‘Defending Jacob’ Recap: ‘Everything is Cool’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM. YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

When we last settled in to discuss the fascinating new AppleTV+ series, Defending Jacob, the situation looked pretty darn grim for the Barber family. After all, there were some ugly accusations being thrown Jacob’s way online, and poor Andy had to reconcile the fact that a knife was within the walls of his idyllic home and those discoveries left all of us wondering how Andy was going to handle this surprise and the possibility that his son might potentially be involved in something sinister. But thankfully, rather than draw everything out to build suspense, the next episode of his enthralling new show wasted zero time in exploring the fallout of what Andy uncovered, and the next steps in the investigation of this horrendous crime, and what came about from all of these elements led to one stunning episode for certain.
 
But what makes ‘Everything is Cool’ so worth our while, is the sheer fact that at first glance, it doesn’t seem like anything all that shocking is really going to happen. For Jacob is quick to protest his dad’s discoveries and speak to his innocence in regard to the whole mess. Which is enough to leave the matter settled for time being and that whole confrontation also prompts Andy to remove the knife from the house by throwing it in the trash, and this sense of normalcy continues along by way of the investigation. Since nothing really comes out Leonard Patz’s questioning. Because he has nothing to say and the detectives on the case don’t really see any indications that he’s hiding something. Which in turn leads the audience to believe that this is case is going to be a slow burning one, the kind that won’t start to blow us away until late in the season, and that lovely sense of security is what allows for what comes next to shock us in every way imaginable.
 
Because just like that, a breakthrough in the case comes through, one that upends Andy’s world in a matter of minutes. For it is revealed that the police have discovered Jacob’s fingerprints on Ben Rifkin’s body and now, Andy Barber is a victim, and in a matter of seconds he has to hear from his current boss that he’s off the case and suspended and that there is an arrest warrant out for his son. Which are stunning words for a parent to hear and the powerful acting present here and the breakneck pace at which these surprises arrive with, offers a visceral and powerful experience for the audience. One where you feel Andy’s emotions and panic through and through, and you most certainly feel pity as well, because you’re fully aware of the fact that everything that follows these revelations is going to be supremely difficult for Andy and his family to process.
 
But the episode doesn’t shy away from exploring that in the slightest. For we are privy to watching the police search the Barber home, and poor Andy has to explain to his innocent wife what is going on and it’s heartbreaking and frustrating to watch them try and get ahold of Jacob, who is nowhere to be found and well, while that alone would have been enough to carry this episode and leave us with a cliffhanger and plenty to chew upon, there’s still more for us to process in this tale. Because eventually, Jacob is picked up by the police and he admits to the fact that he found Ben’s body, and didn’t want to tell anyone because he genuinely thought someone would try and pin the murder on him and just like that, he is now the prime suspect, and a family stands shattered and what’s truly shocking about this story, is that the police might have the wrong person in custody.
 
For in the closing moments of this story, Patz reveals only to the audience, that he has a lot of pictures of Ben on his phone, and he is quick to delete them and well, when all is said and done… this was one incredible episode. Because not only does it end in jaw-dropping fashion, since it leads one to believe that perhaps Patz did indeed harm Ben, everything that precedes that important moment, simply leaves you speechless. Because watching a man’s life fall to pieces in real time made for a powerful and unsettling experience and where we go from here is anyone’s guess. If anything, all of these surprises, speak volumes to the fact that this is going to be one incredible ride in the days and weeks and to come, one that will undoubtedly leave us breathless as more stunning revelations about this murder come to light. Until next time.

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