Hilarie Burton's true-crime takeover: 'Advocating for small towns has been my life's focus'

The captivating Hilarie Burton is shifting the true-crime spotlight to the heart of America's small towns in the new SundanceTV series, True Crime Story. Through her sharp investigative skills and empathetic storytelling, Burton seeks to redefine the genre, focusing on how crime radically impacts these closely-knit communities, as reported by Deadline.

A New Era of True Crime: Hilarie Burton's Unique Approach

Known for her role in 'One Tree Hill,' Burton now steers the narrative, exploring the intricate webs of crime in the 'It Couldn't Happen Here' series, part of the new True Crime Story franchise. Burton moves beyond the usual boundaries, delving into the small-town American crime stories often overlooked by mainstream media. She voices her pursuit passionately, "Advocating for small towns has been the primary focus of my adult life."

Scheduled to premiere on September 9, this series sees Burton traveling to different small towns, intimately connecting with local insiders and family members. The series aims to understand the investigations' challenges, analyze the crime's lasting impact on the town's fabric, and most importantly, shed light on the current state of justice.

'Indefensible': True Crime Beyond the Whodunnit

The franchise also includes another compelling series, 'Indefensible.' Unlike 'It Couldn't Happen Here,' this series unearths cases where the crime's outcome holds more than initially meets the eye, further enriching the genre. It will be hosted by Jena Friedman, renowned for her roles in The Daily Show and The Late Show with David Letterman.

Friedman, like Burton, intends to expand the narrative, venturing beyond the simple 'whodunnit.' She aims to reveal the why and how of crimes, critiquing the often dysfunctional criminal justice system in the process. Friedman emphasizes, "Many Americans don’t think about our criminal justice system until they’re in it."