The verdict is in: Reasonable Doubt is returning for Season 2 and fans of the legal drama have lots to look forward to when Jax Stewart (Emayatzy Corinealdi) comes back.
Created by Scandal writer and Little Fires Everywhere producer Raamla Mohamed, the Onyx Collective series has Kerry Washington onboard as EP and director, plus Larry Wilmore also serving as an EP. Season 1 left fans on quite a cliffhanger, perfectly setting up Season 2’s main case: the high-profile murder of Jax’s best friend’s pro football player husband. With the trauma, relationship struggles, and poor work/life balance we witnessed in Reasonable Doubt‘s first season, however, will Jax be able to lead her best friend’s case? Or will she struggle to take a backseat as she cares for herself?
As we await the highly-anticipated continuation of Jax’s story, Decider learned quite a bit about Reasonable Doubt Season 2 during Onxy’s Television Critics Association’s Summer 2024 press tour panel on July 10 in Pasadena, California.
Reasonable Doubt‘s EP Larry Wilmore and stars Corinealdi, McKinley Freeman (Lewis), Tim Jo (Daniel), and Angela Grovey (Krystal) teased what fans can expect from Season 2 and answered TCA members’ burning questions about storylines, themes, and new characters.
Here’s everything to know about Reasonable Doubt Season 2, including premiere date, episode count, upcoming plots, and more.
Will There Be A Reasonable Doubt Season 2 On Hulu? Reasonable Doubt Season 2 Premiere Date:
Yes! Reasonable Doubt was renewed back on April 17, 2023. Season 2 premieres on August 22 with two episodes on Hulu and airs weekly through its October 17 finale.
How Many Episodes Are In Reasonable Doubt Season 2 On Hulu?
Reasonable Doubt‘s debut season consisted of nine episodes, but fans will be happy to learn that Season 2 will feature 10 episodes. Your prayers for more Jax have been answered.
Is There A Reasonable Doubt Season 2 Trailer?
You bet! Get a first look at Reasonable Doubt‘s new high-profile murder case and Jax’s relationships with new and old characters alike in the Season 2 teaser trailer located at the top of this page.
Reasonable Doubt Season 1 Ending Explained: What Will Reasonable Doubt Season 2 Be About?
Fans of the series will recall that Season 1 ended with Jax recovering from Damon’s traumatizing death, the affair, her kidnapping, and the Brayden Miller trial. The last scene in the finale also showed her answering a call from her friend Shanelle Tucker (Shannon Kane), who had bruises on her face. Her husband, Jamarion, was bleeding out on the floor behind her, and after hearing Shanelle on the other end of the line, Jax said, “Oh fuck.”
Reasonable Doubt Season 2 will focus on defending Shanelle, but Jax isn’t taking lead. Per a Season 2 synopsis, “After trying to heal from her wounds from last season’s arduous trial and deadly affair, Jax Stewart is attempting to get her life back on track. That is until one of her closest friends reveals that she has killed her husband. Her friend is claiming self-defense, but an uncompromising prosecutor thinks otherwise. Needing all the help she can get, Jax brings in an ambitious defense attorney to lead the case, but things get tense very quickly. Can Jax defend her friend, save her marriage and protect her energy while being catapulted into the biggest case of her career? Or will she lose it all?” Here’s what Reasonable Doubt‘s EP and stars have to say about Season 2.
Morris Chestnut Is Becoming One Of Reasonable Doubt‘s Main Men
That ambitious defense attorney Jax calls in to lead the case? His name is Corey Cash, he’s played by the great Morris Chestnut, and he’s about to shake up the show.
“In terms of story, Corey’s character is coming into the office, into the firm. And that in itself — I mean, we just know that something is going to happen, because we know where we left off with Jax dealing with this trauma,” Corinealdi told TCA members. “Here we are, in Season 2, and it’s just the mental load of it. Her trying to find herself again as a result of everything that happened. With Corey coming in, it’s going to automatically create some drama for her, because she is not one who is used to taking a backseat or any kind of seat that’s not in the front. So, it’s going to create a bit of drama in the office, and it’s going to be very difficult for Jax to try to navigate the waters with her knowing she’s not 1,000% back. She’s not 1,000% there. She’s not fully, fully herself.”
“Let me tell you something. When they announced Morris was coming, I was getting messages, like, ‘Hey, you should get a new ring camera for the house,’” Freeman added with a laugh. “Morris, whenever he joins a production, always increases the value of the production — especially from the cast and crew perspective. He brings a level of professionalism and class that it’s, like, ‘OK. This dude just fits right in.’ And I think for us, as a team of creators… having someone come in and join the fold seamlessly is such a blessing.”
Jax And Lewis Are Trying To Save Their Marriage
There may be a new extremely handsome man in town, but Jax and Lewis are still trying to save their marriage in Season 2, and they’ve started going to couples’ therapy.
“You have to be human with it, first of all. Yeah, it’s a TV show, but what are the human things? What are the ways in human fashion that you have to take care of yourself? And we touch on it this season in many different ways,” Wilmore explained. “One of the key ways is the relationship. We see them in therapy this season. A very important part of self-care is group care, you know, and taking care of your partner and that sort of thing. It’s a big lesson for Jax and for Lewis in this season.”
“I think being able to play a husband who doesn’t have it all figured out — who’s the partner of such a dynamic, powerful woman that’s in the world doing amazing things — it’s like, OK, how does one reconcile their perception of what it’s like to be a man sitting in this situation versus the reality of what’s necessary for it to move forward at whatever pace it can?” Freeman said. “I think Lewis’ journey this year is very much about making sense of the world in a way that’s honest and also trying to create some sense of common ground to build a future from… You get cheated on, and everything that’s around you was paradise, but you realize it was all a lie. So when you wake up in that paradise, like, how do you figure out how to move? And it’s just the beginning of, ‘Who am I in this world? Who am I as a husband? Who am I as a father?’”
Jax’s Own Mental Health And Self-Care Journey
In addition to Jax and Lewis’ join efforts to repair their relationship, Jax will be attempting to prioritize her own mental health and self-care in Season 2. “…Even medication is a part of it, by the way. And mental health, which we’re very happy to have on this show because we feel a lot of times, mental health, especially in the Black community isn’t talked about that much,” Wilmore said. “So, we wanted to hit it straight on in this, and [Jax is] dealing with all those issues as well.”
“Just Jax giving herself permission to say no, giving herself grace. It’s OK to take a step back. Now, because she is Jax, she may not stay to the back, but it’s giving herself that opportunity to do it, and that’s something very different. This is new territory, you know?” Corinealdi explained. “Jax is very on all the time, ready to go. And we find her in a very different position in this second season. So some of that self-care is giving herself grace to not be running on all cylinders. It’s OK to take a step back for a moment. But, then, her dealing with what that looks like. What does that mean? If I’m in the back, then who’s in the front?”
Melissa Ponzio And More Are Joining The Cast As Well
As Deadline reported earlier this month, several stars in addition to Morris are joining Reasonable Doubt Season 2, including Chicago Fire‘s Melissa Ponzio as Lucy Wargo, a new District Attorney new to LA from Las Vegas. When asked about their complex dynamic, Corinealdi said, “It’s so powerful, it represents so many different things. And they get to really go at it as adversaries and then you get to see them maybe come out on the other end, you know? It’s really one of the things that makes the show the show that it is, because it’s unexpected. It’s unexpected. We get to see how Jax is in this male-dominated world, and she can handle herself very well. But to have an adversary who comes in with some of that same energy is like, ‘OK, well, wait a minute now,’ while she’s at this point where she’s not completely herself. So she has to really pull it all together to get into the fight, to do the work that has to be done, but she’s still struggling within.”
In addition to Morris and Ponzio, Deadline reported that Essence Atkins is playing domestic violence expert Dr. Brandy Michaels, Vaughn W. Hebron is joining as NFL player Adrian Hunter, and Kandi Burruss will recur as Eboni Phillips, the mother of JT’s child Natasha.
Tim and Angela Stans, Get Pumped For Season 2
New characters may be joining Reasonable Doubt Season 2, but rest assured, Season 1 supporting faves Daniel (Tim Jo) and Krystal (Angela Grovey) will be back.
“There’s going to be a lot of developments. We’ve Corey Cash in the office — so that switches up dynamics with us and Jax even,” Jo told TCA members. “I think Angela and I had a lot of fun this season, and we’re excited for you guys to see our relationship.”
“Krystal is forced to be a little vulnerable this season,” Grovey added. “There is something, a desire that you find out that she has wanted to do, and has to lean on some folks. And if you know my character all, she doesn’t like to ask for help and be vulnerable. So, there are some connections that are made out of need.”
While we await more updates on Reasonable Doubt Season 2, Reasonable Doubt Season 1 is streaming on Hulu for any and all rewatch needs.
The post Everything To Know About ‘Reasonable Doubt’ Season 2 On Hulu appeared first on Decider.
