Reasonable Doubt: Season 3 Episode 5 – Recap and Review

As the first witnesses are called in Ozzie’s case, Jax and Lewis focus on their relationship with Eddie, and Sally tries to see if her marriage is worth saving one last time.

ByAmari Allah Hours Posted on
Jax getting ready for court - Reasonable Doubt Season 3 Episode 5

Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.

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Episode 5 “Threat” Details

Episode 5 “Threat” Storylines/ Recap

Fraternizing With The Enemy: Mama Lu, Jax, Eddie, Daniel, Lewis, Kristin, Alex

As things between Daniel and Kristin heat up and even turn sexual, there comes the issue of what Kristin is hiding? Alex, for example, is seemingly more than just Ozzie’s dealer, but potentially a major issue for the Edwards family, which may include extortion.

Mama Lu checking Jax - Reasonable Doubt Season 3 Episode 5
Mama Lu – Reasonable Doubt Season 3 Episode 5 – Hulu

However, for Jax, she doesn’t get to know the extent of Alex being an issue, as her focus is on her personal life. To get closer or gain a better understanding of Ozzie, she recognizes she has to understand her father, so while Lewis is working with Daniel to investigate Eddie, Jax is trying to navigate how to heal their relationship. Never mind, as Mama Lu calls her out on, figure a way to move forward, despite her need to double down on what wasn’t done right in the past.

You Gotta Move On: Monica, Jax, Ozzie, Sally, Chris, Shanelle

With surmising from Ozzie that Monica is the predator who has been messing with him since he was 13, she confronts her and tries to get her out of Ozzie’s life, but she refuses – and doesn’t deny what she did either. Leaving Jax in this odd place where Ozzie doesn’t want her exposed, yet knowing it would help in court.

But, as Jax is handling that, she also reconciles with Sally about her marriage, which, after Jax’s comments, and Shanelle trying to get Chris to either defecate or get off the pot, Sally ultimately makes a decision. While a part of her still loves Chris, and would like to remain married, she is sick of him being wishy-washy about the idea, one foot in and one out, and she serves him divorce papers.

Perjury Or The Truth: Alex, Ozzie, Chad, Mike, Jax, Nisha, Anel, John, Monica

Ozzie’s trial is as dramatic as past cases on Reasonable Doubt, but Chad, like so many, seems ill-prepared for Jax. Chad brings to the stand Nisha, Wendy’s assistant; Anel, Ozzie’s ex; and John, his neighbor; and Jax decimates them with ease. Nisha, within three days of Wendy’s disappearance, claimed Wendy’s business makes her look suspect. Anel having a restraining order put on her by Ozzie lessens her credibility, and John? Well, he just provides the aforementioned tape of Ozzie yelling at Wendy and notes he didn’t think much of it originally.

These losses get to Chad to the point of hoping Mike could give advice, and when Chad gets Alex, Ozzie’s former co-star, current dealer, to go onto the stand, he thinks he has a star witness. Why? Because Alex claims he was there when Wendy was murdered, and he took Ozzie to see her at the cabin.

Alex on the witness stand - Reasonable Doubt Season 3 Episode 5
Alex – Reasonable Doubt Season 3 Episode 5 – Hulu

Now, let it be clear, Ozzie apparently was in and out of consciousness when he was high, and while Wendy wasn’t shot in the head or anywhere which would need precise aim, it is presented that Ozzie was nowhere near and certainly not conscious enough to even find and shoot a gun. So, considering the immunity for drug charges Alex would have gotten, Jax uses that to discredit him and throw Chad into a frenzy when he leaves the courtroom and gets back to his office.

Leaving us with seeing Monica burning a shirt with blood on it, pushing further Jax’s idea that Monica may have killed Wendy – or at least was involved in some capacity.

Review and Commentary

Highlights

Mama Lu Pushing Back On Jax Blaming Her For Everything [82/100]

While we do appreciate Jax calling out Mama Lu for discussing her business, but leaving out what she did wrong as a mother, I also like that the older characters aren’t willing to be punching bags. Mama Lu pushing back may not have been as epic as when Eddie did with Lewis, but it was certainly entertaining.

On The Fence

Chad Fumbling As Hard As He Is [72/100]

Chad realizing he is being played - Reasonable Doubt Season 3 Episode 5
Chad – Reasonable Doubt Season 3 Episode 5 – Hulu

Compared to Mike and Lucy, Chad isn’t much of a threat and certainly doesn’t have much beyond the look, regarding being a prosecutor. Bill played his ambition to get him to come to heel and Jax? She is whooping his ass in the courtroom.

Though, in Chad’s defense, he doesn’t have the same history Mike did with Jax, and Lucy was built up as an individual, with her own storyline, something to lose, while Chad doesn’t have that. As of this episode, we know he wants to move up in the world, but outside of that, we know nothing about him. He isn’t made to be much more than fodder, which, I think, is why the trial was the least interesting part of the episode.

To me, for Jax to really shine in the court, it is fine if witnesses are just fodder to her flame, but the prosecutor has to have something to make them seem like a worthy opposition leader.

Lewis & Sally’s Storyline [73/100]

I’m torn between needing to admit maybe not having a vested interest in the characters or believing that nothing is being done with them to have a notable interest in them. Sally is the least interesting of Jax’s friends, and their love/hate relationship leads me to side-eye what Sally may say next and play off later.

Chris talking to Sally - Reasonable Doubt Season 3 Episode 5
Chris – Reasonable Doubt Season 3 Episode 5 – Hulu

But, I think part of the issue is that we don’t know Chris or Sally’s family outside of Shanelle, to feel one way or another about her marriage falling apart. We don’t see Naima with her kids, or Spenser. Chris had some kind of friendship or conversations with Lewis in the past, but that hasn’t happened this season. So, there isn’t a lot of drive here to care about whether the relationships fails or thrives, never mind how Sally handles it.

Then with Lewis’ individual storyline, honestly, him looking to expose Eddie is not that great of a story compared to the drama he has going on at work. Between Sam’s betrayal and the headache that caused Cliff, which will be passed off onto Lewis, there is just so much more there. Never mind, how Sam will act as Lewis tries to crack down on him.

Overall

Our Overall Rating [75/100]

While Jax’s storylines are holding up well, both personally and professional, unfortunately, supporting characters continue to struggle to draw interest as they have meager storylines lacking the development, maybe even drama, needed to invest.

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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.