Paramount+ released their first episode of the new crime drama. Guilty Party on Thursday, and though it’s entertaining with big hitter Kate Beckinsale in the lead role as journalist Beth Baker investigating a murder case, the liberal wokeness and race-baiting are nauseating right from the start, claiming that America “systematically kept” a black woman down and cares more about keeping her behind bars than the truth.
In episode one, “The Last Real Journalist Working in Denver,” Beth is working for a pop culture publication after being fired from her job at the Denver Chronicle. Toni Plimpton (Jules Latimer) writes her a letter. Toni was sentenced for the murder of Wallace (Cody Kearsley). Beth’s coworker recognizes the name and realizes she’s “The Dick Cutter,” a nickname earned when Toni tried to “hack off (her husband’s) dick with a pair of kiddie safety scissors” three days before his murder.
Toni claims she’s innocent in the letter, but adds, “No one cares about the truth. They only care that one more black woman stays behind bars.” That’s enough to compel Beth to visit Toni in jail. During their meeting, Toni explains she just got in trouble for “knock(ing) out a bitch’s front teeth” and stabbing her in the eye, but says the woman deserved it, “because she’s a Nazi.”
She also tries to use the “dick thing” as proof of innocence, claiming the whole point of cutting someone’s dick off is to make them walk around without it, so why would she plan to kill her husband? Never mind the fact she claims she “barely nicked him.” She also admits she was alone at work when the murder happened and thus doesn’t have an alibi.
Toni says that Toni’s husband was violent to her. Wyatt, Toni’s brother (Andre Hyland), ran a gun trading business. Beth thinks this makes it more likely that the murder occurred at their place. That’s pretty much the only evidence that could slightly be considered in Toni’s favor, but Beth is determined to prove her innocence based on the color of her skin.
In episode two, “Crazy Bitches Who Kill,” the wokesplaining gets even worse, as Beth tells her editor Amber (Madeleine Arthur) and coworkers this is “actually a story of a young, African American wife and mother, who was raised in a country that systematically kept her down and locked her up:”
Amber: What are you talking about?
Beth: Toni PlimptonIt is. She was convicted of killing her husband three and a half years ago, but it’s actually a story of a young, African American wife and mother, who was raised in a country that systematically kept her down and locked her up.
Pierre: Is this The Dick Cutter you are referring to?
Amber: You’ve heard of her, too?
Beth: It’s okay. she nicked her husband’s penis once, but that’s not the whole story.
Pierre: Well, it’d be the whole story for me.
Beth: Amber, you can trust me. It’s got everything. It can have guns or it can commit murder. injustice
Amber Do you have a desire to create a story about saving a black women?
Beth: No, the story’s not about me.
Lulu: But, It is her goal to save her.
Beth Sure.
Pierre: That was a cut. When you do that, there are serious consequences.
Beth: Pierre!
Amber It… reeks of white saviorism. It is.
Fiona: Yes. But maybe we’re not understanding. OK? If Toni was white, you’d still love the story, right?
Beth Right, but if Toni was white, she wouldn’t be in prison.
Fiona Fair point.
Amber: Beth. I don’t like the optics.
Beth What about the optics? Fiona must be a wizard in order to write about wizards.
Fiona: Fiona, how the fuck are you?
Beth: We are sorry.
Amber Please tell me you didn’t just equate America’s original sin with Ron Weasley.
Beth: Okay, I’m sorry, you guys. I’ve been doing this a lot longer than all of you, and this is a huge opportunity. I just feel like, when do we ever get to write a story that’s great and also redeems a human life? But that’s why we signed up for the job. Or at least it’s why I did.
Amber: Fine. Amber: Okay, God. But, please keep this short once in a while.
So, despite the evidence against Toni, her history of violence that’s continued in prison, and a guilty verdict, everyone’s now on board the “guilty until proven black” bandwagon with Beth? Give us the facts. You must provide evidence. SomethingThis will make the storyline even more relatable.
But to use race as the only evidence of innocence and expect viewers to just blindly play along isn’t entertaining in the least. I declare this show a “guilty party” to the typical, woke race-baiting and division that’s so overdone in Hollywood. Let’s hope it’s sentenced to cancellation after this season.