Guilt - Pilot - Advance Preview

A question of “Guilt” is at the heart of Freeform’s new mystery thriller. Clearly inspired by the infamous Amanda Knox case, it also seems like the network’s attempt to do a more adult take on their signature show, a “Gone Girl” meets “Fifty Shades of Grey” for the “Pretty Little Liars” set. But I must confess I’m guilty of feeling lukewarm about the pilot.

The show starts with the brutal murder of Molly Ryan (Rebekah Wainwright, “The Tudors”), whose bloody body is discovered by her flatmate Grace (Daisy Head, “The Syndicate”), an American college student living in London, and Grace’s French boyfriend Luc (Zachary Fall, “Crossing Lines”). Somewhat irritatingly, the investigators quickly draw conclusions based on gender. Detective Sergeant Bruno (Cristian Solimeno, “Rush”) – trying to prove himself on his first case as lead – assumes Luc must be the killer because a woman wouldn’t stab her victim seventeen times. But prosecutor Gwendolyn Hall (Naomi Ryan, “Mr Selfridge”) insists you can “never underestimate jealous girls” and turns the attention back towards Grace.

Part of the problem is that the show doesn’t seem to know who the main character is. Is it Natalie (Emily Tremaine, “Vinyl”), Grace’s good girl lawyer sister who rushes to her side and defense? Is it Stan Gutterie (Billy Zane, “Titanic”), a flashy, blowhard solicitor who seems like he’d be a better fit fronting a UK version of “The Blacklist?” Or is it Grace herself, who so far is mostly an enigma with tear-filled eyes?

But I also think “Guilt” should have us questioning, as it goes along, whether or not Grace actually is guilty of the murder. The show, though, goes too fast and too furious in erasing that possibility, throwing in a myriad of hedonistic secrets surrounding the deceased (a posh sex club, for example) as well as cramming a ton of alternative suspects into the hour (one such potential culprit connected to the Royal Family is tossed in out of nowhere midway through). It’s possibly a case of pilot overstuffing, but the kitchen sink approach makes it hard to latch onto anything.

There were some bright spots. At one point, Grace is briefly swarmed by the press and I think that’s more what the show should be doing, showing how the media attention helps and/or hurts Grace’s case. And it’s always nice to see “Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s” Anthony Stewart Head (who plays the sisters’ skeevy stepfather), though why he’s being asked to fake an American accent when the show is swarming with international characters is beyond me. But overall, this wasn’t my cup of tea.

You can render your own verdict on “Guilt” when it premieres Monday June 13th on Freeform. Until then, speculate away in the comments section.