"Agent Carter" star Hayley Atwell is playing the titular role in "Conviction" as a lawyer Hayes Morrison. Her character was blackmailed into heading the Conviction Integrity Unit (CIU) of the government that re-opens cases suspected to have wrongful conviction.
The ABC legal drama series is created by Liz Friedman and Liz Friedlander who also serves as the director.
In contrast to her role in "Agent Carter," Atwell's character in "Conviction" is hardly the hero type. In the pilot episode, her character is seen facing serious jail time for drug possession. To avoid jail time, she forges a deal with the New York District State Attorney to head up the CIU.
From the get-go, "Conviction" made it clear that the show will rest its future on the star power of Atwell, who proves that she is more than up to the task. In contrast to Carter, Morrison is an entitled but genuinely exceptional lawyer who has self-destructive tendencies.
While Peggy would have stuck with every possible trick to keep her job, Hayes will come up with every trick to get herself fired. She eventually had to battle with her demons given two choices that she wishes to avoid altogether: go to prison or do her job well at the CIU.
Though for the time-being she resolved to take a righteous path in a turning point, it would be interesting to see if it would stick given the political color surrounding her appointment. It will also be interesting to know if her past criminal actions will come to bite her in the future episodes.
"Conviction" is a crime-inspired procedural drama that tackles wrongful conviction claims with a mix of political drama.