Criminal Record Season 1 Episode 4 Review: Protected

New revelations and increased threats help Criminal Record find its stride on Criminal Record Season 1 Episode 4, “Protected.”

As with the previous three episodes, “Protected” starts off with a strong opening scene.

While not as dramatic as the opening of Criminal Record, Season 1 Episode 3, “Kid in the Park,” or atmospheric as the opening of Criminal Record Season 1 Episode 1, “Emergency Caller,” it is every bit as compelling. 

The conversation between June and her mother introduces a whole host of intriguing questions about June’s past. Specifically who her father was and what happened to him. 

More importantly, though, it expands our understanding of June and her motivations. Up until now, viewers understood June as a tenacious cop with a healthy sense of cynicism.  It’s an archetype we are familiar with, so there was no reason to question it.

June’s history, however, adds new complications to that archetype that make her more interesting.  Knowing that June’s father was targeted by the police means June entered the police force already distrustful of the institution.

June may have joined the force with an idealistic belief that she could change things from within. Her experiences, however, mean she sees things others don’t. She is primed to be suspicious and question what she’s told. 

June’s quick mistrust of Hegarty and immediate eagerness to right a miscarriage of justice makes even more sense knowing her history.

What’s different about “Protected” from “Kid in the Park” is that “Protected” remains as compelling as its opening all the way through the episode.

There are really two reasons for this. First, there is a clearer focus on the clash between June and Hegarty.

June’s subterfuge and Hegarty manipulations create an uncomfortable but riveting tension that carries most of the episode. 

One of the best examples of this comes early during the episode. After the suspect they arrested on “Kid in the Park” confesses to shooting Issac, there’s a team debrief with all the officers working the case. 

Hegarty updates everyone about the confession but then puts June on the spot.

He asks her if she buys his confession and if his confession is a justification for making an arrest.

It’s such a devious but brilliant move. Not only does he catch her off guard, but he also makes her confirm that a suspect’s confession is a reasonable assumption of guilt.

She is forced to seemingly contradict her early skepticism of Errol’s confession in front of a whole group of officers. He undermines her credibility in front of witnesses while making it look like Hegarty values her opinion.

There are a few different scenes like that on “Protected.” Hegarty is able to put June in precarious situations in a way that makes him look good or benevolent.

Each of the scenes is incredibly effective. They showcase the way Hegarty uses his position and institutional norms to make June look ludicrous or paranoid if she accuses him of anything.

The second reason that “Protected” is a more engaging episode is that the investigation into Errol’s case starts to take shape in interesting ways.

This started at the end of “Kid in the Park,” with the reveal that it was Hegarty who got the drug charges against Patrick dropped. “Protected” expands on that reveal, showing that Patrick and Hegarty have an ongoing relationship.

On the episode, we see how Hegarty works to dispel new doubts planted by Doris when they both visit Adalie’s grave.

Hegarty needs Patrick to believe him. It’s unclear, however, whether Patrick fully believes Hegarty or is choosing to accept what Hegarty tells him.

It seems likely to be the latter, possibly hinting at a future break between the two.

I’m curious to find out what part Patrick will play in uncovering what really happened to his mother. What memory is Hegarty working so hard to keep him from remembering or speaking out loud?

Another question this episode brings up that I’m eager to learn the answer to is how much Hegarty is directly orchestrating and how much of it is just the system itself. 

For example, did Hegarty actually direct people to attack the suspect who confessed to shooting Issac? Or did he just create the circumstances that would lead to the outcome? 

It seems like with June, he is putting her in a dangerous situation and letting the flaws in the system work against her.

With the jailhouse beating, however, I’m not as sure. I think it’s possible he actually ordered that beating to get his suspect to cooperate. 

Unless there is some significant twist, it seems obvious that Hegarty used unethical and illegal means to convict Errol. 

What isn’t obvious is if he did that out of an arrogant belief that the ends justify the means and truly believes Errol is guilty. Or did he knowingly put an innocent man in jail to protect something or someone?

The cliffhanger at the end of the episode certainly implies the latter. 

After the rather muddled episode “Kid in the Park,” “Protected” is a significant course correction. It starts to deliver on the promise of its first episode.

With a clearer focus on June and Hegarty as well as new revelations about the case Protected,” is the series’ strongest episode so far. 

Here’s hoping the series builds on this episode and gives viewers an excellent second half. 

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

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New episodes of Criminal Record premiere Wednesdays on Apple TV+

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