Accused
AnthologyA new story or cast with every episode or season.This show: 10/10Character studyInterior life matters more than plot.This show: 8/10Morally grayNo clean heroes or villains anywhere in sight.This show: 8/10LegalCourtrooms, lawyers and the machinery of the law.This show: 7/10Social commentaryDeliberate critique of how society works.This show: 7/10TenseSustained suspense and pressure from start to finish.This show: 7/10Secrets & liesHidden truths straining every relationship.This show: 7/10
Rate this series
Starring
Michael ChiklisShawn DoyleMatthew James ThomasDaniel MaslanyVicki KimPatrice Goodman
Written by
Howard GordonJimmy McGovern
Starring
Michael ChiklisShawn DoyleMatthew James ThomasDaniel MaslanyVicki KimPatrice Goodman
Written by
Howard GordonJimmy McGovern
Ratings per Episode
Votes per Episode
Accused Episode Ratings Heatmap
| Avg | E1 | E2 | E3 | E4 | E5 | E6 | E7 | E8 | E9 | E10 | E11 | E12 | E13 | E14 | E15 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | 7.2 | 7.7 | 6.8 | 7.3 | 6.9 | 7.5 | 6.7 | 7.1 | 6.8 | 7.4 | 6.3 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 6.6 | 7.0 | 7.3 | |
| S2 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.0 | 6.6 | 7.3 | 7.1 | 7.8 | 7.2 | 6.5 |
Download Infographic
About
"A new defendant, a new moral trap, every week"
Each episode of this anthology drama opens with an ordinary person already on trial, then rewinds to show the chain of decisions and disasters that landed them there. The cast changes every week, so you get a rotating gallery of guilt, denial, and desperation rather than one continuing story. The pacing is tight and the courtroom framing keeps tension high, though quality swings episode to episode since it lives or dies on that week's guest performances and script.
Watch it for
the anthology format lets strong guest actors carry entire self-contained morality tales.
Maybe skip if
you prefer serialized characters and continuity over a rotating cast each week.
Written by our AI editor to help you decide, spoiler-free by design.
All Seasons
▶
Season 12023
7.29K152h 54m
Accused is a legal crime anthology series based on the British show of the same name. Unlike a traditional series with a continuous cast, each episode is a standalone "mini-movie" that begins in a courtroom with a defendant. The plot then uses flashbacks to reveal how they ended up on trial.
The central theme of Season 1 is the "ordinary person in an extraordinary situation," exploring how desperation, love, and fear can lead people to commit crimes—or be wrongly accused of them.
▶
Season 22024
7.12K843m
Season 2 of Accused (US), which aired in late 2024, continues the anthology format of the first season. Each episode remains a standalone "mini-movie" that starts with a defendant in a courtroom and uses flashbacks to explain the events leading up to their trial.
The second season consists of 8 episodes and features an even more star-studded cast than the first.
Full Cast & Crew
Cast
Michael Chiklis Justin, Scott Harmon
Shawn Doyle Eric Broder, Patrick
Matthew James Thomas Alexei, Tom Braddick
Daniel Maslany Frank Conley, Public Defender Eli Demille
Vicki Kim Doctor, Hannah
Patrice Goodman Defence Lawyer, Maya Thompsen
Darlene Cooke Judge, Judge Smith
Jay Yoo Chef One, Myranda's Father
Farrah Aviva Ava's Mother, Firuzeh Ahmadi
Jason Ritter Jack Fletcher
Crew
Howard Gordon
Jimmy McGovern
Similar Series
Popular picks Shows that people who know this one usually know too. From our AI taste analysis.
Our recommendations Specific picks with the reason, including shows you may not have heard of. From our AI taste analysis.
Accused
4K 10 2010–2012
the original British anthology this remake is based on
Broken
4K 6 2017–present
Jimmy McGovern's morally complex working-class drama
Time
32K 7 2021–2025
McGovern's intense character study of guilt and justice
Criminal Justice
2K 10 2008–2009
British anthology-style legal drama following the accused through the system
Criminal: UK
24K 7 2019–2020
tense anthology format centered on interrogation and guilt
Cracker
9K 25 1993–1996
McGovern's earlier gritty crime drama with psychological depth
Southcliffe
3K 4 2013–2013
bleak British anthology-style examination of tragedy's aftermath
Little Boy Blue
7K 4 2017–2017
true-crime-inflected British drama on grief and justice
Close in taste Nearest neighbors in our taste profile comparison: shared tone, themes and style.