Accused: Season 1/ Episode 13 “Samir’s Story” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)
In a lackluster episode, a young man with embedded dreams of grandeur finds his frustration with what is out of reach leading to deadly actions.
In a lackluster episode, a young man with embedded dreams of grandeur finds his frustration with what is out of reach leading to deadly actions.
| Aired (FOX) | April 25, 2023 |
| Director(s) | Sameh Zoabi |
| Writer(s) | Arlo Gordon, Daniel Pearle |
| Newly Noted Characters | |
| Samir Khalil | Adam Bakri |
| Rita Khalil | Anne Bedian |
| Thomas | Matthew James Thomas |
| Alice Baylor | Julia Goldani Telles |
| Josh | Christopher Russell |
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Recap
Samir, a Syrian refugee, lives with his mother, Rita, who has dreams of him following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a doctor. The problem is that Samir has either test anxiety or something that makes him struggle with passing the MCAT. In fact, on his fourth try, he gets so frustrated he just abandons the test.
Now, this isn’t to say he likes being a driver, especially since his boss is a bastard. But he’s at a bit of a crossroad in life. What doesn’t help is his love life is non-existent. His co-worker, Tom, tries to help him, but Samir slowly, but surely, finds himself using incel talking points and pushing away women who may give him a chance.
Hence why, when he meets Alice, he tries to have hope. But with Josh, an orthopedic surgeon, getting to Alice first, originally, Samir’s hopes were dashed. That is until Alice dumped Josh, upon learning he was married, and her giving Samir a chance. Yet, despite Samir taking out $10,000, which was supposed to go to his eventual tuition for medical school, he ultimately doesn’t get to keep Alice. Josh woos her back, and it is discovered Samir and Josh know each other.
How? Well, Samir stalked Alice, after he drove her for his job, and she left her phone in his car. He returned it, naturally, but became a bit obsessed, and while outside her home, watching her and Josh, he ended up accidentally becoming Josh’s driver and discovering he had an entire family. This led to him coercing Josh to reveal his truth, the breakup, but it seems they made up in time.
However, with Alice learning Samir coerced Josh to come clean, then learning the circumstances surrounding Samir learning Josh had a family, she is done. It is too much, too creepy, and Josh tries to confront, maybe even fight Samir, and by blocking Samir’s car from getting away, and Samir being emotional, he hits the gas, crushes Josh, and murders him. Which with no testimony given proving otherwise, Samir is found guilty of murder in the 2nd degree (an intentional killing without premeditation).
Review
Low Points
Missed Opportunities
From Samir trying to make his mom proud, being an immigrant, and all the things that made up his story, the focus on a woman and killing her lover felt bland. Granted, sometimes it can feel like “Accused” presents the most elaborate cases and attempts its version of shock value in the form of embellishment, but usually, they have something to give them oomph in ways the case may not.
Yet, in the case of Samir, it feels like another example of having just enough presented for a shallow sense of diversity but not digging in deep to make any character interesting. But what can you say? “Accused” is the type of show that seems to want that easy pop or praise, and because it pursues that with diverse actors and often sob stories, sometimes it does get you. However, when it doesn’t, it is just a massive disappointment.
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