(The following review covers the first two episodes of Rectify’s third season, and contains spoilers. The premiere aired on July 9th, and the second episode is set to premiere on July 16th. Both episodes are available to watch for free, with no cable subscription, at sundance.tv)

Rectify has never played by the same rules that most televised dramas abide by. Its first season, consisting of only six episodes, was largely averse to plot progression. Instead, the show was more interested in how the release of Daniel Holden, a man convicted of raping and murdering his girlfriend at the age of 19, would affect his family and community. It was certainly a slow burn, but there was an attention to character that is rarely matched in any medium, and the slow reveal of Daniel’s character gave the show the sense of growth that it would otherwise be missing.

Season two, while still strong and utterly nerve-wracking in its final episodes, was perhaps a bit too far removed from what made season one special. The season consisted of ten episodes, a bit much given how slow this series can be. By necessity, the writers began giving the supporting characters their own stories, unrelated to Daniel and his impact. None of this was bad, per se, but there was a feeling that the story was being stretched thin to cover a longer period of time.

This year, the creators have corrected the problem by going back to a six episode structure. This is immediately felt in the various storylines, all of which are impacted by Daniel’s existence in some way or another. It is no surprise that a number of the writers and producers were involved in Breaking Bad, another show where the various plotlines could all be traced back to a central protagonist. This connection lends Rectify a narrative cohesiveness, even when its attention is split between several members of its cast.

The first episode deals primarily with the fallout of Daniel’s decision to “confess” to his crime and accept a plea bargain that would remove him from everybody’s lives. Aside from a plot point at the very end (one that is not even referenced in the following episode), nothing groundbreaking happens. It’s a daring approach, especially given the general state of misery each character is in.

Tawny is living with her sister while processing a miscarriage and the dissolution of her marriage. Teddy is increasingly antagonistic toward Daniel for his part in his marital troubles. Ted Sr. wants nothing to do with Daniel anymore. Meanwhile, Amantha, transitioning from Daniel’s greatest supporter to his most disappointed and reluctant safety-net, processes the fact that her relationship with Jon (Daniel’s lawyer) may be over, and her life could amount to little more than a manager at the Thrifty Town. Even as somebody who is accustomed to Rectify’s pacing and occasionally-depressing storytelling, it can be a difficult watch.

Fortunately, the second episode includes a few scenes of levity as a counterweight to the continual cloud of depression. While there are absolutely moments that can weigh on the viewer (Teddy’s story about raping a girl in high school while drunkenly stalking his wife is extremely disturbing), there are also good intentions to make us feel that perhaps things can improve. Daniel’s run-in with Melvin, his old friend and current manager of Amantha’s apartment building, is downright charming. Daniel makes a joke that is actually appreciated, Melvin treats him like a human being, and he even helps Daniel stand on his own two feet by teaching him how to run laundry (something that “spoiled” Daniel never learned how to do before his time in prison). Daniel is given the opportunity to be his weird, quirky self in his scenes alone, as he does his “what-do-I-do” dance, hums a mantra to himself, and ends up excitedly taking off his shoes and pants.

But there is a sense that, after these two episodes, things will begin to pick up. Sheriff Carl finally passed on the information he learned from George’s home last season, Senator Roland had a stroke, and Daniel has only a month left in town before being forced to leave the state of Georgia. After last season’s fallout, we are now acquainted with the new status quo in Paulie. The gears can begin shifting for act two.

Rectify is not a show for everybody. Its entire premise exists in a state of ambiguity, and it is far more interested in the aftermath of events than the events themselves. But for those who are interested in the potential narrative diversity in serialized storytelling, it is near-mandatory viewing. There is nothing else on television like it, and it is a wonder that growing networks such as Sundance Television can take risks on such storytelling.