5 shows to watch if you liked Defending Jacob on Apple TV+

Starring Chris Evans and Michelle Dockery, Defending Jacob is an 8-episode miniseries created by Apple TV+. Based on the 2012 novel of the same name written by William Landay, the series delves into a district attorney whose son, Jacob Barber, is accused of murder.

Evans’ character, Andrew Stephen Barber, is assigned the case of the murder of Ben Rifkin, a 14-year-old teenager and a classmate of his son. A compelling narrative that delves into the efforts of the two parents who fight to prove their son’s innocence.

Defending Jacob was received well by viewers and boasts a 7.8 rating on IMDb. However, the limited episodes on offer means fans are left wanting more.

As a series, Defending Jacob gave its viewers an inside look into the intricacies of law, and to the lengths to which parents can go to defend their child. The series had its fair share of twists and turns, keeping the viewers on the edge right till the very end.

Disclaimer: The article reflects the author's opinion and is listed in no particular order.

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5 TV series similar to Defending Jacob

1) Your Honor

Just like Defending Jacob, Your Honor also looks into a story where a legal official is caught defending his son, who is accused of hit-and-run. Starring Bryan Cranston as a respected judge, the series delves into the kind of lengths that Cranston’s character is willing to go to, in order to protect his family.

The story revolves around crime, legal intricacies, and how the truth is sometimes bent by those with power. Your Honor was released in 2020 and has 2 seasons under its belt. It can be watched on Netflix and is bound to keep its viewers guessing until the very end.

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2) The Undoing

The Undoing, an HBO miniseries, does not directly delve into the legal world. However, it focuses on a range of themes similar to Defending Jacob, in the sense that a major public figure is seen struggling to defend her son in a murder case.

Starring two huge stars, Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant, the narrative also features the same kind of twists and turns that were apparent in Defending Jacob. The series boasts merely 6 episodes and brings a stunning end, which is bound to surprise its viewers. The Undoing is available on Amazon Prime Video and HBO Max.

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3) The Night Of

HBO's The Night Of (Image via HBO)

Another HBO miniseries, The Night Of has a total of 8 episodes and was released back in 2016. Just like Defending Jacob, the series delves into a narrative that revolves around an innocent person’s struggle to get himself acquitted in a murder case.

It stars Riz Ahmed as a Pakistani-American student who is wrongly accused of killing a woman named Andrea. The character finds himself struggling to keep up with the various intricacies of his trial and barely escapes a conviction despite the lack of direct proof against him.

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4) The Sinner

The Sinner was released as an 8-episode miniseries where each iteration focuses on different stories, involving murders. Delving into the story of a police detective named Harry Ambrose, played by Bill Pulman, the series includes a range of compelling stories revolving around criminals and the kind of lengths they are willing to go to in order to cover their tracks.

The success of the show led to the creators transforming it into an anthology series which has to date seen the release of 4 seasons. The latest was released in December 2021.

The series follows a similar narrative as Defending Jacob, in the sense that it features the same kind of ruthless criminals, and is surely a potential watch for those who liked the Chris Evans starter. It is available on Netflix.

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5) Seven Seconds

Netflix's Seven Seconds (Image via Netflix)

A Netflix series, Seven Seconds delved into the story of a police officer who accidentally kills a black teenager in New Jersey. This leads to a cover-up by his fellow employees, notably a corrupt officer who is seen taking in bribes.

However, things eventually dwell into chaos as a huge community outcry leads to major changes in the entire department. A thought-provoking drama, Seven Seconds was released in 2018, and was eventually turned into a limited series, with no plans of a second season.

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The above-mentioned TV shows have a range of aspects in common with Defending Jacob. All of them revolve around crime and the various intricacies of justice, law, and order.