Branching from an age old trend of TV shows based on movies, there have been a number of limited series lately inspired by novels that were previously adapted for cinema — the latest of which is an adaptation of Scott Turow’s Presumed Innocent, available with an Apple TV+ subscription. From developer David E. Kelley, the miniseries stars Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal as a married lawyer suspected of murdering his lover — a role previously portrayed by Harrison Ford in Alan J. Pakula’s 1990 film. The show has been well-received by critics and if you also plead guilty to being a fan of sexy, suspenseful tales such as this, take a look at these other shows like Presumed Innocent.
Fatal Attraction (2023)
A married lawyer (played by Joshua Jackson) has a one-night fling with a woman (played by Lizzy Caplan) who also works in the legal system, which comes back to haunt him in shocking ways.
Why it is a great choice to watch if you are a fan of Presumed Innocent: The Oscar-nominated 1987 film, Fatal Attraction, is another dark, sexy thriller detailing the consequences of an attorney's extramarital affair that was later reimagined as this miniseries from Alexandra Cunningham and Kevin J. Hynes and was originally exclusive with a Paramount+ subscription.
Buy Fatal Attraction on Apple TV+.
Defending Jacob (2020)
A successful district attorney (played by Chris Evans) struggles to keep his family and his career together when his latest client becomes his teenage son (played by fellow Knives Out cast member Jaeden Martell), who has been accused murdering a classmate.
Why it is a great choice to watch if you are a fan of Presumed Innocent: From developer Mark Bomback, the Emmy-nominated Defending Jacob is another intense, star-studded, Apple TV+ original legal drama based on a novel (by William Landay) about a lawyer whose personal life is affected by a horrific case.
Stream Defending Jacob on Apple TV+.
Your Honor (2020-2023)
A judge from New Orleans (played by Bryan Cranston) is faced with the greatest challenge of his career when his son falls into trouble with a local mafia family after a hit-and-run accident.
Why it is a great choice to watch if you are a fan of Presumed Innocent: Based on an Israeli series called Kvodo, developer Peter Moffat’s Your Honor — which is also a show like Breaking Bad in many ways — is another critically acclaimed legal drama involving a protagonist working in the legal system whose morality is put in question in light of a horrific event.
Stream Your Honor on Netflix.
Stream Your Honor on Paramount+ with Showtime.
Buy Your Honor on Amazon.
Buy Your Honor on Blu-ray on DVD.
Suspicion (2022)
When the son of a prominent, American public figure (played by Uma Thurman) goes missing, a group of ordinary British people (played by Kunal Nayyar, Georgina Campbell, and others) are forced to go on the run when they are branded by the London authorities as prime suspects in the kidnapping.
Why it is a great choice to watch if you are a fan of Presumed Innocent: Based on an Israeli series called False Flag, developer Rob Williams’ Suspicion is yet another Apple TV+ original series that, in this case, follows a whole group of individuals struggling to prove their innocence in a shocking investigation.
Stream Suspicion on Apple TV+.
The Night Of (2016)
A Pakistani-American student (played by Riz Ahmed) becomes a prime suspect after waking up to find a woman he picked up the night before brutally murdered.
Why it is a great choice to watch if you are a fan of Presumed Innocent: When it comes to miniseries courtroom dramas, among the absolutely cream of the crop is The Night Of — Richard Price and Steve Zaillian’s addictive, Emmy-winning adaptation of the British series, Criminal Justice, that, like Presume Innocent, involves a man accused of killing a woman he was romantically linked to.
Stream The Night Of on Max.
Buy The Night Of on Amazon.
Buy The Night Of on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Goliath (2016-2021)
A disgraced attorney (played by Academy Award winner Billy Bob Thornton) takes on a case that could rejuvenate his career or, perhaps, allow him the opportunity to get back at the firm that fired him in the first place.
Why it is a great choice to watch if you are a fan of Presumed Innocent: David E. Kelley was a perfect person to develop Presumed Innocent, given his reputation for creating great legal dramas, such as Goliath — another series about a lawyer whose personal demons affect his career and family.
Stream Goliath on Amazon Prime.
The Undoing (2020)
The lives of a wealthy New York therapist (played by Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman) and her husband (played by Hugh Grant) are thrown into upheaval when they become involved a brutal murder case.
Why it is a great choice to watch if you are a fan of Presumed Innocent: Based on Jean Hanff Korelitz’s novel, You Should Have Known, The Undoing an acclaimed, Emmy-nominated, HBO-original, whodunnit-style legal drama that was also developed by Kelley and features Lily Rabe in a supporting role.
Stream The Undoing on Max.
Buy The Undoing on Amazon.
Buy The Undoing on Blu-ray on Amazon.
Anatomy Of A Scandal (2022)
After a woman (played by Sienna Miller) learns that her politician husband (played by Rupert Friend) has had an affair with one of his aides (played by Naomi Scott), things get worse when the other woman accuses him of assault.
Why it is a great choice to watch if you are a fan of Presumed Innocent: Based on the novel by Sarah Vaughn, Anatomy of a Scandal is a British legal drama available with a Netflix subscription developed by Kelley with Melissa James Gibson that, like Presumed Innocent, also involves the consequences of an extramarital affair.
Stream Anatomy of a Scandal on Netflix.
Big Little Lies (2017-2019)
A group of upper-class women (played by Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, and Zoë Kravitz) are unexpectedly changed forever by the arrival of a single mother (played by Shailene Woodley) who moves into their California neighborhood.
Why it is a great choice to watch if you are a fan of Presumed Innocent: Based on the novel by Liane Moriarty, the Emmy-winning Big Little Lies — which has yet to receive a third season — is one of most acclaimed series to ever be developed by Kelley and, while not a legal drama, does deeply involve consequences of dark secrets affecting the lives of ordinary people.
Stream Big Little Lies on Max.
Buy Big Little Lies on Amazon.
Buy Big Little Lies on DVD on Amazon.
Better Call Saul (2015-2022)
Struggling attorney Jimmy McGill (played by Bob Odenkirk) plays loose with the rules in hopes of getting ahead.
Why it is a great choice to watch if you are a fan of Presumed Innocent: Widely considered to be a spin-off series as good as its predecessor, Better Call Saul — Vince Gilligan’s prequel to Breaking Bad following the origins of “Saul Goodman” — is also, like Presumed Innocent, a legal drama following a morally questionable protagonist, but is far lighter in tone.
Stream Better Call Saul on Netflix.
Buy Better Call Saul on Amazon.
Buy Better Call Saul on Blu-ray on Amazon.
While we find these TV shows perfect for fans of Presumed Innocent, the jury will still be out until you watch them yourself.
