American Crime Review: Season Two Episode Two

A lot has gone on this week on American Crime, and this recent episode seems to be setting us up for a battle royal between Anne and Taylor vs. Leslie representing the Leyland School vs. the law.

The underlying theme of the episode is that assault is something that can happen to men just as much as it happens to women.

The police blatantly tell Anne that assault is the hardest crime to prosecute, made more difficult by the fact that it happened to a teenage boy. The worst part was the complete lack of interest law enforcement officials seem have in the case. Mostly because it involves a young boy who doesn’t have any social or financial security to establish his authority, unlike Leslie and the rest of the school, who scramble to get ready for the investigation.

They are not sincere in their efforts to find out what happened to Taylor because, yet again, he doesn’t have money, the one thing that defines you at Leyland. The school has reputations to protect: those of the wealthy families that run the school behind the scenes. The best example of which, is when Leslie knowingly encourages Dan to bench the co-captain of the team, Eric Tanner, instead of Kevin LeCroix.

Leslie: I don’t think we want to get into things with the LaCroix family.

Additionally, Leslie even goes as far to say that Taylor lied about what happened, and that it will all go away if Dan benches Eric over Kevin.

Speaking of Taylor, Connor Jessup continues to bring vulnerability, confusion, and reluctance to a character who can’t remember or doesn’t want to remember what happened to him. He knows that something happened to him, but isn’t triggered until he is sitting in a local hospital about to receive a rape kit from a nurse off-screen. She explains what the exam will entail with methodology and prompts; a lot of the exam is talking. A tight close-up of Jessup’s face flashes from bewilderment to the pain of having to recollect what happened that night.

Taylor: Why do you need to do that?–For what do you do?–Why do you–umm. Sorry. Just, what–Why do you need that information?

And while the camera pans to cotton swabs.The nurse’s voice fades away while Jessup’s heavy breathing takes over to show a brief flashback of the party and an intoxicated Taylor and the trauma that comes from the subsequent events. To me, this scene shows just how revolutionary American Crime has chosen to be about its depiction of rape. It’s not for ratings. It’s something that happens, and that has fallout for years after the attack happens.

Their goal is to explore the fallout of such attacks, and in particular, the legal implications of reporting the crime. These writers are really shedding a light on how law enforcement deals with allegations like these, and how the language needs to be changed to include all genders.

Anne: My son was raped.
Off screen detective: That’s a specific category of crime. Forced intercourse with a member of the opposite sex.
Anne: What do you want to call it? I don’t care what you call it. I just need something done.

American Crime is not looking to point fingers and name names. Rather, the show is trying to open up a discussion about how police handle male rape, the families involved, and — to an extent — the reaction of the schools in which they happen. Taylor’s story is an ambitious one that will continue to get even more complicated as the season goes on.

Other thoughts:

• Eric is gay, and no one knows. I look forward to seeing if this revelation will have anything to do with the Taylor case.
• We got a brief introduction to the Thurgood Marshall High School students and staff who are fighting to get the funding that is currently promised for the expansion of Leyland Academy.
• I’m not entirely sure how Kevin falls into the storyline yet. All we know is that his mother doesn’t want him hanging out with lower class families, especially the girls, because they are only looking for baby daddies. Her words, not mine.
• Dan makes Leslie a ship in a bottle to show his appreciation for her kind words during last week’s episode.
• Speaking of Leslie, she was shredding papers that I can’t help but think have something to do with Taylor.

What did you think of this episode of American Crime? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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American Crime airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on ABC.

Jessica Kreamer

Jessica has a degree in History, an MLA is Liberal Arts, and a great desire to consume as much quality television as she can. By day, she's an office worker and caregiver. By night, she's a tea drinking television fanatic. Her current favorite television shows include: Madam Secretary, How To Get Away With Murder, Jane the Virgin, and Veep. Her greatest wish is to make tea drinking into a payable skill. Follow Jessica on Twitter: @pythiaprophet