Accused Season 1 Episode 11 Review: Jiro's Story
Brandi Powell
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Jiro Tamura is an ideal protagonist. He loves his family, is hardworking, and keeps his Japanese culture alive for his children.
After his mother's death, he dutifully cares for his brother, Sam, who suffers from a traumatic brain injury. He even helps embattled athletes sound and appear politically correct.
Accused Season 1, Episode 11 made you love Jiro Tamura. He is a definitively sympathetic character.
There were moments when his paranoia did take desperate turns, but it was all forgivable, if a little illegal.
Ian Anthony Dale's performance was moving. Jiro's survivor remorse headlined this episode.
He felt guilty for surviving the accident that diminished his brother's mental capacity, which showed in every scene.
One can only imagine the guilt of living such a perfect life while your mother and brother are relegated to caregiver and patient.
Jiro: You know, once I left for college, I never looked back. I left her to do everything for Osam. She never went on vacation. She never even took a day off.
Sarah: It made her happy. She wanted you to live your life.
Jiro: Or maybe she wanted to spare me the guilt.
He laments that it could have been him, and his shame for his success is overwhelming.
Did he always feel this way, or did his mother's death change his feelings? Was his peace destroyed when his okaasan died?
The real victim in the episode was Sam, who was abused, restrained, bullied, and beaten. He also lost his mother as well. And she was so much more to him than just a mother.
She was his nurse, his cook, his caretaker, and most likely his best friend. Because of his language difficulties, she was also probably his interpreter.
His character lost so much due to the accident. Sam was the older brother and could have had a family and a career.
There is an element of grief in that realization as well. We don't know the extent of Sam's mental capacity.
We can't identify how much he understands or feels, but the fear on his face is evident. Takashi Yamaguchi, with very few words, gave a stellar performance.
We felt Sam's grief, fear, and desperation. And that made Jiro's paranoia justifiable to the viewing audience.
The group home worker's disdain for Sam's broken English was apparent. From the beginning, he seemed disgusted by Sam and unconcerned with Jiro's concerns.
What if he is dangerous? What if they are hiding something? I made a promise to my mother that Sam would be okay after she is gone. He is not okay, Sarah.
The character Kip was a threat, but something about him showed his mental status was altered. Jiro's aggressive behavior with him was the first alarming sign that Jiro's emotions were spiraling.
Jiro's paranoia was warranted but to the wrong person. The episode featured much of the misdirection Accused utilizes to keep the audience guessing about the charges.
The first guess is always murder, but when he assaulted Leon, the guess changed to assault. The misdirection continued when Sam fell into the pool.
I was angry. Yes, of course I was. But not paranoid. I’d seen the bruises, okay? I saw the look in my brother’s eyes. I knew, in my gut, that someone was hurting him. And no one seemed to care.
At this point, I believed Jiro was being held liable for his brother's injury or death. Fortunately, they didn't make us wait too long to see that Sam was safe and alive.
Jiro was grieving, which can make us do things we wouldn't ordinarily do. Were they reasonable tasks? No.
Jiro was wrong for asking his wife to look in the District Attorney database. That was illegal and could have ended her career.
He could have quickly taken his brother to another facility if he had doubts or concerns.
Instead, we see how grief can make you obsess and fixate on things but overlook what is most important.
When Jiro prepared the Bento box for his brother, his wife offered to take it with the girls. His need for control in this situation wouldn't let him relinquish this task, but it possibly saved his brother's life.
Was he justified in his attack on Leon? He felt his brother's life was in jeopardy. When Sam called out "Bad Guy," there was a moment of realization that Leon was the abuser, and Jiro reacted in what could be a natural manner.
The fight felt strange, deeply emotional, and feral. Every lash felt like penance for not protecting his brother.
Leon bore the weight of Jiro's guilt. And at this moment, Jiro finally overcame it.
Jiro: Words matter. When you make a promise, people expect you to keep it.
Vidal: Don’t talk to me like a child. I don’t have brain damage.
He forgot about his job while he rescued his brother. His boss was singularly focused and did not have time for his family drama.
His family was also struggling, but we don't see his attempts to help them heal. Specifically, his oldest daughter, Layla, was struggling. Her sarcasm and disdain for everything could have been indicative of her grief.
His wife, Sarah, was willing to put her job and career aside for his fears. Ultimately, she gave in too quickly; her actions were not wise or beneficial to locating the perpetrator.
I’ve made mistakes and for those,I’m sorry. But I can’t plead guilty if it means they won’t let me bring my brother home. I’m begging you, please, let me do it right this time.
Emotionally, Jiro was all over the place. His desperation manifested into a breach of trust by hacking into the District Attorney's confidential database. That, for me, was the worst thing he did.
As always with this series, Jiro needed counseling. There was something about his actions and his thought pattern that signified how alone he felt. Again, he alone could solve the issues of his world.
Jiro's issues leaked into his workplace. His client was a jerk, but as couth and calm as Jiro usually was, he lost his cool with Videla.
I appreciated not having to sit for the verdict. The happy ending was such a relief, and it was beautiful to see Sam with his family, safe and happy.
Attorney: You have been repeatedly offered a plea bargain in this case. One that would allow you to avoid prison time altogether.
Jiro: Yes, you’ve advised me to accept it.
Attorney: Why won’t you?
Jiro: Because accepting the plea would disqualify me from applying to become my brother’s legal guardian, which is what I should have done after our mother died. And for that, I’m truly sorry.
The episode was not as polarizing as the rest of the series, but it was a necessary conversation nonetheless. The show brings attention to issues that affect our culture, and this episode did just that.
Do you fault the administrator for the abuse and mistreatment of Sam? Could she have believed Jiro sooner or investigated his allegations?
Was Jiro overcompensating for years of neglect? Or do you think he truly loved his brother, and his actions were reasonable?
Drop your thoughts in the comments!
Brandi Powell was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in April 2023. Follow her on Twitter.
