Ruth Negga portrays Barbara Sabich, the protagonist’s wife, in The Presumed Innocent, which is the tale of the two trials.
Barbara Sabich was also a character in the 1990 film adaptation of “Presumed Innocent,” which was portrayed by Bonnie Bedelia.
Highlights
- Barbara Sabich is depicted as a strong, multidimensional character who, despite facing emotional turmoil and betrayal, stands by her husband amidst the murder allegations.
- The series shifts the focus from solely depicting the protagonist’s sufferings to showcasing the effects of the affair and murder on Barbara Sabich. This change allows viewers to empathize with her as she becomes collateral damage in the turmoil surrounding her husband’s life.
- The series promises an unexpected plot twist similar to the novel’s ending, where Barbara Sabich is revealed to be the murderer. Viewers are left anticipating how this twist will be illustrated in the series and how it will impact the overall storyline.
Here is a quick sneak peek of the series,
Presumed Innocent is a legal thriller series based on Scott Turow’s 1987 novel, where the protagonist, Rusty Sabich, becomes the prime suspect in the murder of his colleague and lover, Carolyn Polhemus.
The eight-part miniseries brings a fresh perspective to the legal thrill genre, allowing the story to be told from the victim’s point of view.
Although the core elements are not significantly different from those of the 1990 movie adaptation, it doesn’t fail to excite the viewers with the authentic thrill it presents.
The intriguing storyline keeps the viewers captivated with its mystery card, played until the end of the series, and the plot twist leaves them in awe.
Warning: This post contains spoilers!
Presumed Innocent (2024)
The miniseries recounts the tale of a gruesome homicide that shakes the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s office to its core when one of its members becomes a prime suspect in the case.
Genres
Crime Drama Mystery| Released Date | June 12, 2024 |
| Casts | Bill Camp Jake Gyllenhaal Ruth Negga |
| Writers | Sharr White Miki Johnson Scott Turow David E. Kelley |
| Directors | Greg Yaitanes Anne Sewitsky |
Barbara Plays The Strong, Unbreakable Woman To Prove Her Husband’s Innocence
In the series, Barbara Sabich is an artist and gallerist who stands by her husband amidst the gruesome murder allegations.
Barbara is portrayed as a strong, three-dimensional, and thoughtful female character who strengthens her weaknesses through her choices.
After she discovers that her husband Rusty is romantically involved with his colleague Carolyn Polhemus, she is completely shattered into pieces, referring to her life taking its darkest turn.
Despite having emotional and psychological trauma associated with her heartbreak, she supports her family, keeping her troubles aside.
She stood as a woman who didn’t let her emotions weigh down the reasonable decisions she needed to make as a homemaker and a mother of two teenagers.
Barbara tries to understand the situation and support her husband in his legal battle, with the confidence that even though he has the guts to cheat, he lacks the guts to kill anyone.
The writers deserve credit for giving all the female characters enough time to resonate with their emotions and understand them on a deeper level.
The story was not just revolving around Rusty and his sufferings, but the focus was shifted to showcasing the effects of the affair and murder on Barbara.
The viewers got ample screen time to empathize with her as she was the collateral damage trapped in the tornado of her husband’s storm.
The Novel Portrays Barbara As The Murderer Who Took The Law In Her Hands
The series is an extended version of the 1990 film, which is directly adapted from the novel of the same name.
The novel has an unexpected jaw-dropping twist at the end, which is the least anticipated among the readers.
Yes, the person who was portrayed as the victim and who suffered the most collateral damage from the trial was the culprit herself.
Rusty's darkest secret. pic.twitter.com/8pPOSdzxZ0
— Apple TV (@AppleTV) June 10, 2024
Barbara was the murderer who killed Carolyn as she discovered her husband having an affair with Carolyn and couldn’t endure the betrayal thrown her way.
Thus, she took the law into her own hands and later admitted that she had left enough evidence to prove her responsibility.
However, she had never anticipated that her husband would be the one to be charged.
So, will the novel’s twist match the ending of the series writers choose to draw?
The only way to find out is not to waste any time and dive into the series’ first two episodes on June 12, 2024.
Additional Information
- Barbara Sabich has two teenage children, Jude and Kyle, whose side of the story is presented well regarding their father’s trial.
- Ruth Negga has starred in films including Isolation, Breakfast on Pluto, Warcraft, Ad Astra, and Passing.
- Ruth Negga has an estimated net worth of $4 million.
