Jacob exhibits a lack of empathy that borders on sociopathy. He is obsessed with serial killers and violent torture methods. When confronted by the victim’s grief-stricken parents, he shows zero emotion. The knife found in the Barber home matches the murder weapon, and a convicted pedophile’s confession is riddled with holes. The show asks: What if the apple doesn't fall far from the tree? (A subplot reveals Andy’s father is a violent psychopath serving life in prison for murder, raising the specter of "murder genes.")
The power of Defending Jacob lies in its exploration of heavy, often uncomfortable themes: Defending Jacob