In terms of breakthrough TV shows that came from nowhere to capture a massive TV audience, The Sinner is right up there as Netflix's decision to acquire the rights to the murder mystery proved to be inspired.
Rather than focus on the traditional 'who done it?' approach to the genre, the show laid its cards out on the bloody table very early with that incredibly gruesome and memorable scene at the beach. We were firmly in the realms of 'why' rather than 'who' and audiences lapped it up.
To Jessica Biel's immense credit, her role as Cora garnered her a Golden Globe nomination but with the mystery of Season 1 succinctly wrapped up, all eyes are on Season 2 and the big question, can it match the standards of Season 1?
Season 2 sees Detective Ambrose (Pullman) called back to his hometown in rural New York to assess an unsettling and heart-wrenching crime. After two parents are murdered by their 11-year-old son, there appears to be no apparent motive for this brutal incident.
Ultimately, Ambrose realises that there’s nothing ordinary about the boy or where he came from.
With each passing episode, the investigation pulls him into the hidden darkness of his hometown, where he's pitted against those who’ll stop at nothing to protect their secrets.
A mysterious woman (Carrie Coon), meanwhile, proves to be a complicated, and enigmatic piece to this haunting puzzle.
In terms of the reviews, the renowned review-aggregator site Metacritic have the show currently rated at an impressive 75%, with the LA Times stating that "if the first few episodes are any indication, this is yet another disturbing/thought-provoking mystery worth unraveling".
Entertainment Weekly add that "the plot twists are absurd, but the fine cast shimmers," while The Hollywood Reporter states that Season 2 is "a sturdy and inquisitive one, allowing the new figures in the story to attract his attention and that of the viewers".
"Paul is comparably meant to be more solid than exciting," the review adds, while "Coon is perfectly enigmatic, not quite the season's villain and yet utterly unsettling".
Season 2 of The Sinner is now available to watch on Netflix.
Take a look at what's in store.
Clip via Netflix UK & Ireland
