Sundance Channel Announces 'Rectify,' Network's First Wholly Owned Original Scripted Series To Debut With Two Episodes April 22, 2013 Starting At 9:00pm et/pt

NEW YORK, April 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sundance Channel's highly anticipated original series "Rectify" will debut on April 22, 2013 at 9:00pm et/pt with two episodes. The six-episode hour-long series, created and written by Ray McKinnon (The Accountant, That Evening Sun, Mud) and executive produced by Mark Johnson and Melissa Bernstein (the team behind the critically-acclaimed AMC series, "Breaking Bad"), marks the first wholly owned Sundance Channel scripted production.

When the series was presented earlier this year at the bi-annual meeting of the Television Critics Association, The Hollywood Reporter's TV Critic Tim Goodman singled Rectify as "the show I'm most excited to immerse myself in." Later that month, following a screening at the Sundance Film Festival, the Salt Lake Tribune's TV critic Scott Pierce described the series as "moody" and "engrossing." 

When Daniel Holden (Aden Young) is released after nearly 20 years of complete isolation on Death Row, he returns as an outsider to his family, to his community, and to the times. Somehow, he survived the mental and emotional strain of his imprisonment, but now the walls have suddenly come crumbling down and Daniel is set free in a world he no longer understands. He's an outsider, lost in a once familiar world, struggling to navigate his new found freedom. Combined with two decades of technological and social changes to his small town and the larger world, everything he encounters is a puzzle. 

Daniel's unexpected presence not only throws his family into disarray, it ripples out to all the people connected to his case – the prosecutor who rode the notoriety to become a State Senator, the Sheriff who pushed the boundaries of the investigation, and the entire town of Paulie, GA, that blamed him for killing one of their own. Like a deadly spark, Daniel's release reignites the mystery, the power plays, and the questionable justice that condemned him.  

"We couldn't be happier with the caliber of this series -- from the dramatic tension of the narrative, to the complexity of the beautifully written and acted characters, we're confident that 'Rectify' will resonate with our viewers, and also attract a whole new audience that is drawn to exceptional storytelling," said Sarah Barnett, President and General Manager, Sundance Channel.

Also starring in "Rectify" alongside Aden Young (Killer Elite, The Tree) as Daniel Holden are Abigail Spencer (Cowboys and Aliens, Oz the Great and Powerful), who portrays Amantha Holden, Daniel Holden's younger sister who believes completely in his innocence and has devoted her entire adult life to securing his release; J. Smith Cameron ("True Blood", Margaret) who plays  Janet Talbot, Daniel's loving mother, who has been living with the impending death of her son for nineteen years, and who long ago had made peace with the loss of her son, giving up on any hope for his release; Luke Kirby (Take this Waltz, "Slings and Arrows")  tackles the role of  Jon Stern, Daniel's lawyer who works for an organization dedicated to exonerating the wrongfully convicted; Clayne Crawford (A Walk to Remember) portrays Ted Talbot, Jr., Daniel's stepbrother whom he had never previously met; and Adelaide Clemens (Silent Hill: Revelation 3D, The Great Gatsby) plays Tawney Talbot, Ted's kind-hearted wife; Bruce McKinnon (The Way Home) as Daniel's step father Ted Sr.; Jake Austin Walker (The Chaperone) as Daniel's half brother Jared; Michael O'Neill (Transformers) as Senator Roland Foulkes; and Hal Holbrook (Into the Wild) as Rutherford Gaines, Daniel's former attorney.

Episode Airdates and Descriptions

Monday, April 22^nd at 9:00pm et/pt
Episode 101:  Always There
After 19 years on Death Row, Daniel Holden is released due to new DNA evidence. He returns with his family to his childhood home, struggling to adjust to life on the outside. Meanwhile, the Senator who prosecuted him plots to reopen the case.

Monday, April 22^nd at 10:00pm et/pt
Episode 102:  Sexual Peeling
While Daniel explores town on his own, Amantha worries for his safety. Ted Jr. fears for the future of the family business. And Senator Foulkes learns some valuable gossip from his secret lover. Unease and tension pervade Daniel's welcome home party.

Monday, April 29^th at 10:00pm et/pt
Episode 103:  Modern Times
Daniel retreats from the stress of recent events as his return opens old wounds. Tawney reaches out to him, unbeknownst to her husband. Jon confronts Daniel's original defense lawyer. And Amantha fears the town's anger may erupt any moment.

Monday, May 6^th at 10:00pm et/pt
104:  Plato's Cave
Janet's day in town with Daniel becomes a media spectacle. Back on the case, Sheriff Daggett questions Trey Willis about a missing witness. Daniel and Tawney connect in unexpected ways.

Monday, May 13^th at 10:00pm et/pt
105:  Drip, Drip
Daniel loses his grip on reality as he wrestles with life after Death Row. Following a surreal night with a mysterious stranger, he finds himself at odds with Ted Jr. – who questions Daniel's innocence.

Monday, May 20^th at 10:00pm et/pt
106:  Jacob's Ladder
As the town's anger hits the boiling point, Daniel's family goes on alert. Foulkes presses the D.A. for a retrial. Ted Jr. and Tawney recover from disturbing encounters. Trey Willis searches for the missing George Melton. Daniel must decide his future.

"Rectify"  is part of Sundance Channel's continued expansion into scripted originals, which includes "Restless," the riveting two-part miniseries based on the novel by British author William Boyd depicting the story of a daughter who discovers that her mother was recruited as a spy during World War II, starring Hayley Atwell,  Michelle Dockery, Charlotte Rampling and just premiered earlier in December, as well as "Top of the Lake" from Jane Campion and starring Elisabeth Moss and Holly Hunter which is also scheduled to air in 2013. Earlier this year, the network received Golden Globe and SAG® nominations for scripted mini-series "Appropriate Adult." The network's first scripted project, "Carlos," won the Golden Globe for Outstanding Mini-series in 2011.

About Sundance Channel
Sundance Channel is the destination for What's Next, Now.  Showcasing both today's creative icons and the emerging talent of tomorrow, Sundance Channel tells bold stories with a fresh point of view. In addition to award winning films, Sundance Channel is home to daring new original programming. Launched in 1996 and owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc., Sundance Channel provides perspectives dedicated to founder Robert Redford's mission to celebrate creativity.

About AMC Networks Inc.
Dedicated to producing quality programming and movie content for more than 30 years, AMC Networks Inc. owns and operates several of the most popular and award-winning brands in cable television. AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel, WE tv, and IFC Films produce and deliver distinctive, compelling and culturally relevant content that engages audiences across multiple platforms. The company also operates AMC/Sundance Channel Global, an international programming business, and AMC Networks Broadcasting & Technology, a full-service network programming feed origination and distribution company.

SOURCE Sundance Channel