This series is based on William Landay's 2012 novel published by Random House. This series tells a father who has a new chance to deal with case of his son. It seems that this father faces more challenges in dealing with the accusation that his son is a 14-year-old murderer.
The high-profile names involved and impressive production are what really separate it from your standard basic cable crime dramas and not necessarily the content itself.
Defending Jacob is a clever little thriller. It boasts the slickness that Apple originals have come to be defined by, but sadly, the service still hasn't found that one piece of programming that it can flash as its calling card.
Well cast and twisty, it's an earnest if mostly undistinguished effort, one that relies heavily on the one-time Avenger's star power in serving its mission to bring viewers to Apple TV+.
All the ingredients are in place to make Defending Jacob one of the year's best shows. Instead it's an average outing into an already crowded medium. And that's kind of indefensible.
Chris Evans does some of the best work of his career as Andy... He expertly conveys Andy's desperate, ferocious need to protect his son, his genuine love for his wife - and the haunting memories that jolt him awake in the middle of the night.
You've seen it before, perhaps, but don't let that stop you. "Defending Jacob..." is gripping enough in its own way, despite some of the familiar moves, and the acting is consistently fine.
