Reasonable Doubt: Season 3 Episode 1 – Recap and Review

Reasonable Doubt does what few shows can in return from break without stumbling.

ByAmari Allah Hours Posted on
Jax having lunch with Bill - Reasonable Doubt Season 3 Episode 1

Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.

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Episode 1 “Feeling’ It” Details

Episode 1 “Feeling’ It” Storylines/ Recap

Ongoing Lawsuit: Jax, Toni, Lewis

It has been almost a year since Toni filed her lawsuit, and it hasn’t really gotten anywhere. Jax’s need to win has dragged this out, involved her going through three attorneys, and has only caused Toni to raise the wall to get her to drop this. By the time the episode ends, she presents the offer of 1.5 million, with the removal of the non-disparagement and confidentiality clause, or getting to have a night with Lewis.

As for a night with Lewis doing what? That it isn’t clear, since he had that conversation with her off-screen, but who knows if Toni would honor such an agreement, never mind Jax agreeing to it.

Ambitious, But Is He Trustworthy?: Jax, Bill

Bill (Joseph Sikora) having lunch with Jax - Reasonable Doubt Season 3 Episode 1
Bill (Joseph Sikora) – Reasonable Doubt Season 3 Episode 1 – Hulu

At work, Jax isn’t the hotshot she usually is. She is a criminal defense attorney, and with most clients copping plea deals, she isn’t getting billable hours from being at trial, and to be frank, she is also getting bored. Bill (Joseph Sikora), on the other hand, who wants to become an equity partner, is bringing in notable money. However, with only 6 years at the firm, Jax blocks him from becoming an equity partner, so he tries to meet with her and gain her trust.

Which he does, to a point, hence her inviting him to help with this season’s case.

The Case Of The Season: Jax, Wendy, Ozzie

Wendy (Rumer Willis) and Ozzie (Kyle Bary) arriving to a party together - Reasonable Doubt Season 3 Episode 1
Wendy (Rumer Willis) and Ozzie (Kyle Bary) – Reasonable Doubt Season 3 Episode 1 – Hulu

Ozzie Edwards (Kyle Bary) rose to fame playing Caleb Kensington on My Cousins and Them, for which he won multiple Emmy awards. Now 24, there is an effort made by his team (his parents and agent) to have him transition to more serious roles, even romantic ones, but a problem his parents see is that he is very much in love with his White stylist, Wendy (Rumer Willis). She is older, by no means passing for any ethnicity other than White, and Ozzie is at odds with his family and team regarding her.

But when he does choose her over his family, a fight ensues when she doesn’t seem to appreciate the weight of his decision. Next thing we know, she is missing, her personal items found near a freeway, and Jax is called in to be his defense, thus leading her to get not only those billable hours, but also the challenge she so desperately needs.

Other Noteworthy Information

  • Corey is still around and was one of the first people Ozzie called regarding his case, but Jax ends up getting the case, and later invites Bill to join
  • Ozzie’s team is his mom, Rosie (April Parker Jones), dad, Sal (Keith Arthur Bolden), and agent Monica Wilson (Brandee Evans).
  • Dr. Brandy and Corey are still together
  • Lewis has hired a new Black person, a coder who knows C++ and Python named Sam (Martin Jakes Jr.), whom he hopes to make friends with

Review and Commentary

Highlights

Bill Being A Wild Card [82/100]

While Corey is some form of an ally and cool with Jax, at her firm, it continues to appear that only her subordinates have her back. As for her fellow lawyers? She is given respect due to her name being on the building, but actually liking her is a whole other thing, and you could submit that many would stab her in the back if they could get away with it.

So with Bill being ambitious, there is a need to ask, especially with the conversation he had prior to talking to Jax, is he friend or foe? He did take her out to lunch, showed he had a Black wife, and made it seem he isn’t trying to hide his endgame, but does that make him trustworthy? Never mind, if he is poised to sabotage Jax, how could he and would it only be because she blocked him from becoming an equity partner, or would he be a pawn in a much bigger game?

Ozzie’s Case [83/100]

Ozzie Edwards (Kyle Bary) talking to his mom - Reasonable Doubt Season 3 Episode 1
Ozzie Edwards (Kyle Bary) – Reasonable Doubt Season 3 Episode 1 – Hulu

The best thing about Ozzie’s case is that he does live up to the title of the show, since there is reasonable doubt. The ones in the past, there were reasons to believe they did it, but with Ozzie, there is this desire to hope he is innocent, which helps immensely. Plus, add in his parents being on his payroll, his agent being a recognizable actress, and you’ve got a lot of people who could have done something.

Now, the episode does end with him showing scratch marks on his chest, but who knows if that was from Wendy, never mind if he killed her after their fight.

Probably The Best Season Opener In A While [85/100]

When it comes to most shows we watch, there is this feeling that things have to pick up once a new season starts, and honestly, it can be a bit rough. Reasonable Doubt doesn’t give that feeling. Yes, for it feels formulaic by starting with a mystery and then jumping back in time? Yes. But, things pick up quickly enough, it doesn’t overwhelm us with new faces, and quickly establishes what is the case of the season, and makes it compelling.

Ultimately, presenting the idea that those behind the show know what works, and while they are still looking to do things better to hold onto its audience, they also know them well enough to start things off on the right foot.

On The Fence

The Toni Drama [74/100]

I think the issue for us regarding Toni is that, when it comes to Jax’s personal life, we want better storylines. Heck, the storylines that don’t deal with her job in general. We partly see that through the focus on Lewis and him hiring a new programmer, and there is the need to question what’s going on with all of Jax’s friends after the events of the last season.

So one can only hope this Toni drama gets swept under the rug and the show promptly moves on thereafter.

Overall

Our Overall Rating [81/100]

Reasonable Doubt reminds viewers why it is one of Hulu’s rare Black shows to survive beyond 1 season. Whether it is the intrigue in the season’s case, the question of whether new character Bill is friend or foe, or just the type of confidence that feels like it knows what works, but also being humble enough to know it still has to work to keep fans’ attention, it provides everything you could want.

Well, outside of moving on from the Toni storyline.

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Amari is the founder and head writer of Wherever-I-Look.com and has been reviewing media since 2010. He approaches each production with hope, rooting for every story to succeed, and believes criticism should come from unmet potential, while praise is reserved for work that meets or exceeds expectations.