Varun Patel
‘Defending Jacob‘ is a murder mystery television series by Apple TV+ that is set in a small town. Due to that premise, the series is made to be atmospheric and slow-burn, allowing viewers to breathe in the plot and the situation that the central characters find themselves in. The show packs a stellar cast which includes the likes of Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery, and Jaeden Martell. The three of them play members of the Barber family, with Martell playing Jacob, a teenage boy who gets accused of murdering his classmate. ‘Defending Jacob’ is an adaptation of William Landay’s book of the same name.
Defending Jacob Episode 6 Recap:
The sixth episode begins with Andy and Joanna going to check Ben Rifkin’s phone. Andy gets physical with Neal there when the latter asks him how his father is doing. Joanna’s assistant’s niece is Jacob’s age. The assistant informs Joanna that Jacob has been “going online again.”
Andy confronts Jacob about his other social media account and asks him to show Laurie what he had posted. It is a meme of him related to his accusation:
Andy shouts at Jacob and makes him delete the account. Later, Andy notices a car outside his neighbor’s house. He had spotted the car in the vicinity earlier too. Matt calls Andy, and they meet at a diner. Matt has some information regarding Patz. Andy takes Matt to the District Attorney. Matt tells her that Patz and he had met at a pizza place. There, Matt had agreed to let Patz touch him over his pants for $100. They had met a few more times. Matt says that Patz had mentioned Rifkin and had also seen him (Patz) having a knife. Neal tells the DA that Matt might have been compelled/coached by Andy, but the DA agrees to get a warrant to search Patz’s house.
Andy’s father calls Andy and says that he wants to talk. Andy denies. Lauries goes for a jog, and the car that Andy had seen earlier tails her. Laurie runs away and tells Andy about being followed. The police do not find a knife at Ben’s house. Andy roughs up Patz on the street, accusing him of killing Rifkin.
Dr. Vogel tells Andy, Laurie, and Joanna that Jacob tested negative for the “murder gene.” However, that gene is only passed down through the mother. Furthermore, Dr. Vogel tells them that Jacob tested positive for various other genetic traits, which generally result in characteristics such as violent behavior, antisocial tendencies, and manipulative behavior. She tells them that Jacob’s lack of empathy is concerning. Laurie gets very concerned.
Its Jacob’s birthday and the Barbers go to a Japanese restaurant. Andy and Laurie tell him that he tested negative for the murder gene, but not about the other characteristics. Andy sees the same car outside their neighbor’s house when they return. He confronts the man inside and threatens him to leave, followed by reporting the incident to the police. The car’s number plate had been stolen. The episode ends with the Barber family going for the trial.
Defending Jacob Episode 6 Review:
‘Defending Jacob’ is a murder mystery television series that attempts to have more impact by adopting a slow-burn approach. However, there is a fine line between slow-burn and plainly slow. Unfortunately, ‘Defending Jacob’ has usually fallen under the latter category. With a star-studded cast, the show does face pretty stiff expectations. Hence, it ought to be noted that the Apple TV+ series is definitely watchable and even entertaining enough to devote an hour each week. However, audiences would still find themselves yearning for more from a production that stars Evans, Martell, and Dockery.
Returning to the series’ pace, those behind ‘Defending Jacob’ definitely had intentions of exploring the troubles of the Barber family. However, that cow has already been milked enough, similar to the small-town feel. After a point, ‘Defending Jacob’ just does not go any deeper. There are no dark town secrets or jaw-droppingly shady characters. There is Patz, but he is the only one. There is nothing that holds the tension like a knife’s edge, as seen in quality slow-burn tales like Apple TV+’s very own, ‘Servant.’
The sixth episode, once again, is neither quick-paced nor tense. There are some important events that do take place, but their impact is lost due to the pacing. For instance, the revelation of Jacob possessing violent genetic traits has been teased for a long time but does not seem to be as impactful. Once again, high expectations could be the reason ‘Defending Jacob’ disappoints frequently. Yet, the show has still not become anything more than mildly entertaining or watchable.
Read More: Where Was Defending Jacob Filmed?
