Defending Jacob, a new limited series from Apple TV+ based on the novel of the same name by William Landay, immediately communicates its extreme seriousness of purpose through the elegiac score that accompanies its opening credits. This is a capital "D" drama, and a prestige one at that, with an all-star cast and serious ideas to tackle. It’s a shame, then, there’s so little in the show that feels original -- and truly deserving of the talents of the big names both in front of and behind the camera.
As the title suggests, this is a legal drama that’s less about the accused than those attempting to prove his innocence. Andy Barber (Chris Evans) is a respected assistant district attorney whose Newton, Massachusetts, community is rocked when a teenage boy is murdered on his way to school. While Andy is initially put on the case, things quickly change when his son, Jacob (IT’s Jaeden Martel), is accused of the crime. The bulk of the series follows Jacob's parents as they search for evidence that will prove Jacob’s innocence, not only in a court of law but to themselves as well. While Andy is unwavering in his belief in his son’s innocence, his wife, Laurie (Michelle Dockery), is less certain.
The series is framed by a grand jury proceeding involving Andy, although it’s unclear what case is being investigated in the inquiry until the final moments of the show. In fact, in many ways the series’ reason for being seems to be the action and big twist that take place in Defending Jacob’s final episode. The rest of the series dips into heavy issues -- including whether we can truly know the ones we’re closest to, if we can live with the sins our loved ones have committed and whether we bare responsibility for the actions of our family members due to either nature or nurture -- yet, it never truly immerses the viewer in them. Instead, the suspense of the series comes from whether or not Jacob will win in court, and the machinations on both sides that contribute to the outcome.
As a result, the series mostly plays like the many legal dramas that populate the TV landscape. While the eight episodes see the action unfold through the eyes of Laurie and particularly Andy, their experiences don’t add anything especially new to this ever-growing genre. The focus on the couple in Landay’s novel may have come across as more harrowing. After all, on the page, Laurie and Andy’s internal thoughts and feelings could be thoroughly described to the reader. Onscreen, however, the Barbers remain more elusive. While what they go through is undeniably traumatic, a TV drama requires action to move forward, so by necessity, the series emphasizes the ins and outs of trial preparation over the psychological challenges Laurie and Andy are facing.
Despite TV's limitations in getting across the inner workings of the characters, the cast is uniformly excellent. Dockery is able to convey Laurie’s feelings with no more than a clench of her jaw. Meanwhile, 24’s Cherry Jones as Jacob’s defense lawyer, Get Out’s Betty Gabriel as Andy’s detective pal, and Oscar winner J.K. Simmons in a small but meaty surprise role are all fantastic and help give the story dimension. Evans is also solid as an upstanding lawyer willing to do anything to protect his son. However, it’s difficult for Evans to shake off the specter of Captain America, a character he played for nearly a decade. He may no longer wear a superhero costume and carry a shield, yet Evans still comes off as the man with the most integrity in any room, willing to do what’s right no matter what. As a result, even when Andy blurs the lines and doesn’t make the best moves, it’s difficult to see him as anything other than a hero, albeit one in a well-tailored suit in this case.
Every episode of Defending Jacob was directed by Morten Tyldum, an Oscar nominee for The Imitation Game, and written by showrunner Mark Bomback, who also penned the screenplays for movies like War for the Planet of the Apes and The Art of Racing in the Rain. Despite that pedigree however, the two men never quite figure out how to make the series come across as something distinct from other legal dramas. While there are brief hints at the show’s final twist in the show's first episode, for anyone who hasn’t read the novel, these simply come across as confusing and are easily dismissed. In addition, Bomback adjusted the two big events that happen at the end of the story, which softens the ultimate conclusion, lessening its impact.
Like many legal dramas, Defending Jacob is an engrossing watch, using the trial that's central to the series to pull viewers along. However, that doesn’t make it special. This is a respectable entry in the legal genre; nonetheless, it’s hard not to want and expect more given the talent involved.
Written by Mark Bomback and directed by Morten Tyldum, Defending Jacob stars Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery, Pablo Schreiber, Cherry Jones, Jaeden Martell, Sakina Jaffrey, Betty Gabriel and J.K. Simmons. The series premieres April 24 on Apple TV+.