'Quiz' Episode 3: A gripping climax that turns the story around and makes you sympathize with the Ingrams
The third and the last part of 'Quiz' was all about trial and justice. Major Charles Ingram (Matthew Macfadyen), his wife, Diana Ingram (Sian Clifford) and Tecwen Whittock (Michael Jibson) face judgment day at court. Their lawyer, Sonia Woodley (Helen McCrory), leaves no stone unturned to prove that the entire series of coughing in the audience was anything but "suspicious", as the plaintiffs had labeled it all along.
Woodley’s theory on the perception of the human mind about believing something that does not exist is powerful enough for the jury to mull over, but unfortunately not impactful enough to change their verdict. The dramatic courtroom proceedings keep the tension high throughout the final episode. And every time, a witness is brought to the stand, it makes you start feeling sympathetic towards the Ingrams, and even towards Whittock for a while, one statement at a time.
It appears that the ITV Network and Celador have made up their minds that Charles Ingram cheated and they will prove it anyhow. On the other hand, there are the testimonies of Whittock, Diana, Charles and even Chris Tarrant (Michael Sheen) which indicate that the Ingrams are actually innocent, probably just unwise and way too gullible to the fame and fortune promised by the game show.
As the arguments from both sides continue, it also sheds light on the loopholes of game show designs. Producers Paul Smith (Mark Bonnar) and David Briggs (Elliot Levey) might have put their heart, soul and entire life on the line to design and launch this game, but it was not perfect. Perhaps they never expected that it would be so easy to win a million pounds for ordinary, television fanatics. And when that happened, it was too hard for them to digest.
If the previous two episodes set the ground for a conspiracy and made the Ingrams look guilty of a crime, the last episode turned things completely around and made a case for their defense. However, surprisingly, in terms of evidence and testimony, nothing was solid enough to prove that Charles and Diana Ingram were guilty. It was only the jury who decided so.
But does that mean they are actually criminals? Perhaps not. Hardened criminals or those with a plan do not go through the aftermath like they went through — being spat on, kids bullied, harassed by neighbors, being hounded by the press and getting their pet killed. Had they been guilty, wouldn’t they take enough precaution to keep their home and family safe?
What started as a simple game turned out to be a miserable life for the Ingrams. And you cannot but feel sorry for them for pushing their luck too far and trying to reach the moon for the price of everything they had. It's not a win for the Ingrams like you would expect in most fictional legal dramas but it still was a win for the family, in their personal way, where they remained innocent to themselves despite what the court, jury, or the media might say.
'Quiz' final episode aired on June 14 at 10 pm/9c on AMC.