complex, and his inherent need to be the solver of the problems and the hero is selfish and damaging. Ingrid needed therapy, and his response was to persist in her religious training.
The religious elements of the story were powerful. It shows how we throw religion at problems in many cultures instead of addressing the root of it all.
Ingrid could not even bear to bathe, but he wanted to parade her in front of the church in a white gown. Showcasing her purity in this manner was a cruel and insensitive action.
As the priest taught about how our evil deeds separate us from Christ, it was telling that Kendall tried to wash off his sins. Several times, he attempted to call Detective Douglas but never made the call. There was something in him that wanted to pursue the darkness.
He had to be the hero. His mind wasn’t on the consequences of his actions. He didn’t consider that his daughter may grow up without her father. He just had to be the one who had the answers.
We see a good man go down a dangerous path because of his selfish need to be the savior.
Kendall: It’s my job to protect our daughter
Lisa: It’s both our job
Kendall: It’s different for me
His wife’s reactions were so understated. Where was her outrage? She seemed written to support Kendall and not express or insist on her perspective being considered or respected.
He lied to her repeatedly, yet we keep seeing Kendall presented with a graciously calm wife.
Why wasn’t she angrier? What kind of work emergency would justify Kendall missing such an important event? It was cruelly selfish of Lamar to bring that drama to their house, but Kendall should have said no.
Lisa knew the kind of friend Lamar was, and it couldn’t have been anything legal or healthy to pull him away from his family on such an important night.
The investigation was confounding. Detective Douglas was underwhelming in his investigative techniques. He did not bring Kendall in for questioning; instead casually asked him about a murder after a lovely breakfast with his family.
Whoever did this will go down, the only question is how hard they fall.
Detective Douglas
With motive, he could have just been taken in and questioned. Kendall would not have had a chance to warn his friends. Detective Douglas claimed he was giving Kendall an option, but why? Why didn’t he pursue his cases with fervor?
He did not ask for details about this work emergency. He did not question them together. Who else was assisting in the case? We only ever saw Detective Douglas for the sexual assault and the murder.
There was no reason for Kendall to trust Lamar. Lamar repeatedly told Kendall who he was and how he wasn’t returning to prison. Kendall exhausted all his grace with Detective Douglas by trusting the untrustable.
Like the justice system, this episode gave the viewers no closure. Kendall was guilty, but the heinous actions of the Perry brothers made him seem the victim of injustice. He was not.
He had options. He could have called or texted Detective Douglas from the car on the way to the park. He could have let the detective know that his “friends” were looking for the perpetrator.
He could have stayed with his family instead of going on an ill-fated manhunt.
His actions were criminal, despite who issued the fatal blow.
I started hitting him too. It felt good, until it didn’t.
He was aware of Lamar’s character and still chose to get in the car with him. People playing with a snake can’t be surprised when they get bit.
There was a level of depth missing from this episode. All the conversations were brief and resolute. There was very little debate. When someone protested, it didn’t last long.
Where was the willpower of these characters? How could Kendall be so easily swayed? Why wasn’t Lisa more outraged at Kendall’s newfound propensity to lie and murder?
Lamar’s brother, David, was a pawn of his brother, which was evident from the beginning. But along the way, Kendall became a pawn as well.
Accused tells the story from the offender’s viewpoint, allowing the viewing audience to understand the reasoning behind the crime. In this case, Kendall did not even understand.
The narrative shifted and portrayed Kendall as the victim; meanwhile, Ingrid lost more than anyone.
What did you think of Kendall’s Story? Was he a sympathetic character, or was he self-righteous? Should he have ever trusted Lamar and David?
Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
Brandi Powell is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.
