The Sinner Season 2 Review: Called It! And The Killer Is...

Season 2 of USA's "The Sinner' has Detective Harry Ambrose (Bill Pulman) back in his hometown of Keller, NY. Harry is called in on the case of a boy who kills his parents on a trip to Niagara Falls. We know the kid did it--so that's not a mystery. Pretty much everything else is though. Harry partners with his old friend Jack Novack's daughter Heather (Natalie Paul). She is a Detective In Training

Julian (Elisha Henig) lives with a mysterious cult called Mosswood. They worship some sort of Big Rock. The people who killed were not his parents but fellow cult members. The cult is headed by Julian's mother Vera Walker (Carrie Coon). She is full of secrets and not a woman to be trifled with.

As Harry peels back the layers the story, we learn more. Vera is actually NOT Julian's mother. The child's mother is Heather's old BFF (and love interest) Marin. Yes, that is Hannah Gross from "MindHunter". What happened to Marin after she gave birth? She is presumed dead initially.

Surprise! Marin is alive after all. After roaming the country for a few years Marin decides she wants to spend time with her son. She had a secret plan with the two cult members who were talking Julian to Niagara Falls. I know Marin is the boy's biological mother and all but let's be honest. She's going to be a terrible parent. She doesnt have her sh%t together even now.

Going into the finale, my guess was Jack (and not Lionel Jeffries) was Julian's father . He is the person Marin called from the motel (where she is later found dead). And that's exactly how the show played out. The writers tried to make us think it was Julian again but I wasnt buying it. Vera was also thrown in as another red herring. And what about the Beacon? Is he alive or dead? Did Vera really kill him with the same tainted tea that Julian used? I guess we'll never know.

Jack confesses after being confronted by Harry. He turns out to be a major sleezeball. Not only does he take average of a drunk underage girl, he does so knowing that his daughter has a thing for her bestie. What is wrong with you dude? I guess Jack will (rightfully) be spending the rest of his days up the river. We never learn his sentence.

Vera plans to escape to Washington state with Julian under assumed identities. But Julian is tired of running and wants to face the music. Vera reluctantly agrees. Was that a powerful scene at the diner or what? How, great acting all around.

Upon their return, Vera burns down the barn at Mosswood. Only the charred Big Rock remains. It looks like everyone in the cult has headed elsewhere. Is she going to start doing "the work" again? Julian is sentenced to three years in a psychiatric facility instead of prison (thanks to Harry's help).

It seems Harry is able to exercise some the demons that continue to haunt him from his childhood. Vera gives him the tapes of what he said while under the influence of her hallucinogenic drug. No wonder Harry has such a soft spot for psychologically damaged people. As a boy he set his house on fire (and his abusive and mentally ill mother spent the rest of her days in a psych hospital).

In the final scene, Harry, Heather and Julian (who is Heather's half brother) visit Niagara Falls. The three look happy or at least content given all they've gone through.

Grade: 4 1/2 Monsters (out of 5). Another excellent season of this surprisingly enjoyable crime procedural. I think I may have enjoyed season 2 even more than season 1. Carrie Coon delivers a blistering performance as a mother who will do anything to protect her child. She deserves some major awards for this role. Teenager Elisha Henig also knocks it out of the park. I suspect we'll see great things from him in the future. And in case you didnt know Carrie's IRL husband is Tracey Letts (who played the part of Jack).

Will there be a season 3 of "The Sinner"? It's still up in the air now but the viewership numbers weren't as high as is deserving of this excellent story and cast.