I’m glad you touched on the murder gene coming from mom. Jacob is exactly like his mom, the whole show blinded us with Andy and his fathers story but at the end we see that Laurie has the same ticks as Jacob. She gets quiet, she shuts out her significant other (Jacob and Sarah similarity), and lastly the biggest one THEY HAVE THE SAME TWITCHES. In the scene for Laurie snaps the next day she has the same hand movements that Jacob has nervously had throughout the show
they changed the story,Hope was dead,Jacob killed her too as he killed Ben,Laurie knew that her son was a serial killer,she could't bare this burden,she knew that Ben's and Hope's parents were suffering because of her son.....so she decided to end this......
@Ruthie Bella murder gene has nothing to do with the car crush,Laurie wasn't a murderer,she just couldn't handle the fact that her son was a serial killer and that other people suffered because of him.....stop relating the murder gene with the car crush,it has nothing to do with that!!
@Katy Noah agree 100%. I read the book too and am sooo disappointed in the series ending. It was Jacob murdering ANOTHER young person that pushes Lori over the edge. Having Hope alive and well takes away the reason Lori loses her mind...stupid. I hated the change in the last episode. Awful.
@Ruthie Bella I read the book 8 years ago and the last chapter still haunts me. I would have done the same if I were Laurie. Prison for life at that age for a kid like Jacob would be worse than death. I would also kill myself knowing my son would probably kill again and I would not be able to live with that.
I loved the scene where Jake and Andy are playing that board game the night before Laurie's incident. Andy says to Jacob, "I don't see any more moves" Then Jacob replies with, "You don't have any" It zooms in on Andys face and I feel like this made him realize that he doesn't have many moves left in real life either other than lying. Also at the end when Andy lies in Jacob's bed. This has us remember when Andy came into Ben's room and his dad was sitting in his bed just how Andy was at the end.
How the title Defending Jacob was true to the end to the story. I'm happy with the ending. It's realistic. Life is frustrating and tragic. It's a cautionary tale that I think is likely less avoidable no matter what we want to tell ourselves. Simply on my top 10 this year.
Honestly I loved the show! However on the last episode this is my theory I feel the mum was beyond breaking point and she obviously crashed the car on purpose due to the fact she was so torn and distraught by thinking her son did this. But truly I think the mom didn’t think they would of both survived the crash but when she realised she and her son were still alive she had then panicked and made up a cover story to tell her husband that it was an ‘accident’ so she would not be charged for trying to murder her son. Plus it kinda makes sense why she crashed the car because she had nothing to loose as she was already at breaking point thinking her son had killed Ben. Plus she probably did mean to kill her son due to the fact jacobs photo album was in the rubbish. But yeh I think the mum thought they would of both died from the crash but her plan had backfired so she made a cover story to save her self from attempted murder. Thanks for reading this lol x
@Gilbert M but it was implied. If you don't want to believe it, it's ok. But i do. His face after the trial for me gave it. But not only that, many other things. And between not knowing or doubting him and the other guy, there were more evidences that was Jacob, in my opinion. Not even his mom believed, and clearly his father is whealling to say wathever is necessary to free his family, soo yeah, i do believe he did it.
The series would have been better with just six episodes. I also thought the ending was goofy. I didn't buy into Laurie crashing the car because Jacob wouldn't say he killed Ben. I read the Wikipedia article on the book and felt that ending would have been far more convincing. Maybe they changed it so they could have a second season. J.K. Simmons was the best thing in the series. Too bad we didn't see more of him. Good review as usual Steve.
That seen at the end with Laurie and Jacob in the car.... Holy fucking shit... Both of them were putting on a master class of acting. Especially the lady who plays Laurie. She puts on the best performance of the whole show imo... Would love to see her considered for an Emmy and all the other awards based on TV shows... What a fucking unexpected gem this show was. I hope they make more because it's super underrated.
When they arrive in Mexico and Laurie says “Hope, I’ve always liked that name “ is such symbolism! - She believes Jacob is innocent, that he’s made a new friend and that they can put the whole trial behind them. She feels hope for the first time in awhile, then it all comes crashing down on her again and she breaks. (Never read the book, just basing my observations on watching the series) 9.1 is a good score for the series. I’m not too familiar with biblical stories, but is there any symbolism in the story of Job from the Bible in Jacob’s fictional story of Ben’s death, or is it symbolism of episode 7 or the series as a whole?
well said!!!Laurie was broken,she knew right from the start that Jacob did it,biological pcycologist also knew it,just watch her reactions!!Hope was murdered (book's original story),Jacob did it again,he had no remorse about anything,his story was his confession and his personal trophy,Laurie after Hope's dearh was fully convinced that Jacob,her own son was a serial killer,she became depressed because she couldn't bare the fact that people died because of him....there is no relation with the murder gene,car crush was Laurie's desperate act,she wasn't a murderer,she was broken because she knew....
In the book, Jacob DOES kill Hope. Clever use of that name as Jacob kills the girl but also kills HOPE in Lori's life, too. Job in the Bible is a man who suffers terribly over a long period of time, I don't think it relates to the last episode at all. Good question though.
JOB is the title of episode 7 (not the final episode 8). It’s also Jacob’s initials. After hearing the description of Job in the Bible, it can relate to Jacob suffering from bullying over a long period of time, Andy suffering over a long period of time, or Laurie suffering over a long period of time. It’s no coincidence that the episode has that title.
@@Discoball_Glitter wait,ok lets say that Jacob killed Ben becaise je was a bully,then why did he kill Hope??!and let's face it,Jacob was a cold blooded killer,that is why Laurie became depressed,because two people died from the hand of her son and parents were suffering because of him....and to clear something,if you want to nail down a bully make him pay with the law not by killing him....that is what a healthy human being does....i know that bullying is one of the worst forms of violence but the difference between a bully and a other people is that they are brave to stand and fight......
I read (and LOVED) the book and when in the episode, Andy says "they found her" I was so excited, thinking "Here we go...Pan over to Hope in a body bag...let's boogie" but the ending was SO DIFFERENT!!! Argghhh!!! Sooo disappointed. The book had a much better ending. This episode sucked. The other 5 were a lot better.
I know! I read the book 8 years ago and the last chapter still haunts me. I would have done the same if I were Laurie. Prison for life at that age for a kid like Jacob would be worse than death. I would also kill myself knowing my son would probably kill again and I would not be able to live with that. I hate that they made Laurie to be the bad guy.
I really like the show but I really don't like what they're doing to the wife character. They are basically giving her the wife from Breaking Bad treatment where she's just a constant trouble and can't be trusted with any kind of revelation or new information, because she'll just freak out. Really grew to hate her by the end of this season and don't really see her being anything more than an annoyance later on.
Just jumping to conclusions about her own son, treating him like shit just because there's a chance that he did it, caring more about the feelings of others that her family's, blaming Chris Evans for his father's sins basically, not being understandable, being either disengaged or manic - I think that in real life right after the drop of charges from the son there would've been another court hearing for a divorce...
@@MrMich1lol I know! I read the book 8 years ago and the last chapter still haunts me. I would have done the same if I were Laurie. Prison for life at that age for a kid like Jacob would be worse than death. I would also kill myself knowing my son would probably kill again and I would not be able to live with that. I hate that they made Laurie to be the bad guy.
@@MrMich1lol i thought the same thing about the divorce... especially at the end of episode 7 when she just blatantly told andy that their life was all based on a lie
Am I the only one disappointed that the Neal vs Andy story wasn't explored just a little bit more? We get the friendly drinks at the bar scene and now Neal is out for blood? Did I miss something? I wasn't expecting a long drawn out side story but some kind of "ah that's where it went left" moment.
Many stories were not explored, we don't even see the parents of Sarah for a single frame. We don't even see the Rifkins seperately, we always see them when they interact with Barbers, which just explains that the show is about the Barbers and does not care about other characters.
And the cinematography of the last couple episodes were just absolutely fantastic. I had to watch it a second time to pick up on all of it. Towards the end we see Laurie and Andy much more frequently on opposite sides of the screen, the shift from the light and beauty of Mexico to all the sudden when it became shrouded in the same darkness of all the other episodes. And the acting in the final car scene was so fantastic. The detached but also inexorable determination of Laurie and the desperate pleading from Jacob were hard to watch a second time, it’s just so intense and well done. I think that scene is especially terrible if you think Jacob is innocent, which I’m on the fence about. Initially after the Job story I was certain he did it, but after the way he acted in Mexico when he came back early from the party, I had to re-evaluate my assessment of him earlier. He didn’t do anything wrong in Mexico, but in that scene where he says “I just don’t like parties with drunk idiots and shitty music” he seemed guilty and aloof in the same way he had been through a lot of the first 7 episodes. But he hadn’t done anything wrong to Hope, meaning that’s just how Jacob acts sometimes and his dark demeanor isn’t as much of an indictment as I thought it was. That said, in episode 7 after Andy asks in the car “Did you do it?”, Jacob’s “no” was not a convincing one, so I have trouble committing myself to one side with his culpability.
Andy is a very complex character, hard really to blame him for everything. He never had a father growing up and he never had an actual family, all his lies throughout the show are to keep his family together or to protect them. He is just a dad, dads always take full responsibility over everything their families do. It is hard to really judge the character.
Laure was never not gonna attempt to kill her son because she already had it in her head that he was guilty. It shows this when she doesn’t take no for an answer
I feel like calling Andy “evil” seems wrong. While I watched this show, I could easily place myself in the shoes of the parents. I could feel what was really driving Laurie nuts but I could also see the reasoning behind Andy keeping stuff from her and other people. The last episode had me @ the end he of death throughout. I think when you try to place yourself in the situation they were in, you understand them much better and that nothing is really black and white, but all grey. Accusing Andy for it all seemed wrong. Also addressing another thing here, Jacob was nothing like Andy... he would talk little yes but all his other demeanour comes from his mum, Laurie. And the last episode was one hella ride and I for sure think that Laurie tried to kill Jacob just cause she wasn’t convinced by his answers. I could go on and on abt how good the story and casting was but no space for that ahaha
Yeah it's a little ridiculous to say Andy is the worst for his lying. Worse than most likely the real murderer and the mother who attempted to kill her son thinking he was a murderer? Bullshit. Andy shouldn't have lied for her, but that doesn't make him worse than them.
Whitney Bacon I agree, as I watched this show I pictured my parents in their shoe ahaha (however ridiculous that may sound) and sometimes myself too, and I could totally understand the moves Andy made or how Laurie would freak out abt it
I think that Who was disappointed probably didn't card so much about the family drama. I don't personally agree. I like it and again Maybe the slower pace was on pourpose to mirror that moment of disbilief when the trial got to that abroupt end. They wanted to build the tension slowly because we could Tell that there was something off as soon as jacob was exonereted. His smug face when the judge was speaking. Steve thanks!
I believe when they found the girl alive that Jacob probably gave her something to make her sick but it did not kill her cause remember he said he hated it when they all got drunk an she probably stop paying him attention
@@tomimdawodu6808 he said it and when she asked him again he changed his answer and talked aboit the speed,if you have read the book you would know that Jacob killed Ben and Hope,the key was in Hope's murder,that was the turnin point when Laurie lost herself,she became depressed because she could not bare the fact that people are dead because of her son......
I was waiting for thisss Steve arghhhhh. This episode is just so emotional especially Laurie, it is still hanging tho like who actually killed Ben, there must be a szn 2 for this if not im gonna be pissed
i think by not keeping book's ending wasn't clever!!Hope was dead and that was the last nail for Laurie to know that her son was a cold blooded killer,that is why Laurie was so damaged,because she knew that her only child was a serial killer,she was quiet all the time,she wanted to scream,all this pain.....Jacob did kill Ben as in the book he killed Hope too and that is why Laurie crashed the car,Hope's death was the turning point to everything,she couldn't bare the fact that people suffered because of her son,stop guys relating the murder gene with Laurie's act,what would you have done if you knew that your child killed two people an he was totally ok with that???!They should have kept book's original story,all answers were right there!!!And i am gonna say it once again.....Michelle Dockery is a phenomenal actress!!!!!!!!
jax alexander ok but how can you be sure if It was Jacob who killed Hope? Its not like there aren’t any bad guys out there. Besides I dont think Jacob, realizing what damage he has already done with the ben situation would murder Hope.
@@prouser7150 they went to Mexico and the girl that Jacob met was killed,okkk then Jacob was the most unlucky person in the world,he did it,he killed them both,he show no remorse about the whole situation,he was like "it's not a big deal" all the time about everything,the story he wrote it was his confession,every detail of the murder was there,right there,he seemed a little nice guy but he was a bully,Sarah stood up for him when everybody said that he was a killer and he called her a slut for a naked picture,well that doesn't mean tha he was a killer but he had no emotions about anything.....Laurie knew it right from the start,Andy had the facts but didn't want to believe this because of his past,he lost his objectivity!!Don't relate rhe murder gene with the car crush,there are two different things,Laurie was lost,she was depressed because she knew that her own son was a killer,she could not bare the fact that other parents suffered and lost their children because of Jacob....she was in great pain,she tried to put this together so hard and rhen boom,Hope's murder.....plus,just watch the biological phychologist,see her face,see her reactions,she knew Jacob did it and she knew that Laurie already knows.....!!!The show is great but they did the mistake to not keep book's ending,Hope's murder was the key to everything......
I think the dad was in an impossible situation…but I found it interesting the dad is a former DA who really doesn’t believe in justice when it impacts him and his family.
I don´t get it... Did Jacob really kill Ben? What´s up with the pictures that Patz had of Ben in the beginning of the series? Is just confuse, even if Patz was "obligated" to do a confession. But Laurie, she was under to much pressure, the similarities in Mexico and the lies of Andy just make it worse. Hearthbreaking but not a disappointing, after all not everything is a happy ending. Just many questions, thanks for your review.
the writers didn't follow the book's story that is why the fans have not the answers they need,they totally ruined the last episode,the key was Hope's murder,Jacob killed Ben and Hope.....Laurie became depressed because she knew that her son was a murderer,Andy lied to her again and again and she snapped,who can blame her????Her own son killed two people and had no remorse for that,people were suffering because of him.....
@@jaxalexander7162 I know! I read the book 8 years ago and the last chapter still haunts me. I would have done the same if I were Laurie. Prison for life at that age for a kid like Jacob would be worse than death. I would also kill myself knowing my son would probably kill again and I would not be able to live with that. I hate that they made Laurie to be the bad guy.
@@lf9341 Laurie was the true victim!!!all the pain she had,she was broken.....Andy was a victim too,he only wanted a normal life but even when he met Laurie built everyrhing in lies....i don't think he was ever in love with her,she got pregnant and that was his ticket to normality....i don't know if i can blame him for his actions,but after what got through as a kid he should have first founf his self and then have a healthy family.....
Me too! Jumped on here to see what you thought. Love your reviews and I loved this show. I give it a 94 and I’ll miss this cast a lot! Glad they changed the ending. I think it works really well
I'm so mad! They totally changed the ending. The first 7 episodes were like the book (except the father killed more than 1 person). I have to disagree, I think Andy is more of a victim. He knows in his heart Jake killed Ben. Now an innocent man is dead too. He is struggling knowing his son is a psycho and if he should come forth with the news. He also knows how Laurie would react knowing why Jacob got away with murder. Great review but I'm disappointed with the ending.
yeap,i agree,those changes ruined the last episode!!Laurie wasn't a maniac to kill herself or her son,she knew that Jacob killed Ben and Hope,Bill killed an innocent man so Jacob to get away,Laurie and Andy knew about,it was normal that Laurie got depressed,her only child was a serial killer....she was trying all along not to scream,she was trying to put all this together.....and then boom,Hope's death too.....that was the turning point.....but by not keeping book's ending they left the audience in doubt.....
Same. Having Hope be ok in the end RUINS THE WHOLE PLOT. Without that final nail in the coffin of Jacob proving he's a killer, it takes away from Lori's suffering and battle to come to grips with her son's psychotic behaviour.
@@janetDT1904 agree with you once again!!Hope's murder was the final nail for Laurie to know that Jacob was a cold blooded murderer,a serial killer....who could have bared the fact that her own child was a serial killer,that is why she became depressed,the phycologist knew it too,just remember her reactions,her face.....but with Hope alive everyone thinks that Jacob was a little nice guy and Laurie just tried to killed him,the car crash had nothing to do with the murder gene,Laurie snapped because boy next to her was a psychopath....
@@janetDT1904 I read the book 8 years ago and the last chapter still haunts me. I would have done the same if I were Laurie. Prison for life at that age for a kid like Jacob would be worse than death. I would also kill myself knowing my son would probably kill again and I would not be able to live with that.
Honestly, Jacob is still the big enigma here. We know that there's something dark lurking there, but we never really see it, do we? Does he suppress it? Is he hiding it?
I loved the show, but I do think the ending could have been better. I am glad they didn't follow the book and made that the girl in Mexico was ok. It wouldn't have worked for the show had he killed the girl. It wouldn't have made sense since there was no motive. However, I do think he should've died at the end instead of being in a coma. I wonder if they wanted to leave things open for a possible Season 2 or something. But it would've played better had he died like in the book. This way Ben's parents would have no absolution. Not enough can be said about the parents reaction in the courtroom when everything came out about Ben's bullying. On that note, they should've had Rachel testify to keep hammering that point home about Ben. Similarly it should've come up that Andy threw away the knife, further questioning Jacob's possible guilt. I think they could've gone maybe 1 or 2 episodes more to flesh some of this out. Maybe even a flashback or two to show some of the bullying. Great series though. Phenomenal acting.
I just binge watched this show, and I couldn’t agree more with your assessment. I really came away thinking if Andy had been honest with Laurie about a lot of things then she probably wouldn’t have tried to murder their son and kill herself. She just couldn’t handle the lies anymore. Andy was not honest with her even about his own doubts regarding Jacob’s guilt, so she was on the outside. She had no one to commiserate with about anything they were going through. Like you, I truly believe if Andy had been willing to express some doubt about Jacob to Laurie, she would not have been pushed to the extreme. I’m not saying Andy is at fault for Laurie‘s actions but I do believe if Andy wasn’t in such denial they would’ve been able to talk about their son and come up with some solutions together as his parents.
First: I wish I had your “smile” gene!! Second: The ending was well executed but unfortunately didn’t surprise or stun me. I’d already imagined it (except for Mexico) after picking up on the many clues, even Laurie’s genetic makeup. I’m spoiled - I need to feel totally blown away somehow by a story’s arc and most especially the Ending. This was too predictable for me and I need a Season 2.
Thank you, Ireally liked your review but I disagree about Andy. He became a good man despite his father. When he had to decide to be a good father or to be a good man I felt even more sorry for him. He was both and was forced to choose one option. And there was no good choice because he didn't know if his son was guilty or innocent. He could tell the truth but imagine that his son was innocent, he was going to send a child to jail. And the harm was already done, it was not his fault that the pedophile was killed. I believe that a marriage only works with honesty but in this case I understand that he didn't tell his wife, she was having a nervous breakdown. He didn't tell her so she wouldn't carry that burden. The fact that he told her the truth made her try to kill their son and herself and that must also weigh on his conscience. He has horrible bad luck with the people close to him and that's why his life is ruined.
I feel good about the show overall, but I felt it was kind of dumb way to reveal Leary was working for Andy's father, especially considering the impact of the revelation, I belive that it would have had made more sense if Andy had figured that out by himself (doing some detective things) after he was told by Sakina that the case was now closed (as opposed to Andy's thoughts that the case was already closed) Nice Video
I cannot disagree with you more about Andy and Laurie. Laurie is mentally or emotionally unbalanced and could not handle any truth once she found about her father in law. No mentally healthy mother would act like Laurie. She is more horrible than Andy. Andy is trying to protect his family. Laurie is ready to throw her son under the bus 5 minutes after he was accused. How can you defend her and not see that she is a latent sociopath? Her failure to properly mother Jacob may be a cause for Jacob’s emotional and social problems. Middle class Laurie could have sought out therapy instead of just obsessing about her son’s guilt or innocence. She is probably lying about not remembering she tried to commit murder-suicide. Ugh! She is the weakest link. I can’t stand her character. Bottom line, I didn’t really like the finale. Very slow and the ending was disappointing. I would have preferred a cleaner ending. But I’m not sorry I watched the series. I’m Planning to buy the audiobook because I still need to understand Jacob. Thanks for your review!
Has everybody forgotten the bowling ball event? She witnessed her child trying to brain another kid with a bowling ball, and when she confronts him, he has dead eyes. That is not normal toddler behaviour. In the scene with the psychiatrist and the parents, it is clear that Laurie has always suspected something is kind of wrong with Jacob, but Andy dismisses her concerns, as he had obviously done before ("it's typical child stuff"). So yes, their different treatment of Jacob's innocence is understandable. Laurie always knew something was amiss, Andy was so obsessed with being normal that he was blind to his child's personnality.
Exactly! Laurie knew her son had issues. Andy was the one in deep denial. Even if Jacob hadn’t killed Ben (which we all know he did), he would still need some intense therapy to address his very clear issues. I doubt Andy would entertain the idea or acknowledge the problem. It’s not normal to not be affected by seeing a dead classmate. It’s not normal to write stories about dead classmates, detailing the death. Jacob is not normal. Laurie knew that!
agree!!!they should have kept book's original ending,if they had done that the fans would have all the answers they need,the key was to Hope's murder.....that is why Laurie lost it,she knew her son was a serial killer!
@@cammie2332 in my opinion only Dockery-Laurie had the talent to perform all the emotional scenes,that is why the whole show plays on her face,what a phenomenal actress she is!!The crucial mistake was that they kept Hope alive,after Hope's murder Laurie became depressed because she knew that her son was a serial killer,that is why she crushed the car and Jacob died,she wasn't a maniac,she just couldn't bare the fact that other people suffered,they lost their children by the hand of her son,and Patz was dead because of her son....!!after Mexico,the writers ruined one of the best tv mini series......
I hate the whole intention to show how "bad" Andy is. This guy just lied about his father being in prison because he wanted to move on from this murderer and he had absolute right to do so. Ofc lying is not the answer but come on, imagine being yourself and at the same time being judged by your parent mistakes, it's very unfair. I hate that Lauri freaks out when she find out about it, like come on woman, your son is alleged killer and you want to focus on the Andy's father. Give me a break....Lauri is such a diva, who love to cover herself with meaningless drama instead of focusing on more important points. It's okay to negate Jacob's sociopath side when he was younger but it's not okay for Andy to being ashamed of having such father?
I still think Jacob could be innocent. I hope he is. Seems like a really nice kid. Also, Andy is absolutely not the most evil character on the show. But he is becoming a worse person as the show progresses, unfortunately.
I have also though that the more we investigate Jacob, the more psychotic he seems to be, but I believe, in reality, if we investigate any human, we might find (in most of the cases) some behaviour which seems bad, just compare how one behaves in front of their parents as compared to in front of their friends ...
I know! I read the book 8 years ago and the last chapter still haunts me. I would have done the same if I were Laurie. Prison for life at that age for a kid like Jacob would be worse than death. I would also kill myself knowing my son would probably kill again and I would not be able to live with that. I hate that they made Laurie to be the bad guy.
This show was just poor and started to lose me after three episodes. The characters just lost their central core and showed little character in the last two episodes. Just foolish and weak writing int he end and just trash ending.
I’m glad you touched on the murder gene coming from mom. Jacob is exactly like his mom, the whole show blinded us with Andy and his fathers story but at the end we see that Laurie has the same ticks as Jacob. She gets quiet, she shuts out her significant other (Jacob and Sarah similarity), and lastly the biggest one THEY HAVE THE SAME TWITCHES. In the scene for Laurie snaps the next day she has the same hand movements that Jacob has nervously had throughout the show
they changed the story,Hope was dead,Jacob killed her too as he killed Ben,Laurie knew that her son was a serial killer,she could't bare this burden,she knew that Ben's and Hope's parents were suffering because of her son.....so she decided to end this......
@Ruthie Bella murder gene has nothing to do with the car crush,Laurie wasn't a murderer,she just couldn't handle the fact that her son was a serial killer and that other people suffered because of him.....stop relating the murder gene with the car crush,it has nothing to do with that!!
@Katy Noah agree 100%. I read the book too and am sooo disappointed in the series ending. It was Jacob murdering ANOTHER young person that pushes Lori over the edge. Having Hope alive and well takes away the reason Lori loses her mind...stupid. I hated the change in the last episode. Awful.
@Ruthie Bella I read the book 8 years ago and the last chapter still haunts me. I would have done the same if I were Laurie. Prison for life at that age for a kid like Jacob would be worse than death. I would also kill myself knowing my son would probably kill again and I would not be able to live with that.
@@jaxalexander7162 I know! These comments are so funny. The people who actually read the book are pissed because Laurie and Andy were the victims.
I loved the scene where Jake and Andy are playing that board game the night before Laurie's incident. Andy says to Jacob, "I don't see any more moves" Then Jacob replies with, "You don't have any" It zooms in on Andys face and I feel like this made him realize that he doesn't have many moves left in real life either other than lying. Also at the end when Andy lies in Jacob's bed. This has us remember when Andy came into Ben's room and his dad was sitting in his bed just how Andy was at the end.
I just finished the episode and immediately came to your channel to watch the review! And man! This was an emotional roller coaster🎢
I always knew the mother was a liability, there were many hints from the show about this
How the title Defending Jacob was true to the end to the story. I'm happy with the ending. It's realistic. Life is frustrating and tragic. It's a cautionary tale that I think is likely less avoidable no matter what we want to tell ourselves. Simply on my top 10 this year.
Honestly I loved the show! However on the last episode this is my theory I feel the mum was beyond breaking point and she obviously crashed the car on purpose due to the fact she was so torn and distraught by thinking her son did this. But truly I think the mom didn’t think they would of both survived the crash but when she realised she and her son were still alive she had then panicked and made up a cover story to tell her husband that it was an ‘accident’ so she would not be charged for trying to murder her son. Plus it kinda makes sense why she crashed the car because she had nothing to loose as she was already at breaking point thinking her son had killed Ben. Plus she probably did mean to kill her son due to the fact jacobs photo album was in the rubbish. But yeh I think the mum thought they would of both died from the crash but her plan had backfired so she made a cover story to save her self from attempted murder. Thanks for reading this lol x
why everybody blames Andy ...he did what he did just to protect his family
EXACTLY! He fell in love with Laurie and his lies were to protect her. He truly knew Jacob was psycho but was in denial.
We don't know If Jacob did it
@@esraakamel1225 of course he did it
@Gilbert M but it was implied. If you don't want to believe it, it's ok. But i do.
His face after the trial for me gave it. But not only that, many other things. And between not knowing or doubting him and the other guy, there were more evidences that was Jacob, in my opinion.
Not even his mom believed, and clearly his father is whealling to say wathever is necessary to free his family, soo yeah, i do believe he did it.
@Gilbert M does Jacob do it in the books? cause i def think he did it
do you think that laurie really doesn't remember she crashed the car or is it that she is just lying to herself as to why the accident happened?
The series would have been better with just six episodes. I also thought the ending was goofy. I didn't buy into Laurie crashing the car because Jacob wouldn't say he killed Ben. I read the Wikipedia article on the book and felt that ending would have been far more convincing. Maybe they changed it so they could have a second season. J.K. Simmons was the best thing in the series. Too bad we didn't see more of him. Good review as usual Steve.
thanks so much
what was the different book ending?
Mizukage Yagura
In the book Jacob killed Hope and died in the car accident
That seen at the end with Laurie and Jacob in the car.... Holy fucking shit... Both of them were putting on a master class of acting. Especially the lady who plays Laurie. She puts on the best performance of the whole show imo... Would love to see her considered for an Emmy and all the other awards based on TV shows... What a fucking unexpected gem this show was. I hope they make more because it's super underrated.
The Doctor new he did it but she couldn't say . Lorey knew she knew. Love the chess line, you don't thave any moves!
When they arrive in Mexico and Laurie says “Hope, I’ve always liked that name “ is such symbolism! - She believes Jacob is innocent, that he’s made a new friend and that they can put the whole trial behind them. She feels hope for the first time in awhile, then it all comes crashing down on her again and she breaks. (Never read the book, just basing my observations on watching the series) 9.1 is a good score for the series. I’m not too familiar with biblical stories, but is there any symbolism in the story of Job from the Bible in Jacob’s fictional story of Ben’s death, or is it symbolism of episode 7 or the series as a whole?
well said!!!Laurie was broken,she knew right from the start that Jacob did it,biological pcycologist also knew it,just watch her reactions!!Hope was murdered (book's original story),Jacob did it again,he had no remorse about anything,his story was his confession and his personal trophy,Laurie after Hope's dearh was fully convinced that Jacob,her own son was a serial killer,she became depressed because she couldn't bare the fact that people died because of him....there is no relation with the murder gene,car crush was Laurie's desperate act,she wasn't a murderer,she was broken because she knew....
In the book, Jacob DOES kill Hope. Clever use of that name as Jacob kills the girl but also kills HOPE in Lori's life, too. Job in the Bible is a man who suffers terribly over a long period of time, I don't think it relates to the last episode at all. Good question though.
Janet Hill thanks for spoiling that for those of us planning to read the book lol.
JOB is the title of episode 7 (not the final episode 8). It’s also Jacob’s initials. After hearing the description of Job in the Bible, it can relate to Jacob suffering from bullying over a long period of time, Andy suffering over a long period of time, or Laurie suffering over a long period of time. It’s no coincidence that the episode has that title.
@@Discoball_Glitter wait,ok lets say that Jacob killed Ben becaise je was a bully,then why did he kill Hope??!and let's face it,Jacob was a cold blooded killer,that is why Laurie became depressed,because two people died from the hand of her son and parents were suffering because of him....and to clear something,if you want to nail down a bully make him pay with the law not by killing him....that is what a healthy human being does....i know that bullying is one of the worst forms of violence but the difference between a bully and a other people is that they are brave to stand and fight......
I read (and LOVED) the book and when in the episode, Andy says "they found her" I was so excited, thinking "Here we go...Pan over to Hope in a body bag...let's boogie" but the ending was SO DIFFERENT!!! Argghhh!!! Sooo disappointed. The book had a much better ending. This episode sucked. The other 5 were a lot better.
I know! I read the book 8 years ago and the last chapter still haunts me. I would have done the same if I were Laurie. Prison for life at that age for a kid like Jacob would be worse than death. I would also kill myself knowing my son would probably kill again and I would not be able to live with that. I hate that they made Laurie to be the bad guy.
Only sane person in this movie is father.
I can’t find a move. Bc you don’t have another move !
I really like the show but I really don't like what they're doing to the wife character. They are basically giving her the wife from Breaking Bad treatment where she's just a constant trouble and can't be trusted with any kind of revelation or new information, because she'll just freak out. Really grew to hate her by the end of this season and don't really see her being anything more than an annoyance later on.
Just jumping to conclusions about her own son, treating him like shit just because there's a chance that he did it, caring more about the feelings of others that her family's, blaming Chris Evans for his father's sins basically, not being understandable, being either disengaged or manic - I think that in real life right after the drop of charges from the son there would've been another court hearing for a divorce...
@@MrMich1lol I know! I read the book 8 years ago and the last chapter still haunts me. I would have done the same if I were Laurie. Prison for life at that age for a kid like Jacob would be worse than death. I would also kill myself knowing my son would probably kill again and I would not be able to live with that. I hate that they made Laurie to be the bad guy.
You have to read the book. They ruined the ending.
@@MrMich1lol i thought the same thing about the divorce... especially at the end of episode 7 when she just blatantly told andy that their life was all based on a lie
Mich Tai exactly. She has issues (like her son). I feel bad that Andy is stuck with those two.
Am I the only one disappointed that the Neal vs Andy story wasn't explored just a little bit more? We get the friendly drinks at the bar scene and now Neal is out for blood? Did I miss something? I wasn't expecting a long drawn out side story but some kind of "ah that's where it went left" moment.
Many stories were not explored, we don't even see the parents of Sarah for a single frame. We don't even see the Rifkins seperately, we always see them when they interact with Barbers, which just explains that the show is about the Barbers and does not care about other characters.
Yes! The lack of backstory on the Andy/Logiudice beef was very frustrating. Was it explained in the book?
@@harrymonk70 Yes. I highly suggest reading the book.
i def agree with this. wish i said what you said here.
And the cinematography of the last couple episodes were just absolutely fantastic. I had to watch it a second time to pick up on all of it. Towards the end we see Laurie and Andy much more frequently on opposite sides of the screen, the shift from the light and beauty of Mexico to all the sudden when it became shrouded in the same darkness of all the other episodes. And the acting in the final car scene was so fantastic. The detached but also inexorable determination of Laurie and the desperate pleading from Jacob were hard to watch a second time, it’s just so intense and well done. I think that scene is especially terrible if you think Jacob is innocent, which I’m on the fence about.
Initially after the Job story I was certain he did it, but after the way he acted in Mexico when he came back early from the party, I had to re-evaluate my assessment of him earlier. He didn’t do anything wrong in Mexico, but in that scene where he says “I just don’t like parties with drunk idiots and shitty music” he seemed guilty and aloof in the same way he had been through a lot of the first 7 episodes. But he hadn’t done anything wrong to Hope, meaning that’s just how Jacob acts sometimes and his dark demeanor isn’t as much of an indictment as I thought it was. That said, in episode 7 after Andy asks in the car “Did you do it?”, Jacob’s “no” was not a convincing one, so I have trouble committing myself to one side with his culpability.
Andy is a very complex character, hard really to blame him for everything. He never had a father growing up and he never had an actual family, all his lies throughout the show are to keep his family together or to protect them. He is just a dad, dads always take full responsibility over everything their families do. It is hard to really judge the character.
Laure was never not gonna attempt to kill her son because she already had it in her head that he was guilty. It shows this when she doesn’t take no for an answer
I feel like calling Andy “evil” seems wrong. While I watched this show, I could easily place myself in the shoes of the parents. I could feel what was really driving Laurie nuts but I could also see the reasoning behind Andy keeping stuff from her and other people. The last episode had me @ the end he of death throughout. I think when you try to place yourself in the situation they were in, you understand them much better and that nothing is really black and white, but all grey. Accusing Andy for it all seemed wrong. Also addressing another thing here, Jacob was nothing like Andy... he would talk little yes but all his other demeanour comes from his mum, Laurie. And the last episode was one hella ride and I for sure think that Laurie tried to kill Jacob just cause she wasn’t convinced by his answers. I could go on and on abt how good the story and casting was but no space for that ahaha
Yeah it's a little ridiculous to say Andy is the worst for his lying. Worse than most likely the real murderer and the mother who attempted to kill her son thinking he was a murderer? Bullshit. Andy shouldn't have lied for her, but that doesn't make him worse than them.
Whitney Bacon I agree, as I watched this show I pictured my parents in their shoe ahaha (however ridiculous that may sound) and sometimes myself too, and I could totally understand the moves Andy made or how Laurie would freak out abt it
Will we get a season 2?
I think that Who was disappointed probably didn't card so much about the family drama. I don't personally agree. I like it and again Maybe the slower pace was on pourpose to mirror that moment of disbilief when the trial got to that abroupt end. They wanted to build the tension slowly because we could Tell that there was something off as soon as jacob was exonereted. His smug face when the judge was speaking. Steve thanks!
Jacob confessed to killing Ben, and I thought it answered it. But you still don’t know. I need answers
He only said that to stop his mom from driving crazy
I believe when they found the girl alive that Jacob probably gave her something to make her sick but it did not kill her cause remember he said he hated it when they all got drunk an she probably stop paying him attention
@@tomimdawodu6808 he said it and when she asked him again he changed his answer and talked aboit the speed,if you have read the book you would know that Jacob killed Ben and Hope,the key was in Hope's murder,that was the turnin point when Laurie lost herself,she became depressed because she could not bare the fact that people are dead because of her son......
@@jaxalexander7162 its not the same tho so u cant use the book to answer questions
Jacob lost his best friend, his normal life, and a chance of a future. Poor Jacob
I was waiting for thisss Steve arghhhhh. This episode is just so emotional especially Laurie, it is still hanging tho like who actually killed Ben, there must be a szn 2 for this if not im gonna be pissed
I don't think there will be a season 2. They changed it so much. I hate endings that make you wonder....
Read the book, you guys. Mind blowing.
@@janetDT1904 Right! I read it 8 years ago and it still haunts me.
i think by not keeping book's ending wasn't clever!!Hope was dead and that was the last nail for Laurie to know that her son was a cold blooded killer,that is why Laurie was so damaged,because she knew that her only child was a serial killer,she was quiet all the time,she wanted to scream,all this pain.....Jacob did kill Ben as in the book he killed Hope too and that is why Laurie crashed the car,Hope's death was the turning point to everything,she couldn't bare the fact that people suffered because of her son,stop guys relating the murder gene with Laurie's act,what would you have done if you knew that your child killed two people an he was totally ok with that???!They should have kept book's original story,all answers were right there!!!And i am gonna say it once again.....Michelle Dockery is a phenomenal actress!!!!!!!!
jax alexander ok but how can you be sure if It was Jacob who killed Hope? Its not like there aren’t any bad guys out there. Besides I dont think Jacob, realizing what damage he has already done with the ben situation would murder Hope.
@@prouser7150 they went to Mexico and the girl that Jacob met was killed,okkk then Jacob was the most unlucky person in the world,he did it,he killed them both,he show no remorse about the whole situation,he was like "it's not a big deal" all the time about everything,the story he wrote it was his confession,every detail of the murder was there,right there,he seemed a little nice guy but he was a bully,Sarah stood up for him when everybody said that he was a killer and he called her a slut for a naked picture,well that doesn't mean tha he was a killer but he had no emotions about anything.....Laurie knew it right from the start,Andy had the facts but didn't want to believe this because of his past,he lost his objectivity!!Don't relate rhe murder gene with the car crush,there are two different things,Laurie was lost,she was depressed because she knew that her own son was a killer,she could not bare the fact that other parents suffered and lost their children because of Jacob....she was in great pain,she tried to put this together so hard and rhen boom,Hope's murder.....plus,just watch the biological phychologist,see her face,see her reactions,she knew Jacob did it and she knew that Laurie already knows.....!!!The show is great but they did the mistake to not keep book's ending,Hope's murder was the key to everything......
I agree, they should have stuck to the book's ending. It explains Lori's behavior so much more.
@@janetDT1904 yeap,that's what i am talking about,all the answers were in Hope's murder.....
I 10000% agree with you
I think the dad was in an impossible situation…but I found it interesting the dad is a former DA who really doesn’t believe in justice when it impacts him and his family.
I don´t get it... Did Jacob really kill Ben? What´s up with the pictures that Patz had of Ben in the beginning of the series? Is just confuse, even if Patz was "obligated" to do a confession. But Laurie, she was under to much pressure, the similarities in Mexico and the lies of Andy just make it worse. Hearthbreaking but not a disappointing, after all not everything is a happy ending. Just many questions, thanks for your review.
the writers didn't follow the book's story that is why the fans have not the answers they need,they totally ruined the last episode,the key was Hope's murder,Jacob killed Ben and Hope.....Laurie became depressed because she knew that her son was a murderer,Andy lied to her again and again and she snapped,who can blame her????Her own son killed two people and had no remorse for that,people were suffering because of him.....
@@jaxalexander7162 I know! I read the book 8 years ago and the last chapter still haunts me. I would have done the same if I were Laurie. Prison for life at that age for a kid like Jacob would be worse than death. I would also kill myself knowing my son would probably kill again and I would not be able to live with that. I hate that they made Laurie to be the bad guy.
@@lf9341 Laurie was the true victim!!!all the pain she had,she was broken.....Andy was a victim too,he only wanted a normal life but even when he met Laurie built everyrhing in lies....i don't think he was ever in love with her,she got pregnant and that was his ticket to normality....i don't know if i can blame him for his actions,but after what got through as a kid he should have first founf his self and then have a healthy family.....
thanks for your comment!
Me too! Jumped on here to see what you thought. Love your reviews and I loved this show. I give it a 94 and I’ll miss this cast a lot! Glad they changed the ending. I think it works really well
How is laurie the victim and andy the liar. Andy is the victim on woo
I'm so mad! They totally changed the ending. The first 7 episodes were like the book (except the father killed more than 1 person).
I have to disagree, I think Andy is more of a victim. He knows in his heart Jake killed Ben. Now an innocent man is dead too. He is struggling knowing his son is a psycho and if he should come forth with the news. He also knows how Laurie would react knowing why Jacob got away with murder. Great review but I'm disappointed with the ending.
yeap,i agree,those changes ruined the last episode!!Laurie wasn't a maniac to kill herself or her son,she knew that Jacob killed Ben and Hope,Bill killed an innocent man so Jacob to get away,Laurie and Andy knew about,it was normal that Laurie got depressed,her only child was a serial killer....she was trying all along not to scream,she was trying to put all this together.....and then boom,Hope's death too.....that was the turning point.....but by not keeping book's ending they left the audience in doubt.....
Same. Having Hope be ok in the end RUINS THE WHOLE PLOT. Without that final nail in the coffin of Jacob proving he's a killer, it takes away from Lori's suffering and battle to come to grips with her son's psychotic behaviour.
@@janetDT1904 agree with you once again!!Hope's murder was the final nail for Laurie to know that Jacob was a cold blooded murderer,a serial killer....who could have bared the fact that her own child was a serial killer,that is why she became depressed,the phycologist knew it too,just remember her reactions,her face.....but with Hope alive everyone thinks that Jacob was a little nice guy and Laurie just tried to killed him,the car crash had nothing to do with the murder gene,Laurie snapped because boy next to her was a psychopath....
@@janetDT1904 I read the book 8 years ago and the last chapter still haunts me. I would have done the same if I were Laurie. Prison for life at that age for a kid like Jacob would be worse than death. I would also kill myself knowing my son would probably kill again and I would not be able to live with that.
thanks for sweet words and great comment
Honestly, Jacob is still the big enigma here. We know that there's something dark lurking there, but we never really see it, do we? Does he suppress it? Is he hiding it?
I loved the show, but I do think the ending could have been better. I am glad they didn't follow the book and made that the girl in Mexico was ok. It wouldn't have worked for the show had he killed the girl. It wouldn't have made sense since there was no motive. However, I do think he should've died at the end instead of being in a coma. I wonder if they wanted to leave things open for a possible Season 2 or something. But it would've played better had he died like in the book. This way Ben's parents would have no absolution. Not enough can be said about the parents reaction in the courtroom when everything came out about Ben's bullying. On that note, they should've had Rachel testify to keep hammering that point home about Ben. Similarly it should've come up that Andy threw away the knife, further questioning Jacob's possible guilt. I think they could've gone maybe 1 or 2 episodes more to flesh some of this out. Maybe even a flashback or two to show some of the bullying. Great series though. Phenomenal acting.
I just binge watched this show, and I couldn’t agree more with your assessment. I really came away thinking if Andy had been honest with Laurie about a lot of things then she probably wouldn’t have tried to murder their son and kill herself. She just couldn’t handle the lies anymore. Andy was not honest with her even about his own doubts regarding Jacob’s guilt, so she was on the outside. She had no one to commiserate with about anything they were going through. Like you, I truly believe if Andy had been willing to express some doubt about Jacob to Laurie, she would not have been pushed to the extreme. I’m not saying Andy is at fault for Laurie‘s actions but I do believe if Andy wasn’t in such denial they would’ve been able to talk about their son and come up with some solutions together as his parents.
First: I wish I had your “smile” gene!! Second: The ending was well executed but unfortunately didn’t surprise or stun me. I’d already imagined it (except for Mexico) after picking up on the many clues, even Laurie’s genetic makeup. I’m spoiled - I need to feel totally blown away somehow by a story’s arc and most especially the Ending. This was too predictable for me and I need a Season 2.
Thank you, Ireally liked your review but I disagree about Andy.
He became a good man despite his father. When he had to decide to be a good father or to be a good man I felt even more sorry for him. He was both and was forced to choose one option. And there was no good choice because he didn't know if his son was guilty or innocent. He could tell the truth but imagine that his son was innocent, he was going to send a child to jail. And the harm was already done, it was not his fault that the pedophile was killed.
I believe that a marriage only works with honesty but in this case I understand that he didn't tell his wife, she was having a nervous breakdown. He didn't tell her so she wouldn't carry that burden. The fact that he told her the truth made her try to kill their son and herself and that must also weigh on his conscience.
He has horrible bad luck with the people close to him and that's why his life is ruined.
thank you Steve! great review!
I feel good about the show overall, but I felt it was kind of dumb way to reveal Leary was working for Andy's father, especially considering the impact of the revelation, I belive that it would have had made more sense if Andy had figured that out by himself (doing some detective things) after he was told by Sakina that the case was now closed (as opposed to Andy's thoughts that the case was already closed)
Nice Video
Love the content, Steve! I'm glad Chrissy shared your channel with me.
hey man, so happy you watched!
awesome you do a channel as well! i will sub!
@@SteveVarleyShow Me too, man! Keep up the awesome work!
@@SteveVarleyShow Much appreciated, bud! Hope we can all get together again, after quarantine is over.
I cannot disagree with you more about Andy and Laurie. Laurie is mentally or emotionally unbalanced and could not handle any truth once she found about her father in law. No mentally healthy mother would act like Laurie. She is more horrible than Andy. Andy is trying to protect his family. Laurie is ready to throw her son under the bus 5 minutes after he was accused. How can you defend her and not see that she is a latent sociopath? Her failure to properly mother Jacob may be a cause for Jacob’s emotional and social problems. Middle class Laurie could have sought out therapy instead of just obsessing about her son’s guilt or innocence. She is probably lying about not remembering she tried to commit murder-suicide. Ugh! She is the weakest link. I can’t stand her character.
Bottom line, I didn’t really like the finale. Very slow and the ending was disappointing. I would have preferred a cleaner ending. But I’m not sorry I watched the series. I’m
Planning to buy the audiobook because I still need to understand Jacob. Thanks for your review!
Has everybody forgotten the bowling ball event? She witnessed her child trying to brain another kid with a bowling ball, and when she confronts him, he has dead eyes. That is not normal toddler behaviour. In the scene with the psychiatrist and the parents, it is clear that Laurie has always suspected something is kind of wrong with Jacob, but Andy dismisses her concerns, as he had obviously done before ("it's typical child stuff"). So yes, their different treatment of Jacob's innocence is understandable. Laurie always knew something was amiss, Andy was so obsessed with being normal that he was blind to his child's personnality.
Exactly! Laurie knew her son had issues. Andy was the one in deep denial. Even if Jacob hadn’t killed Ben (which we all know he did), he would still need some intense therapy to address his very clear issues. I doubt Andy would entertain the idea or acknowledge the problem. It’s not normal to not be affected by seeing a dead classmate. It’s not normal to write stories about dead classmates, detailing the death. Jacob is not normal. Laurie knew that!
Do tell me there's no season 2
theres no season 2
What is defending Jacob on? That actor was in the con artist show? Right?
He also played in the lodge on Apple TV it’s a creepy show too
I was so disappointed of the episode. They did a bad job.
agree!!!they should have kept book's original ending,if they had done that the fans would have all the answers they need,the key was to Hope's murder.....that is why Laurie lost it,she knew her son was a serial killer!
@@jaxalexander7162 i was mostly disappointed by the fact that they didn't show all the amotional scenes i wanted to see..
@@cammie2332 in my opinion only Dockery-Laurie had the talent to perform all the emotional scenes,that is why the whole show plays on her face,what a phenomenal actress she is!!The crucial mistake was that they kept Hope alive,after Hope's murder Laurie became depressed because she knew that her son was a serial killer,that is why she crushed the car and Jacob died,she wasn't a maniac,she just couldn't bare the fact that other people suffered,they lost their children by the hand of her son,and Patz was dead because of her son....!!after Mexico,the writers ruined one of the best tv mini series......
WE NEED SEASON 2 !!!!!!!!!!!!
I hate the whole intention to show how "bad" Andy is. This guy just lied about his father being in prison because he wanted to move on from this murderer and he had absolute right to do so. Ofc lying is not the answer but come on, imagine being yourself and at the same time being judged by your parent mistakes, it's very unfair. I hate that Lauri freaks out when she find out about it, like come on woman, your son is alleged killer and you want to focus on the Andy's father. Give me a break....Lauri is such a diva, who love to cover herself with meaningless drama instead of focusing on more important points. It's okay to negate Jacob's sociopath side when he was younger but it's not okay for Andy to being ashamed of having such father?
I have SO many ideas for season 2, starting with...
Billy getting released from jail
Lol season 2!!! Lol that was it
Great análisis. Suscribed
thank you means a lot
Your the best!
I still think Jacob could be innocent. I hope he is. Seems like a really nice kid. Also, Andy is absolutely not the most evil character on the show. But he is becoming a worse person as the show progresses, unfortunately.
I have also though that the more we investigate Jacob, the more psychotic he seems to be, but I believe, in reality, if we investigate any human, we might find (in most of the cases) some behaviour which seems bad, just compare how one behaves in front of their parents as compared to in front of their friends ...
I know! I read the book 8 years ago and the last chapter still haunts me. I would have done the same if I were Laurie. Prison for life at that age for a kid like Jacob would be worse than death. I would also kill myself knowing my son would probably kill again and I would not be able to live with that. I hate that they made Laurie to be the bad guy.
Your content is really good. Really appreciate it. P.S. Your smile resembles that of Daniel Radcliffe :)
why thank you!
Just finished here I am. :)
I disagree that Andy's the most dishonest. I also disagree that the current prosecutor is the most honest. Wrong again....
Nah Andy lied more than anyone in this show.
This show was just poor and started to lose me after three episodes. The characters just lost their central core and showed little character in the last two episodes. Just foolish and weak writing int he end and just trash ending.