The Finale of This 92%-Rated Crime Drama Is So Twisted You'll Want to Rewatch the Entire Season

Starring Jessica Biel and Bill Pullman, The Sinner became one of the most talked-about projects of 2017. Based on the novel by Petra Hammesfahr, the series is unlike typical detective shows in that the heroine's guilt is obvious from the very first minute – she confesses to her crime immediately.

The question isn't who the killer is, but rather, why she did it – it's this mystery that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

What Is 'The Sinner' Season 1 About?

Cora Tannetti is a 29-year-old, unremarkable young mother from the suburbs. She runs the family business, raises her son, and occasionally clashes with her husband, who is overly attached to his overbearing parents.

Everything seems normal, but something gnaws at Cora inside. From time to time, fragmentary memories of her childhood in a religious family overwhelm her, making her want to kill herself or someone else.

After another bout of "nostalgia," Cora fatally stabs a young man she doesn't know in front of astonished witnesses. She confesses, however, seasoned detective Harry Ambrose decides to investigate further.

'The Sinner' Is a Profound Psychological Drama, Brilliantly Acted by Jessica Biel

The crowning achievement of The Sinner is Jessica Biel's brilliant performance as Cora. The actress creates the image of a woman who doesn't understand what's happening to her.

Her face expresses a full range of emotions, from horror and incomprehension to relief and realization. Biel successfully conveys how deep-seated trauma can destroy a person's life in an instant.

Bill Pullman also delivers a brilliant performance as Detective Ambrose. His character is a weary, cynical cop who has not lost his capacity for empathy – he sees Cora not just as a killer but also as someone in need of help. It is this empathy that enables him to uncover a shocking truth.

'The Sinner' Will Keep You Glued to the Screen From the First Minute to the Last

The Sinner deceives viewers at every turn. A slow opening lulls us into complacency by revealing the ordinary nature of the characters' lives, then, the episode suddenly accelerates and sets plot traps.

Fragments of Cora's memories of her little sister, hints of a connection between the killer and the victim, her husband's inexplicable coldness, and the mystery of the confession all weave together into a tightly wound web that only unravels in the finale.

When viewers finally learn the true reason for the murder, they realize that this is not just a crime drama but also a profound exploration of trauma and its ability to destroy the present by haunting the past.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'The Sinner'?

• The Sinner has 92% from critics and 73% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the series has a score of 7.8/10.

Where to Watch 'The Sinner'?

The Sinner is available to stream on Netflix.