‘Defending Jacob’ Recap: ‘Visitors’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

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

​There is an age-old question that each and every one of us ask ourselves in life, in that, we all wonder exactly how far we would go to keep our family safe. Because we only get one of them, and they do mean the world to us, and the answer to that query is a simple one for certain. But while there is a firm belief in our soul that we will do whatever it takes to keep them secure, deep down we also hope that it never comes to that. Because if we’ve come to that point in life, something terrible has happened and going above and beyond likely means we are making great efforts to try and assuage some serious emotional trauma. If anything, this is relevant to today’s discussion, simply because Andy and Laurie Barber were forced to face and answer that question in the next episode of Defending Jacob.
 
For ‘Visitors’ saw Andy go the extra mile for his son by facing his greatest demon in life, his father. And that little visit went about as well as one might expect. Because Billy Barber was all about toying with his son, so that he could line up plenty of future visits, using Jacob and the case as leverage and that was something that didn’t sit well with Andy, to the point where he walked away and he was fully prepared to abandon this aspect of the case if it meant facing more of that kind of darkness. Which in a way makes it seem as though he didn’t do much to help Jacob, but facing a man that has haunted every second of his life is about as bold and as brave as it gets, and there was another way for him to prove just how far he would go to help Jacob’s cause.   
 
Because it was revealed to Andy that Derek was questioned by the police, and that might lead him somewhere since Derek seemed oddly interested in the case and was the first person to accuse Jacob of this heinous crime. Which prompted Andy to have a little face to face talk with Derek, and while he didn’t offer all that much in regard to the case, his demeanor when questioned led Andy to believe there was more to this part of his investigation than he initially understood. Which in turn brought him to Sarah. After all, she was the one that hesitated to speak up to Andy at the school, and he put two and two together and figured out that she was the one who put in the anonymous tip, so perhaps she might have something to offer, and thankfully, she sure did. 

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​In fact, she was more than happy to tell Andy about how Derek and Ben had a sour relationship to begin with, one that went further south after Ben asked poor Sarah for some embarrassing selfies. And in an attempt to restore her honor, Derek stole Ben’s phone before he was killed. But what matters more however, is that this was a huge twist in the case, especially since no one was aware of any bad blood between Derek and Ben and this is something that could help Jacob in the long run once Joanna can examine the phone in question. But while this was cause for celebration, Jacob’s odd behavior toward Sarah, after learning that she took an inappropriate selfie was a tad disturbing, and one has to wonder as to its significance since he was so genuinely bothered by this.  
 
But while that behavior was a tad on the bleak side, it was grossly overshadowed by something sorely lacking on this series, specifically; bright moments. Because there has been little to celebrate in this tale, and few beautiful moments for the Barber family, but that all changed in this episode. For father and son were able to share some quality moments by the lake when Andy decided it was time to get away and to top it off, the defense finally got their hands on that phone and all of its secrets. But truly, the most beautiful moment of this story, was generated by Laurie. For after weeks of doubt and broken moments, she too decided to go the extra mile for her son by visiting Andy’s father, wherein she was able to get him to agree to taking the DNA test without conditions.  
 
In the end, it was just nice to end an episode on a high note for a change, one that was further enhanced by the fact that Matt seems to be ready to talk and well, for the first time in the show’s brief history, it really does seem as though there is hope for Jacob after all. Because there really is more to this case than anyone previously knew, thanks to what we learned about both Ben and Derek, and it will be supremely interesting to see what other surprises await us, once Joanna and Andy get into that phone. Either way, this was a solid episode, one that definitely rewarded the audience for sticking with the darkness. But alas, this might be the last time we enjoy any bright spots in this tale. For there are only three episodes left in this limited series and with ugly truths on the way, this idyllic town will only be rattled further. Until next time. 

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