The highly anticipated Hulu original series “Reasonable Doubt” officially premiered on the streaming platform this week. The legal series, the first-ever scripted drama from Disney’s Onyx Collective, is executive produced by “Scandal” queen Kerry Washington and features a predominantly Black cast helmed by Emayatzy Corinealdi (Jax), with McKinley Freeman (Lewis), Michael Ealy (Damon) and Sean Patrick Thomas (Brayden). Its creator and showrunner is “Scandal” alum Raamala Mohamed.
TheGrio caught up with the “Reasonable Doubt” stars to chat all about the new show.
The nine-episode weekly drama, which began streaming Tuesday on Hulu, explores various real-life topics — from marriage and infidelity to life after prison — and so much more. Leading lady Corinealdi shared with theGrio which topic she’s most excited for viewers to discuss.
“I think the one that stands out the most is the marriage and separation part of it,” said Corinealdi, “because it’s such a large part of her life. And I know a lot of people who can relate to that. We have careers and family, and all of these things intersect. And then all it takes is just a little crack, a little something, and that’s when things can enter that you would never expect to enter. And so that’s where Jax finds herself. And so I think that’s the one that maybe I’m most excited about.”
The actress maintained that there is definitely a lot going on throughout the show, and picking just one theme isn’t an easy task.
Angela Grovey plays Krystal, the hilarious assistant to Jax, and she’s looking forward to loyalty being the issue that centers some discussions.
“I think conversations around loyalty because I think that’s a big theme of this season,” she said. “And I think a lot of different groups have to sort of play around with what that means for them.”
Loyalty will definitely be put to the test on “Reasonable Doubt,” as Jax finds herself in a bit of a love triangle with Damon and Lewis. Viewers will probably agree that the character of Jax is complex, and when asked what would be the traits to make the perfect man for her, cast members had very interesting choices.
“For Damon, it is someone who recognizes just how much of an asset time is,” opined Ealy, reflecting on his character’s chemistry with Jax. “And so he’s not afraid to say and do what’s on his mind and heart because he knows how much time he lost. Especially when it comes to Jax. And so he doesn’t want to waste time, he’s a seize the day kind of person. And I think that’s very attractive in a partner.”
Freeman offered this insight about the man he portrays: “For Lewis, it’s more about ‘Look at what we have. Look at the value that we’ve created and the risk that we run of mismanaging it.’ And then, ‘What is it that we both could walk away with if we don’t give it what we have at this moment?’ And for me, that is the character trait. I’m willing to show up for the hard work.”
Creator and showrunner Mohamed told TheGrio that this has been something she’s thought about.
“Just as a person who has dated, I always feel like I find good qualities in the different men, and I do sometimes wish I could make them into one,” she admitted. “I think Lewis has a good, calm nature. He’s obviously a great father, and he’s well-meaning and well-intentioned. And also my favorite part about their relationship is they laugh; they have fun. And you can tell that there’s passion and friendship there. So I think that’s what I love about their relationship. With Damon, there is the way that he looks at her, the way he adores her, the way that he bigs her up — ‘You’re a boss,’ ‘You’re bad-ass.’ That part or whatever.”
Mohamed also mentioned Brayden, the character who — though not a love interest — plays a client in Jax’s life.
“I think Brayden is someone who is very confident,” she said, “and a little bit of a challenge, like ‘You’re really smart, but you’re annoying. I don’t like you, but, there’s something intriguing.’ So, yeah … all those qualities, just in like one person, and then you have the man of everyone’s dream.”
“Reasonable Doubt” fans will have a field day picking apart their favorite characters as well as deciding who they think is the right match for Jax. From the juicy storylines to the Black excellence being showcased on TV, this series is worth the watch.
“Reasonable Doubt” is currently streaming on Hulu, with new episodes airing every Tuesday.
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