Critical response Season 1 The first season of
Rectify received critical acclaim, scoring a
Metacritic rating of 82 out of 100 based on 28 reviews. One of the positive reviews of
Rectify was from the
Los Angeles Times, which called the series "mesmerizing." A less positive review in
The New York Times noted the slow pace of the series after the first episode and a quarter. Review aggregator
Rotten Tomatoes gave the first season a rating of 88% based on 33 reviews, with an average rating of 8.4 out of 10, with the critical consensus: "
Rectify is a stylish drama that rewards patient viewers with deep characters and plotlines."
Season 2 The second season continued to receive critical acclaim, with a Metacritic rating of 92 out of 100 based on 16 reviews. Rotten Tomatoes gave the second season a 96% rating, based on 23 reviews with an average rating of 9 out of 10 and the critical consensus: "Its scenic landscapes and rewarding slow burn prove
Rectifys second season to be just as good, if not better, than the first." Tim Goodman of
The Hollywood Reporter wrote that "it remains as riveting and unique as ever."
Season 3 The third season also received critical acclaim with a Metacritic rating of 89 out of 100 based on 11 reviews. Rotten Tomatoes gave the third season a 100% rating, based on 20 reviews with an average rating of 8.3 out of 10 and the critical consensus: "
Rectifys subtlety draws viewers in deeper during season three – and they continue to be rewarded with quality acting, compelling dialogue, and thought-provoking drama." Jeff Jensen of
Entertainment Weekly wrote, "It's rich with beautifully crafted scenes that capture the distance, anger, and confusion of a fragmenting family and souls in flux." Brian Lowry of
Variety wrote, "
Rectify remains a master class in nuance — in small looks and long pauses that say more than pages of dialogue."
Season 4 The fourth and final season received universal acclaim with a Metacritic rating of 99 out of 100 based on 11 reviews. Rotten Tomatoes gave the fourth season a 100% rating, based on 20 reviews with an average rating of 9.6 out of 10 and the critical consensus: "In its final season,
Rectify endures as a vital and compelling drama, poignantly driven by a narrative that envelops its characters in complexity, humanity, and a bittersweet beauty." Matt Roush of
TV Guide called
Rectify "One of TV's truest, finest and deepest dives into pure character drama." Malcolm Jones of
The Daily Beast wrote that "
Rectify is the best series I have ever seen on television. Not may be. Not might be. It just is."
Damien Echols, who as one of the
West Memphis 3 was convicted and served nearly two decades in prison before being released in part based on DNA evidence, wrote about the series in
The Huffington Post: "
Rectify is the story of a man who was sentenced to death for a crime he didn't commit, and spent 19 years on death row before getting out. Much like my own real life case, the local politicians refuse to admit he's innocent even after DNA testing points towards someone else. In fact, there was so much about this show that mirrored my own life I began to wonder how much of my story had crept into the script." And, "I can tell you from first hand experience that
Rectify is a very realistic show." ;Critics' top ten lists
Accolades Abigail Spencer was nominated for the
Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2013. For the
67th Writers Guild of America Awards, Kate Powers and
Ray McKinnon were nominated for Best Episodic Drama for "Donald the Normal". For the
5th Critics' Choice Television Awards,
Aden Young was nominated for Best Actor in a Drama Series. The series was awarded with a 2014
Peabody Award, with the organization stating, "A powerful, subtle dramatic series about a death-row inmate released after nearly two decades thanks to new DNA evidence, it ponders whether what's been lost can ever be repaid, not just to him but to everyone he and his alleged crimes touched." For the
6th Critics' Choice Television Awards, the series received three nominations, for Best Drama Series,
Aden Young for Best Actor in a Drama Series, and
Clayne Crawford for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. ==Home media==