Accused: Season 1/ Episode 11 “Jiro’s Story” – A bright spot in a season that has steadily lost its spark

Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers. Additionally, some images and text may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission or receive products if you make a purchase.

The latest episode of “Accused” is a return to form as its story feels less formulaic and has the potential to get you emotional.

Recap

This content contains pertinent spoilers.

The Family Setup – Jiro, Osamu, Sunny, Sarah, Layla

With the death of their mother, Osamu only had his brother, Jiro, and his family. Jiro’s wife, Sarah, oldest daughter, the moody teen Layla, and the affectionate and attentive Sunny. Unfortunately, due to work and two kids, neither Sarah nor Jiro seemed willing or able to take care of Osamu, who has limited communication skills after an accident when he was 9. But, with his mother’s advisement, they found a nice home for Osamu when she was alive, or so they thought.

Problems at Work – Ashley, Jiro, Videla

Alongside worrying about his brother, Jiro has to worry about the star soccer player on his team, who is foreign and not politically correct. The frustration of having to do damage control with him and Jiro’s personal life has his boss Ashley worried. Especially after an incident that leaves Videla embarrassed and, to show his influence, Ashley finds herself having to put Jiro on leave, and in the sensitivity training Videla refuses to go to.

Too Much At Once, But Somebody Has To Do It – Jiro, Leon, Osamu, Sarah, Sunny, Layla, Ashley, Videla, Kyle

Originally, it was assumed when it came to why Osamu had bruises and kept referencing a “Bad Man,” it was Kyle. He is known for being territorial, gives Jiro bad vibes, so he coerces Sarah to look him up, using her access to confidential legal documents, and she finds he has a history of assault. So, with him eventually being gone, after he is caught stealing Osamu’s tablet, Jiro thought he had peace, and was ready to apologize to Videla and get back to working with Ashley.

But then we learn Leon, one of the caretakers, is the “Bad Man,” and with Jiro roughing him up, Jiro gets in trouble, leading to his trial. That and technically kidnapping his brother from the facility, and also Jiro nearly drowning. But, he is on trial for hurting Leon, and what happened to Osamu after being taken from the facility is used to have the jury question Jiro’s character.

However, as Jiro maintains a not guilty plea, for he can’t get custody of his brother otherwise, he wins over the jury and ultimately gets his brother. Leading to Sarah, Sunny, even Layla, joyous about having Osamu in their home, and the girls enjoying playing with him in the pool.

Review

Highlights

Emotional Story That Felt Like A Palette Cleanser

While there is still a feeling that things were rushed, there was far more heart here than what has recently been delivered. It didn’t feel like a story about an Asian family or one with someone who is differently abled. It wasn’t aiming toward a hot-button issue and just wanted to hone in on the relationships.

Because of that, there was an ability to feel something, get invested, and even cry when Jiro pleaded with the jury. Feelings like that, I don’t think have been conjured up beyond, maybe, the episode featuring Ava – which was the second episode of the season.

[ninja_tables id=”73226″]