If you’re a fan of The Sinner, you might wonder if there’s any hope for a fifth season of the gripping anthology series. The show, which stars Bill Pullman as Detective Harry Ambrose, follows him as he investigates crimes committed by unlikely culprits and tries to uncover their motivations. Each season has a different story and cast, but Ambrose is the only constant.
The Sinner has been a critical and commercial success, earning Golden Globe and Emmy awards nominations. It has also been a hit on Netflix, where it streams internationally. But will there be a fifth season of The Sinner? Here’s everything we know so far.
How Many Seasons Does The Sinner Have?
The Sinner has four seasons so far, each with eight episodes. The first season, which aired in 2017, was based on the novel of the same name by Petra Hammesfahr. It starred Jessica Biel as Cora Tannetti, a young mother who inexplicably stabs a man to death on a beach. Ambrose tries to find out why she did it and what secrets she is hiding.
The second season, which aired in 2018, featured Carrie Coon as Vera Walker, the leader of a mysterious commune in Ambrose’s hometown. She is the mother of Julian Walker (Elisha Henig), a 13-year-old boy who confesses to poisoning a couple. Ambrose returns to his roots and uncovers a dark conspiracy.
The third season, aired in 2020, starred Matt Bomer as Jamie Burns, a successful teacher and father involved in a fatal car accident with his old friend Nick Haas (Chris Messina). Ambrose investigates the case and discovers that Jamie and Nick have a twisted bond that involves dangerous games and rituals.
The fourth and final season, which aired in 2021, saw Ambrose travel to northern Maine to recover from his previous trauma. He gets involved in a tragedy that affects the daughter of a prominent family and their wealthy friends. He faces resistance from the locals and his demons as he tries to solve the mystery.
What is the Ending of The Sinner?
The ending of The Sinner varies depending on the season, but they all have some common elements. They usually involve Ambrose discovering the truth behind the crime and confronting the culprit. They also reveal some aspects of Ambrose’s past and personality that make him empathize with the sinner. They often end with Ambrose leaving the scene or town, but not without some emotional scars.
For example, in season one, Ambrose learns that Cora was abused by her father and her aunt as a child and that she witnessed her sister’s death at the hands of J.D., a drug dealer who also raped her. She stabbed J.D.’s friend Frankie on the beach because his song triggered her repressed memories. Ambrose helps Cora remember what happened and get a reduced sentence.
In season two, Ambrose discovers that Julian was kidnapped by the couple he killed because they were his biological parents. Vera had taken him from them as a baby as part of her cult’s beliefs. She also manipulated Julian into killing them with poisoned tea. Ambrose exposes Vera’s lies and helps Julian escape from her control.
In season three, Ambrose discovers that Jamie and Nick were obsessed with Nietzsche’s philosophy of overcoming one’s fears and limitations by facing death. They played dangerous games like burying each other alive or stabbing each other with knives. Nick wanted Jamie to join him in one last game, but Jamie panicked and caused the car crash that killed him. Jamie became paranoid and violent, killing several people who knew about his secret. Ambrose confronts Jamie in his home and shoots him in self-defense.
In season four, The fourth and final season of the show revolves around the death of Percy Muldoon, a woman who either jumped or was pushed off a cliff in a small town in Maine. Ambrose uncovers a web of secrets, lies, and conspiracies involving the local lobstering families, a human trafficking ring, and a strange spiritual practice.
The season finale reveals that Percy’s death was not a murder, but a suicide. She killed herself because she felt guilty for accidentally killing Bo Lam, the son of a rival lobstering family, several years ago. Bo Lam had worked for the Muldoons as a lobsterman and had a secret affair with Percy. One day, he fell overboard and drowned while Percy was driving the boat. She panicked and hid his body on a nearby island that the Muldoons owned.
The Muldoons then made a deal with the Lams to cover up the accident. They gave them the island, one of their lobstering licenses, and some money in exchange for their silence. The Lams agreed but also harbored resentment and hatred for the Muldoons. They framed Mike Lam, the father, for Percy’s death to divert attention from their involvement in the trafficking ring. They also tried to kill Percy’s brother, Eli, who had discovered the truth about Bo’s death.
Ambrose exposes the Lams’ crimes and saves Eli from being killed. He also learns that Percy had left a note confessing everything before she died. He respects her wishes and burns the note, letting her rest in peace. He then returns to his home in New York, where he reunites with his daughter and grandson.
Will there be a The Sinner Season 5?
No, there will not be a The Sinner season 5. The show’s creator and executive producer Derek Simonds confirmed that season 4 was the last one in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. He said: “We felt like we had told four really strong stories with Harry Ambrose as our guide through these worlds of crime and psychological suspense. And we felt like it was time to bring his journey to a close and give him some resolution.”
The Sinner Season 5 Release Date: Speculation!
Even though there is no official confirmation of The Sinner season 5, some fans might still hope for a miracle. After all, the show has been renewed before despite being planned as a one-off. So when could The Sinner season 5 hypothetically come out? Based on the previous seasons’ release dates, we can speculate that it would be sometime in early 2024. The first season aired on USA Network from August to September 2017, and arrived on Netflix in November 2017. The second season aired from August to September 2018, and came to Netflix in November 2018. The third season aired from February to March 2020, and landed on Netflix in June 2020. And the fourth season aired from October to December 2021, and dropped on Netflix in January 2023.
The Sinner Season 5 Plot: What’s next?
Since there is no The Sinner season 5 in the works, we can only imagine what could have been the next mystery for Detective Ambrose to solve. Maybe he would have moved to another location and encountered another troubled person with a dark past. Maybe he would have faced his own demons and secrets once and for all. Maybe he would have retired from his job and lived a peaceful life. Or maybe he would have met his end in a tragic twist.
The Sinner Season 5 Cast: Who’s in it?
The cast of The Sinner season 5 would depend on the story and the characters involved. Each season of The Sinner had a different set of actors playing new roles, except for Bill Pullman who reprised his role as Harry Ambrose throughout the series. Some of the notable stars who appeared on The Sinner include:
- Jessica Biel as Cora Tannetti (season 1)
- Christopher Abbott as Mason Tannetti (season 1)
- Carrie Coon as Vera Walker (season 2)
- Elisha Henig as Julian Walker (season 2)
- Matt Bomer as Jamie Burns (season 3)
- Chris Messina as Nick Haas (season 3)
- Alice Kremelberg as Percy Muldoon (season 4)
- Michael Mosley as Colin Muldoon (season 4)
- Frances Fisher as Meg Muldoon (season 4)
Where can to Watch The Sinner?
You can watch all four seasons of The Sinner on Netflix, where they are available to stream globally. You can also watch them on USA Network’s website or app if you have a cable subscription or a live TV streaming service that includes USA Network.
The Sinner Season 5 Trailer: Is there a teaser?
Since The Sinner season 5 is officially canceled, there is no trailer or teaser for it. Sorry to disappoint you, but you’ll have to settle for rewatching the trailers of the previous seasons or finding another show to binge on Netflix.
Similar shows like The Sinner
If you’re looking for more shows on Netflix that are similar to The Sinner, you have plenty of options to choose from. Here are some of our recommendations:
- Echoes: A new thriller series that follows two identical twins who secretly swap lives, but their secrets start to unravel when one of them goes missing.
- The Stranger: A suspenseful adaptation of Harlan Coben’s novel that follows a man whose life is turned upside down when a stranger reveals a shocking secret about his wife.
- Seven Seconds: A powerful drama that explores the aftermath of a hit-and-run accident that kills a black teenager and the cover-up by the white police officer involved.
- Mindhunter: A captivating series that delves into the minds of serial killers and the FBI agents who try to understand them.
- Unbelievable: A gripping miniseries that tells the true story of a young woman who was raped and accused of lying by the police, and the two female detectives who fought for her justice.
- Stay Close: Another adaptation of Harlan Coben’s novel that follows three people whose dark pasts resurface when someone from their old lives reappears.