Did the series 'Defending Jacob' manage to take the Apple TV+ platform to a new level, or is it just another passable thriller?

In May, the division of Apple responsible for producing and streaming movies and series presented a new project called Defending Jacob.

This mini-series drew attention thanks to its star-studded cast, led by Marvel Cinematic Universe star Chris Evans. All eight episodes of the show were directed by Norwegian Morten Tyldum ("The Imitation Game," "Headhunters"). What came of this Apple TV+ experiment? Let's try to break down the pros and cons of this undoubtedly appealing but controversial show in detail.

In Fincher's Footsteps

At the center of the story is Assistant District Attorney Andy Barber (Chris Evans), who is assigned to the murder case of a local teenager. Soon, Andy is recused because his son Jacob (Jaeden Martell from "It") becomes the prime suspect.

Can the seasoned lawyer get to the truth? How will the Barber family cope with the difficult situation and public pressure? Viewers will find out the answers to these questions after 8 episodes... or they won't.

The influence of David Fincher's work on Tyldum's direction is evident in everything, from the staging of static shots in dialogue scenes to the script's attempts to confuse the viewer, who will be tormented by guesses about what happened until the very end, from the overall dark atmosphere to the meticulous attention to detail in the service of realism. Whether this is good or bad is for each individual viewer to decide, but this fact cannot be overlooked, just as one cannot deny that Tyldum still has a very, very long way to go to reach Fincher's level.

Courtroom Drama or Detective Story?

Throughout its season, the series "Defending Jacob" tries to sit on two chairs, pretending to be either a meticulous courtroom drama (the project is based on a novel by a former forensic scientist) or a convoluted detective story. On the surface, it may seem that the story excels in both directions, but if you look a little closer or start asking the writers uncomfortable questions, you can see that the series is far from perfect.

Despite its overall engaging nature, as a detective story, "Defending Jacob" does not surprise, does not offer a new perspective on the genre, some plot twists seem stitched together with white thread, and there is practically no investigation of the crime itself in the series!

As a drama, the Apple series can seem extremely captivating. It raises issues of fathers and sons, public condemnation (even without a trial), showcases sharp moments of ethics and parents' doubts about their own offspring, and asks the unspoken question: "What can one do for the sake of truth or its concealment?"

At the same time, it is difficult to ignore the overall clumsiness of the main character. The problem is clearly not with Chris Evans, who has repeatedly proven his worth in a variety of roles. The writers endowed him with a number of formal traits (high professionalism, problematic relatives), but wrote his character in a completely vague way, which, moreover, hardly changes over time.

The exact same thing can be said about the character of the talented Jaeden Martell, but there it can at least be attributed to the peculiarities of adolescence (incidentally, for greater plausibility of the feeling of uncertainty, the show's creators asked the actor to personally decide whether his character was guilty or not). Given these circumstances, any hints of empathy fall on the character of Michelle Dockery ("The Gentlemen"), who acts more as an observer than a driver of the plot.

Is the Series 'Defending Jacob' Worth Watching?

The criticisms voiced and the bewilderment caused by the ending of Morten Tyldum's series do not negate the fact that this work deserves the audience's attention. The episodes are truly well-made and at times mesmerizing, the music evokes a sense of anxiety, and the multifaceted, albeit imperfect, story allows for various interpretations. Moreover, if you view the plot of "Defending Jacob" as a story about how the pressure of the system can destroy an individual cell of society, you can get much more enjoyment from it than from trying to discern a coherent detective story.

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