American Crime, which premiered in 2015, was one of those shows that really had its pulse on the affairs of the moment, and it had some formal qualities that set it apart from other shows airing at the same time. It did a deep dive into the collective American psyche, managing to explore issues of race, gender, and criminal justice in a way that really was unique for network television.
Though the first season managed to wrap up most of its plotlines in mostly satisfactory ways-even seeing the death of some of the key characters-there are still quite a few unanswered questions that still haunt viewers who enjoyed this very unique crime drama.
What Happened To The Witness In Hector’s Trial?
In the final episode, the viewer learns that the witness who was key to the Mexican prosecutor’s case against Hector has gone missing and, as a result, he is released once the charges are dismissed. It remains very unclear, however, exactly what happened to this witness. His girlfriend suggests that sometimes people get what’s coming to them, which is a tantalizing clue that she might know a bit more about the fate of this witness than she ultimately reveals.
Why Was Barb Just The Worst?
There’s no question that Felicity Huffman’s Barb is one of the most unappealing characters on the show (even if she is a great villain). She lets her drive for justice for her murdered son Matt drive her to do and say some pretty terrible things, most of which are inflected by her deep racism. The question remains, though: why, exactly, is she so unremittingly terrible?
There’s really no narrative explanation for how she came to be the way that she is, other than the fact that Russ ruined the family with his gambling addiction.
Did Mark Have An Affair With Gwen?
After the death of his brother, Mark steps in to help take care of his sister-in-law Gwen. While obviously this could be his natural solicitousness toward his dead brother’s widow, the series seems to suggest that there might be something more going on between the two of them (including the fact that Gwen apparently had affairs with a number of other men). While tantalizing, this crime series doesn’t really answer this question one way or the other.
Who Actually Killed Matt?
The central enigma of the entire first season of this show is who, exactly, was responsible for killing Matt. Somewhat surprisingly, however, this is exactly the question that it really never answers to anyone’s satisfaction. While Aubrey confesses to the crime, it’s unclear whether she’s just doing it to get Carter out of trouble or whether she really did it. Ultimately, of course, the fact that the crime remains unsolved for the viewer is one of the series’ more brilliant moves.
Who Left The Door Open To Aubrey’s Room?
After Carter is fatally shot by Russ, Aubrey begins her final slide into despair and, after someone leaves her door open, she manages to obtain a sharp object and commits suicide by slashing her wrists. However, it’s a little unclear who left the door open or even, since parts of this scene are clearly her dying delusions, whether she managed to commit suicide with some other material that was in her room (thus meaning the door wasn’t open at all).
Why Was The Prosecutor So Inept?
From the beginning of this crime drama, it’s pretty clear that the prosecutor in charge of the case against Matt’s killer isn’t exactly the most skilled person at the helm. Time and again, he makes mistakes that just seem rather silly for someone whose job it is to be in charge of high-profile cases. By the end of the season, one can’t help but wonder why anyone in their right mind would ever allow him to take charge of another murder case again.
What Did Carter Whisper To Aliyah?
By the final episode of this show, it’s very confusing and uncertain as to whether Carter was in fact responsible for the fatal shooting of Matt or whether he’s just been caught up in the gears of the criminal justice system. While the charges are dismissed after Aubrey confesses, at one point he whispers in his sister’s ear something that the audience doesn’t hear.
Given the stricken look on her face, one can’t help but wonder whether he was confessing to the crime he said he didn’t commit.
Why Was Carter So Intent On Destroying Himself?
There are, of course, many different plot threads in this show, but the one focusing on Carter is one of the most searing and emotionally intense. He’s a man who seems driven to destroy himself, particularly by associating with Aubrey, who leads him astray time and again, up to and including an attempted flight from Modesto. Given how toxic Aubrey so obviously is, it’s really hard to fathom why he would keep going back to her and, in the process, destroy himself.
What’s Going To Happen To Gwen?
There are many victims in this crime drama, and one of them is Gwen. It’s revealed that she had multiple affairs and in some ways turned a blind eye to her husband’s drug activities, but it’s hard not to feel sorry for her when, by the end, she can’t remember anything that happened for some time before the shooting. It makes one wonder what, exactly, is going to happen to her now that she’s back with her parents, especially given her father’s hostility toward her.
What Else Did Richelle And Mark Say To Barb?
At the end of the show, Barb has had to confront the loss of almost everything she cares about. After she drops her keys and other items from her purse, Mark and his fiancee Richelle come back to her, and Richelle begins to lay out the conditions of Barb being welcomed as a part of their family. While the audience hears some of this exchange, the bulk of it fades into unintelligibility, leaving one to wonder what else Richelle had to say to her racist mother-in-law.
