Pilot

"" is the first episode of the Apple TV+ limited series, Defending Jacob.

Synopsis
Assistant District Attorney Andy Barber is assigned as the lead prosecutor in the case of his son's murdered classmate.

Plot
Andy Barber arrives at Middlesex County Courthouse for his grand jury proceeding.

Ten months prior, the Barber lived an ordinary life. Jacob was preparing for a vocabulary test, Andy and Laurie arrive at their jobs at the Middlesex County Courthouse and children's cottage respectively. Andy suddenly gets a call and clears his schedule. Meanwhile, Archer Middle School is put on lockdown. Andy arrives at Cold Spring Park, where Archer Middle School student, Benjamin Rifkin was murdered. Laurie and her co-workers at the children's cottage are notified and she calls Jacob. An investigation begins with students holding a memorial in the park for Ben that night. Andy arrives home late that night where he and Laurie consol with their son.

The following day, Jacob is given the cold shoulder by his best friend, Derek Yoo. Andy is considered to be taken off the case due to a conflict of interest. Andy and Pam Duffy question students at the school to understand possible motives. Sarah Grohl alludes to possibly knowing something involving the case. Pam gets a lead that Leonard Patz, a known pedophile who lives near the park as a person of interest. That day, Andy arrives at the Rifkin house to pick up Jacob. While picking up his jacket, he is greeted by Dan Rifkin, Ben's father.

After a dinner with Jacob, Andy agrees to investigate Patz. He then gets an anonymous email, leading to a social media post. He quickly finds people accusing Jacob of murdering Ben, including Derek. While Jacob is asleep, Andy searches his room where he finds a knife hidden inside a sock in Jacob's drawer.

Starring

 * Chris Evans as Andy Barber
 * Michelle Dockery as Laurie Barber
 * Jaeden Martell as Jacob Barber
 * Cherry Jones as Joanna Klein
 * Pablo Schreiber as Neal Loguidice
 * Betty Gabriel as Pam Duffy
 * Sakina Jaffrey as Lynn Canavan

Guest Starring

 * Patrick Fischler as Dan Rifkin
 * Daniel Henshall as Leonard Patz
 * Jordan Alexa Davis as Sarah Grohl
 * Ben Taylor as Derek Yoo
 * Tamara Hickey as Toby Lanzman
 * Megan Byrne as Joan Rifkin
 * Maria Elena Ramirez as Cara
 * Myra Lucretia Taylor as Judge Rivera

Co-starring

 * Aaron Andrade as Mr. Fuller
 * Ted Arcidi as Kingston
 * Shannon Ashe as Christine
 * Alfred Briere as Molloy
 * Gene Dante as Ian
 * Mai Delapa as Katie
 * Shawn Fitzgibbon as Detective Peterson
 * Frankie Francois as Sienna
 * Rebecca Gibel as Wendy
 * Liam Kilbreth as Ben Rifkin
 * Gary Kirby as Older Man
 * Collin Knight as Police Officer
 * Ian Lyons as Burt Knox
 * Melissa McMeekin as Roxanne
 * Michele Proude as Court Clerk
 * Carrie Ann Quinn as Kathleen
 * Odis Spencer as Principal
 * Angela Hope Smith as Molloy's Counsel

Trivia

 * The episode is dedicated to the memory of Steve Golin.