Defending Jacob Review: When a Perfect Family Begins to Crack
In a quiet, well-to-do suburb of Boston, a schoolboy is found murdered. The body of 15-year-old Ben, covered in multiple stab wounds, is discovered in a park near his school. Police and prosecutors launch an investigation. Representing the prosecution is a young, charismatic, and ambitious assistant district attorney, Andy Barber.
At first, there are no solid leads. Classmates of the victim offer little of value, and the case seems to stall—until someone mentions a suspicious man. It turns out he has a prior conviction for pedophilia. For a brief moment, Andy is convinced the case is solved. But just as he feels close to justice, everything collapses: he’s summoned by his superior, removed from the case, and placed on indefinite leave. The reason? His own son, Jacob, has been arrested for the murder.
What makes Defending Jacob particularly compelling is how gradually it reveals these events. The series opens not with the crime itself, but with Andy’s testimony before a grand jury. Older, worn down, and visibly shaken, he is questioned by the district attorney—his former colleague and rival—about every detail of the case against his son.
Up until Jacob’s arrest, you were an ordinary family… even an ideal one?” - the prosecutor asks.
And indeed, the Barbers seem like the picture of a perfect family. Andy is a confident and successful professional, Lori is a caring kindergarten teacher, and Jacob is a typical high school student. They are financially comfortable, stable, and happy—or so it appears. Then, suddenly, their lives split into “before” and “after.”
As the investigation unfolds, the parents are forced to confront a painful truth: they didn’t really know their son. They learn about his troubled relationship with the victim, who had bullied him at school. They uncover unsettling aspects of his personality and behavior—things they had never suspected. And perhaps most disturbingly, they begin to realize they don’t fully know each other either.
The series presents two central mysteries. The first is obvious: who is the killer? But the second is more intriguing: Andy’s interrogation takes place after Jacob’s trial—so why is he being questioned? What is he accused of?
It’s these questions that keep viewers hooked through all eight episodes.
However, the emotional core of the story lies in the relationship between Andy and Lori. They are the heart of the show. Andy is absolutely convinced of his son’s innocence—he never even entertains the possibility that Jacob could be guilty. His certainty is unwavering, and he’s willing to do anything—legal or not—to prove it.
Lori, as a loving mother, also wants to believe in her son. But unlike Andy, doubt slowly creeps in. And as the story progresses, that doubt grows stronger and harder to ignore.
This tension is what elevates “Defending Jacob” from a standard crime drama into something more meaningful. The audience is left uncertain about Jacob’s guilt, and depending on which version of events seems more believable, we find ourselves sympathizing either with Andy or Lori.
We admire Andy’s fierce devotion as a father, but we also see his flaws—his emotional distance, his tendency to overlook important issues within his own family. In contrast, Lori often appears more perceptive, having noticed warning signs long before the tragedy.
The performances play a huge role in bringing this dynamic to life. Andy is portrayed by Chris Evans, while Lori is played by Michelle Dockery. For both actors, these roles are significant departures from their most recognizable screen personas. Evans works hard to distance himself from Captain America—and largely succeeds—while Dockery, known for “Downton Abbey,” delivers a strong but slightly less transformative performance.
Still, at its core, “Defending Jacob” remains a detective story. We follow the characters through eight episodes primarily to uncover the answers to its two central questions. The broader themes—father-son relationships, moral ambiguity, and flaws within the American justice system—serve more as background elements than fully explored ideas. The show raises them, but never dives deeply enough to deliver anything truly groundbreaking.
And yet, it remains consistently engaging.
Interesting Facts About the Series
In one scene, a poster can be seen on the wall in Sarah Grohl’s room (played by Jordan Alexa Davis). It features “Zdenka Cerny, The Greatest Bohemian Violincellist” (1913), a work by the famous Art Nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha.
The series is based on the 2012 novel by William Landay, who also contributed to the screenplay. However, there are notable differences between the book and the adaptation:
After the trial, the family travels to Jamaica instead of Mexico.
Additional dramatic developments occur in the series, including a darker and more tragic sequence of events involving Jacob and other characters, which diverges significantly from the novel’s original ending.