As the curtain rises on the inaugural episode of I, Jake Wright, Sally (portrayed by Nikki Amuka-Bird) sits, contemplating with a mixture of surprise and realization that her perception of Jake was grossly misplaced. Elsewhere, John Wright (Daniel Rigby), the younger son from Jack's first marriage, laments that while the police have drawn their conclusions, his family harbors different beliefs. His elder brother, Gray Wright (John Simm), shares a starker view—he knew what he did, and in his mind, the deceased had it coming. Emily Wright (Ruby Ashbourne Serkis), the lone grandchild, reflects poignantly on the solace of a loving family.
Flashing back two years, Jack Wright (Trevor Eve), in a phone conversation with Sally, expresses frustration over someone's laziness, suggesting a firm wake-up call was in order. They share dreams for the next day and end their call with heartfelt declarations of love. Jack steps outdoors, transitioning into another building, only for a gunshot to shatter the tranquility moments later. DC Kat Jones (Liz Kingsman) and DCI Hector Morgan (Harry Lloyd) swiftly arrive to investigate Jack's untimely demise, discussing with the cook who discovered the body, a woman who rises at dawn to prepare his breakfast, while Jack began his day an hour later. The housekeeper finds the notion of suicide unfathomable.
At the clinic, Rose Wright (Gemma Jones) asks Bobby Botham (James Fleet) to accompany her, just as Sally phones to break the devastating news of Jack's passing. At JK Wright, John, immersed in work, receives a call about Jack and is overcome with emotion. Gray gets the call shortly after, finding solace in Bella Horrell's (Sabrina Bartlett) presence. Meanwhile, Kyle (Callum Adams) informs Emily that her phone is ringing incessantly. DCI Morgan coordinates forensic efforts at the residence, while Dr. Liz Harrington (Yuna Shin) delivers heart-wrenching news to Rose—her condition is beyond surgical repair. Yet, Rose's mind is preoccupied with Jack's suspected suicide. She steps out to call Sally, who is at a loss to comprehend the tragedy. Determined, Sally heads to the school.
John confides in Annie Rouse (Niamh Cusack), sharing that they had recently envisioned their futures together. Annie, inconsolable, grapples with the loss. Derek Coates (Tim Faraday) is questioned about Jack's left-handedness and confirms the gun belonged to Jack, who was no stranger to firearms. Derek doubts it was an accident. Sally attempts to navigate a complex situation with Paul over the phone before entering the school, where she breaks the news to Daisy (Eden Hollingsworth) and Josh Wright (Samuel Small). Josh, struggling to believe his father's love, voices bitterness, asserting that if Jack had cared, he wouldn't have ended his life. DCI Morgan interrogates Mary Robbins (Victoria Broom) about gun cabinet access, revealing Jack and Derek had the keys. Mary, a village resident present during the incident, provides her account.
Elsewhere, Kyle and Emily converse about the funeral arrangements and the investors' impending meeting with Emily, for which she has been preparing meticulously for two years. Rose and Sally converge, grappling with the practicality of choosing attire for Jack's final send-off. Gray adds a poignant note, revealing that Jack never listened to a single one of his compositions.
Bella inquiries about the last encounter she had with her father, her voice tinged with curiosity. Gray, contemplating the imminent shift in dynamics since his dad's departure, harbors the belief that as the eldest, he will now be his father's focal point. He dreams of rejuvenating Bella's career by bringing her back into the studio and devising a robust marketing strategy for her. Just as his thoughts take flight, Ruby (portrayed by Scarlett Courtney) bursts in, announcing that Eddie Elliot (played by Mark Frost) is on the line. Gray, realizing he has a prior engagement with Eddie, dashes out in a hurry. Bella swiftly makes a call, informing someone of a sudden change in plans.
Elsewhere, Sally encounters Ben Hargreaves (Nick Harris) and inquires about the probable duration of probate. Ben gently reminds her that he is not Jack's legal advisor, revealing that Jack had drafted a new will through another attorney. Determined to uncover details of the new will, Sally attempts to reach Laura Johnstone (Rakhee Thakrar). Meanwhile, Eddie confronts Gray with a punch, demanding 50,000 pounds by the upcoming Friday for money owed.
In a separate scene, John finds himself retching in the bathroom, desperately pleading with his father for assistance. Later, he attends a meeting where attendees express their condolences. The discussion turns to electing an acting chief executive, with John emerging victorious after a vote. Laura confides in Sally about the new will, confessing she had suspected Jack hadn't shared it with her and expressing ignorance about the reasons behind his secrecy. She reveals plans for a will reading scheduled the day following Jack's funeral, emphasizing that the attendees list is a surprise kept by Jack.
Emily pays a visit to Rose, while DCI Morgan grills Sally about Jack's mental wellbeing, to which she responds with disbelief that he would have harmed himself intentionally. The detective inquiries about Jack's last call, timed around 9:30 PM, and their Paris property, where Sally was at the time. He prompts Sally to consider anyone who might have wished Jack harm, emphasizing the need to explore all avenues.
John discusses the funeral arrangements with Georgia Wright (Zoe Tapper), who expresses relief that Gray won't be officiating, positioning John prominently at the forefront. Georgia underscores John's newfound status as the family patriarch, urging him to let his past mistakes fade into the background. John mentions legal matters with solicitors, but Georgia dismisses it as a personal affair best left unmentioned.
As Sally and her children make their way to the funeral, Rose assures Emily that her father genuinely desires reconciliation. The priest (Sam Parks) initiates the solemn ceremony, amidst which Gray indulges in drugs in the restroom. During the post-funeral gathering, Emily engages Georgia in conversation about her nascent social media venture, while nearby, John reflects on his father's demanding yet fair work ethic with Bella. Gray approaches Bobby, inquisitively probing about his relationship with his mother, hinting at wedding bells, to which Bobby remains tight-lipped, describing them as mere companions.
Bella shares with Sally that Gray believes he and his father were too alike. In another corner, Gray confronts Emily for withholding her new address. Sally tries in vain to curb Josh's excessive drinking, only for Emily to greet him shortly after. John muses aloud about his father's potential return if he falters in his new role, to which Sally gently urges it's time to depart. John exits, accompanied by Georgia.
DCI Morgan enjoys a heartwarming outing with his children, Ellie (played by Raye Cooper) and Marol (portrayed by Edward Shaw). Meanwhile, Andy Dawson (acted by Raye Emmet Brown) reaches out to Morgan, informing him that he has just concluded the postmortem examination of Jack Wright. Upon hearing this, Hector agrees to join them. Emily, engaged in a phone conversation with Kyle, receives an interruptive call from Reuben Maguire (brought to life by Percelle Ascott), who wishes her well and expresses hope that he has kept his word. Emily then retreats to focus on her reading.
Laura informs the gathered crowd that Jack had signed the letter of wishes approximately a month prior, outlining his beliefs about what was right and fair. According to Jack's wishes, the remainder of his estate will be donated to three charities. Derek Coates and Annie will receive one million pounds each, while Rose will get half a million. Jack's eldest daughter, whose whereabouts are still being traced, is destined to inherit two million pounds. Emily, on the other hand, stands to gain fifteen million pounds and a stake in Jack's company, with the wish that she be appointed as the Chief Executive of JK Wright Limited. Daisy will receive ten million pounds, held in trust until she turns 30. John and Gray will each get ten thousand pounds, and Sally will enjoy a rent-free tenancy of Jack's properties for five years, with the profits upon sale being donated to charity.
Graham voices his dissatisfaction with his father's decisions in an interview, insisting that this isn't the genuine will and refusing to accept it. Georgia laments the fact that her twenty-five years of loyalty have amounted to nothing and asserts to Emily that the shares rightfully belong to them. Emily finds the entire situation grim and expresses her ignorance of Jack's intentions to John. Sally declares, with a hint of suspicion, that Jack's death was not an accident and predicts that they will soon be asked to return the money. Andy Dawson informs DCI Morgan that the gunshot residue swab results are negative; he conducted swabs on Jack's hands, arms, torso, and head, finding no residue anywhere. Andy finds it unfathomable how Jack could have fired the gun himself. In a surprising revelation, Sally admits that she is currently incarcerated.
