“60 Minutes” correspondent Ross Douthat conducted a thoughtful interview with Patrick Clancy, whose three children were killed in 2023 by his then-wife, Lindsay Clancy. The article praises the interview for allowing Clancy to respond to intense social-media speculation while focusing on his grief and forgiveness, rather than sensationalising the criminal case.

Lindsay Clancy has said she acted during post-partum psychosis, but her trial ended in a mistrial after one juror refused to convict. The writer acknowledges some weaknesses in Douthat’s questioning, but argues that the interview was a significant success for CBS News and tests whether the revamped “60 Minutes” can sustain this more curious, balanced approach.