By Rebecca Sayce

Copyright metro

Accused has shot up the Netflix charts since arriving on the streamer (Picture: BBC)

A ‘provocative’ drama series has fans rushing to binge-watch it in full after it dropped on Netflix.

First released in 2010, Accused is a British crime anthology series that, in each episode, follows a different accused person in a courtroom without knowing their crime or why they’re on trial.

As each episode unfolds, the details of the case and the events leading up to it are told from the defendant’s point of view.

Across two seasons, Accused starred the likes of Robert Sheehan, Olivia Colman, Sheridan Smith, Andy Serkis, Christopher Eccleston, Sean Bean, and many others.

Created by Jimmy McGovern, both seasons of the BBC show are now available on Netflix and have shot into the streamer’s top 10 shows in the UK.

Accused has an average score of 61% on Rotten Tomatoes from critics, and a slightly higher 64% from audiences.

The show tells the story of a different defendant in a mysterious court case each episode (Picture: BBC)

The critics’ consensus reads: ‘While Accused is yet another variation on a very familiar theme, its anthology structure offers enough flexibility and star power for some compelling courtroom stories.’

In their review, CNN said: ‘The intricate and often surprising nature of the twists help separate it from standard crime procedurals, while providing the satisfaction of a self-contained story and resolution within each hour.’

Entertainment Weekly wrote: ‘Accused offers well-cast, engrossing mini-mysteries with twists viewers (mostly) won’t see coming.’

Wall Street Journal added: ‘Accused may be out to provoke, but it scores more hits than misses. And its sins of indulgence are ultimately well-intended.

AV Club said it ‘offers a fresh take on the typical legal procedural’, while Decider thought it was ‘well-written’ and ‘well-organised.’

The Hollywood Reporter surmised: ‘Without much insight to share, catharsis to offer or even a particularly interesting tone or style to grab us, Accused becomes just another so-so crime drama in an ocean teeming with them.

Both seasons of the BBC show have arrived on Netflix (Picture: BBC)

Many critics praised the style of the show and how it set itself apart from other crime dramas (Picture: BBC)

Speaking to Deadline last year, showrunner Gordon explained what the team hoped to achieve with the programme and how each episode plays out.

‘When I first pitched the show, I said to the network, “At the end of these episodes, I want people to fall silent and, if they’re watching it with someone, I want them to look at the person and not be able to talk for a moment, because they’re not sure how they feel or what they would do or how they would act in that situation.”

‘Sometimes it’s not even about answering anything about what you would do, but just shining the light on what does irrational and relentless hope look like, and when is the time to move on? In terms of who we think [is wrong] and what we would do, I don’t know.

‘That’s what I think is good. Ask the question. You may not know the answer, but ask the question about, how would I deal with that?’

Accused is streaming now on Netflix.

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