Criminal Record's Peter Capaldi And Cush Jumbo Tease A Polarizing Dynamic In Apple TV+ Crime Drama

If you love arguing with your family, the Apple TV+ crime drama Criminal Record might be the show for you.

Premiering this Wednesday, the character-driven series follows two detectives in contemporary London who are drawn into a harrowing fight to correct a miscarriage of justice stemming from a years-old murder case. June (played by The Good Fight's Cush Jumbo) is a young woman in the early stages of her career, while Haggerty (Doctor Who's Peter Capaldi) is a well-connected man determined to protect his legacy.

As both investigators work towards righting an egregious wrong, the series explores their tense dynamic shaped by differing views, which executive producer Paul Rutman hopes sparks conversations among viewers.

"We were looking for common ground through June and Haggerty. I don't think either of them are what you'd call culture warriors," Rutman tells TVLine. "They're both just people who are getting on with their lives. Through them, it was just that case of capturing those gaslighting moments, but trying to investigate these issues with as much nuance and sensitivity as we could so that people may step back and just [look] at themselves."

"One of the gratifying things is that people will watch the show and, depending on their own life experience, they will watch scenes in different ways," he adds. "I like the idea of shows making people argue."

Much of the drama in Criminal Record is derived from Haggerty's old-school philosophy which frequently clashes with June's more progressive mindset. Despite their opposing worldviews, though, they still share a common goal.

"They both are interested in the truth, and both are interested in trying to do good. It may not seem that with regard to Haggerty, but it's true," Capaldi explains. "But there's a generational difference, there's a cultural difference. I also think Haggerty is someone who's walking in an ever-deepening shadow and so, the world is a bleak place too him."

What Haggerty sees in June is a "really good detective and someone who he admires," Capaldi adds. "But he also sees his demise. He's been waiting for a long time for someone to come after him and finally, she's here."

June, however, faces an uphill battle in her efforts to make things right. Throughout the show, she finds herself in frustrating situations that illustrate just how insidious racism is. As an executive producer on the project, along with Capaldi, Jumbo notes that it was a privilege to express herself so freely and incorporate her lived experiences authentically into the show.

"To be able to say, 'This is how I feel' or 'This is what's happened to friends of mine' or 'This is the frustration,' and to be able to put that on screen in a real-life scenario, some of which appear very low-level?" Jumbo shares. "It's that question of, 'Well, how do we portray race? Here's racism. It's this big event' when actually, it's a million paper cuts."

"It is the eternal frustration of thinking you've made progress, and then not making progress," she continues. "It's bringing up a child and trying to explain to them what the world is like and yet, remain hopeful in a job where your immediate aim is to help people and to feel like you're stuck to every turn."

Will you be watching Criminal Record on Apple TV+?