DISCLAIMER: This recap of Criminal Record Season 1 Episode 7, “The Sixty-Twos,” contains spoilers. Proceed at your peril.
It’s penultimate episode time on Criminal Record, and we’ve entered origin story territory, as it were. This outing gives us Dan’s account of the 2011 Errol Mathis arrest and conviction. “The Sixty-Twos” sure makes Dan’s buddies, Kim and Tony, look like racist asses, but the writers inject more nuance and complexity into Dan as a character. He’s not a textbook antagonist, per se. Although, he’s undoubtedly prejudiced, even if he’s unaware of it. This might irritate those looking for a mustache-twirling villain. However, I like my messy, layered baddies.
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This episode shows he tried (in the loosest definition of the word) to uncover legitimate evidence proving Errol’s innocence or guilt. Of course, Dan is biased — his version of events probably isn’t (entirely) accurate and paints him to be the “good guy.” Or, at the very least, the guy who tried. At any rate, “The Sixty-Twos” is a moving outing that leaves a few loose narrative threads for the finale. Here’s hoping we have enough time to tie them, though.
CRIMINAL RECORD, Season 1 Episode 7, “The Sixty-Twos.” Photo courtesy of Apple TV+.
Complications
Additionally, we learned about Dan’s wife’s death, which offers more context regarding his fractured relationship with Lisa. At one point in “The Sixty-Twos,” the young girl texts that she wishes he had died instead of her mom. It’s evident there are several layers to this case. It’s not as cut-and-dry as I initially thought.
Of course, plenty of law enforcement officers like Kim and Tony don’t care about the facts. They’d rather zero in on someone who “looks” guilty by racially profiling them to “solve” the case and call it a day. We can see the pressure on Dan to put a pin in the investigation. Unfortunately, he folds, relying on shoddy evidence instead of fighting tooth and nail to find Adelaide’s real killer.
Peter Capaldi, Tom Moutchi and Patrice Naiambana deliver masterful performances. Capaldi and Moutchi, in particular, are captivating in their back-and-forth.
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2011
We open with Dan’s (Capaldi) voiceover as he describes the 2011 London riots, which occurred a little over a month before Adelaide Burrowes’ murder. He tells June that Errol Mathis (Moutchi) contributed to said riots. We see him in the streets as he puts his hood up before entering a store. Then, Dan chats with a young Lisa (Evie Templeton) after gifting her with the dog we see in the present timeline. She asks him when he’ll be home. Dan reassures her that he’ll see her soon. Lisa, who looks out the window of an upstairs flat, closes the curtains before Dan hangs up.
Later, Dan and Claudia (Georgina Rich) discuss the Adelaide case and how there’s some “heat” around it because of the riots. They want to “make an example” of those who participated. Ew. Dan watches the footage of Errol leaving Adelaide’s flat with young Patrick Burrowes in his arms. Kim (Shaun Dooley) and Tony (Charlie Creed-Miles) observe with him. According to them, Errol had an altercation with his father in 2005. However, Reggie Mathis didn’t press charges.
CRIMINAL RECORD, Season 1 Episode 7, “The Sixty-Twos.” Photo courtesy of Apple TV+.
The Details
Additionally, we get confirmation that Patrick isn’t Errol’s biological son. Dan asks about Adelaide’s history. She doesn’t have family and was raised in foster care. She’d also been dating Errol since 2006. Before Dan departs his office, he asks Kim and Tony for a testimony and witness statement from the emergency caller putting Errol in the flat. In addition, he wants them to dig into any locals with a history of violence and anyone seen exiting said flat. Oh, and DNA traces from everyone.
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There’s one issue, however: Errol didn’t have a weapon. That said, Adelaide boasted bite marks on her body. Tony wonders why Dan is so pressed when they seemingly have “their guy.” Dan urges the duo to present him with the facts. For example, does Errol have a history of domestic violence?
Later, Dan and Tony sit with Errol and his solicitor, Ross Cordona (Mark Weinman). Errol provides an alibi for the precise time of Adelaide’s murder, claiming he was looking for work at VIP Cuts. Errol spoke with Mostapha Demir (as we already know). Dan orders Tony and Kim to follow up with Errol’s alibi while he returns to his office. Dan fields calls from Lisa, his superior and more. It’s a busy day for him. Meanwhile, Kim and Tony meet with Mostapha (Bamshad Abedi-Amin), who claims he doesn’t recognize Errol.
CRIMINAL RECORD, Season 1 Episode 7, “The Sixty-Twos.” Photo courtesy of Apple TV+.
Patrick
Dan calls the hospital and asks to speak with Patrick. His medical team double-checks to see if they can arrange the meeting. Thankfully, his condition has improved in the past 24 hours. When Errol crashed his car after discovering Adelaide’s body, poor Patrick was unconscious in the back seat.
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Sure enough, the hospital comes through. Dan sits with Patrick (Kaylen Luke), who watches cartoons. The boy doesn’t know his mother is dead. Dan breaks the ice by talking about food before getting to the nitty-gritty. Did Errol and his mom get into any fights? Did Errol raise his voice? Patrick recounts one time when he overheard his mom and Errol arguing about money.
Dan runs into Doris (Cathy Tyson) outside Patrick’s room, who asks for an update on the boy’s condition. She asserts her son’s innocence. He isn’t a killer. Dan merely states he’s looking for the facts. In the interrogation room, Dan asks Errol about his relationship with Adelaide. Cordona insists that Errol doesn’t have a history of domestic violence. Dan questions the state of his and Adelaide’s bond. Errol notes he planned to propose.
CRIMINAL RECORD, Season 1 Episode 7, “The Sixty-Twos.” Photo courtesy of Apple TV+.
Interrogation
Despite Errol’s lack of memory from the time he entered the flat to when he regained consciousness in the hospital, he knows he didn’t kill Adelaide. He emphatically states his innocence. Dan remarks that the hospital MRI showed no sign of head trauma following Errol’s accident, and his alibi doesn’t check out. Additionally, he wasn’t present at the London riots. Dan shows him a newspaper article featuring Errol in the photo. Errol insists it’s all Photoshop despite Kim stating they found clothing in Adelaide’s flat with the price tags still on them.
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In the car, Dan questions whether Errol is the murderer. Tony reassures him that they’ve cleared anyone with a criminal record. They’ve got “their man.” However, they don’t have much time to prove Errol’s guilt. While talking with his superior, Dan pushes for more time to acquire hard, physical evidence.
Later, Dan learns from his assistant that only Doris, Errol’s mother, visited him when he was in the hospital after the car crash. Dan decides to check in with Errol’s father, Reggie (Naiambana), who’s tending to his flower garden. Why hasn’t Reggie visited Errol? At the hospital, Doris claimed her husband had work-related responsibilities. Dan asks Reggie about his relationship with Errol. According to their neighbors, most nights, the duo was having a row about “father-son stuff.” Reggie dismisses that night in 2005. It was nothing.
Compassionate Leave
Dan opens up to Reggie, disclosing the death of his wife. She died six months ago, and the station only granted him two weeks of “compassionate leave.” Lisa took the brunt of it. Reggie asks what Dan “did with her.” Dan takes a moment to gather himself as his eyes well with tears. He asks what you can do for a child when the sky has fallen on her. Dan bought her a puppy. This moment is so visceral — a true gut punch from Capaldi. Wow.
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Reggie lifts his shirt to reveal a scar from a stab wound on his torso. He states he wants this off-record, but Errol stabbed him. He claims his son was high and asking for money. Dan appeals to Reggie’s affinity for Adelaide, gifting him a picture of her with Patrick. Yes, Reggie’s son is on the line, but what about Adelaide? She doesn’t have anybody to fight for her. Naiambana is also a force of nature in this scene.
CRIMINAL RECORD, Season 1 Episode 7, “The Sixty-Twos.” Photo courtesy of Apple TV+.
Later, The Sixty-Twos take Errol and Cordona to Adelaide’s flat, hoping this “jogs” Errol’s memory. As Errol moves through the space, still covered in smears of blood and crime scene tape, we see flashbacks of his time with Patrick. Errol was the cook in the family. One memory shows him allowing Patrick to cut onions for dinner. This imbues Patrick’s PTSD trigger in the restaurant (when he’s cutting onions) with even more meaning.
Flashbacks
We see Adelaide’s bloody legs on the kitchen floor. Errol kicking down Patrick’s locked bedroom door (there isn’t a key) and grabbing the boy as he flees. Overwhelmed, Patrick barrels out of the flat to catch his breath. Dan asks if this trip has restored Errol’s memory. He claims it hasn’t.
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Next, Dan stands outside in the rain. He gets another text from Lisa, asking when he’ll be home. After sending Cordona home, Dan, Tony and Errol return to Adelaide’s flat under the guise that Dan left his phone there. Dan questions Errol about his relationship with Patrick. Patrick would occasionally call him “dad” or “daddy.” Errol wonders what Dan is getting at — why he’s manipulating him. Errol vehemently states he’s innocent and genuinely doesn’t remember what happened when he found Adelaide (or what he saw).
However, Errol admits he lied about being involved in the London riots. He claimed they couldn’t afford clothes or necessities for Patrick, so he stole to provide for the boy.
CRIMINAL RECORD, Season 1 Episode 7, “The Sixty-Twos.” Photo courtesy of Apple TV+.
Knock Her Flat
Then, Dan replays his conversation with Patrick, where the boy describes one argument between Errol and Adelaide. Errol threatened to “knock Adelaide flat.” Patrick repeats this a few times. Of course, we all say things we don’t mean, especially in anger. I still believe Errol is innocent.
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Hearing the recording prompts Errol to confess to killing Adelaide. We hear the confession from last week’s episode, with Dan seemingly leading Errol along to say he stabbed Adelaide in the throat and chest. This takes us to the present, with Dan telling June (Cush Jumbo) everything he recalls from Errol’s arrest and conviction.
Suddenly, Kim storms into the room, accusing June of being a “Judas.” We learn Carla’s emergency call from the first episode has been leaked online. It’s going viral. We hear that call again as Carla states that one man (Errol) is serving a 24-year sentence at Whitecross for a crime her boyfriend committed, aka Adelaide’s murder.
The Truth Gets Out
Meanwhile, Sonya (Aysha Kala) sits in her office. Her eyes are full of tears as she watches the comments and shares skyrocket on Doris’ blog. Since Doris was her client, I assume Sonya posted the call to the late woman’s blog. Now, the “Save Errol” campaign is truly in full swing.
RELATED: Keep up on the case with our Criminal Record recaps
Who do you think killed Adelaide Burrowes? Will we see Errol walk free in next week’s finale? Will Tony get convicted for murdering Doris? Will we see the downfall of The Sixty-Twos? Only time (and one more episode) will tell.
Criminal Record streams new episodes every Wednesday on Apple TV+.
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Melody.McCune@geekgirlauthority.com
What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
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