Spoiler alert: This story contains details from the Reasonable Doubt season 3 finale, “On to the Next One,” now streaming on Hulu.
“Who Killed Wendy?” As Season 3 of Onyx Collective’s “Reasonable Doubt” draws to a close, all is revealed.
The central storyline of Season 3 saw Jax Stewart (Emayatsi Corinealdi) return to court to work on a high-profile case involving former child star Ozzie Edwards (Kyle Barrie), who was accused of murdering his girlfriend Wendy (Rumer Willis).
While defending Ozzy, who is charged with second-degree murder, Jax discovers that Ozzy is the victim of child abuse at the hands of his manager Monica (Brandy Evans). This abuse led him to become addicted to drugs, which he tried to overcome during his trial.
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In the end, Ozzy was spared a prison sentence and was acquitted. To celebrate the verdict, Jax invited Ozzy to his home for a family dinner. Ozzy chooses to attend a party hosted by a friend, but ends up attending Jax’s dinner after being seduced by a friend who is doing drugs.
Later that night, Jax reveals to Ozzy that he called a rehab facility and picked him up at his home. When the carrier arrived, Ozzy was found unresponsive in Jax’s son’s bedroom. Medics tried to revive him, but he died of an overdose. During Ozzy’s remand, a shocking event occurs and his sister Christine (Kia Clingman) reveals that it was their father who actually killed Wendy.
This season centered around Jax’s latest criminal case, but also showed the fictional lawyer navigating other curve balls in his life.
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Jax and Luis are forced to face the fallout of their son’s death from past events in season 1. Jax faced childhood abandonment issues when her father reappeared in her life along with a half-sister she never knew existed. She was also seen dealing with the shocking news that her mother was diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer.
As if the family drama wasn’t enough, she faced microaggressions within her law firm. That includes working with shady co-counsel Bill (Joseph Sikora), who achieves his goal of becoming a partner, but without Jax’s knowledge or involvement in the final decision.
As a last resort, Jax packs out the corner office and starts his own law firm. What was supposed to be a happy moment for Jax as he entered new territory ended with a vengeful Monica pointing a gun at Jax and pulling the trigger.
“Rational Doubt” showrunner Rahullah Mohammed spoke to Variety about the explosive finale, how Sal became Wendy’s killer and Ozzy’s overdose was his ultimate fate, how long he expects the show to last, and more.
We have to start with an explosive cliffhanger where Monica shoots Jax inside her new law firm. How do you land on that twist?
At first, we didn’t know who it was. It was going to be a cliffhanger. As we prepare for the final episode, we get a cut of episode 6 and watch Brandi’s performance yelling at Jax. “I don’t know if that anger will ever go away,” I thought. And it was only natural that she would show up. I told Brandi to show up looking like an angry person who hadn’t slept in months. I want it to look like I’m losing my mind. You lost Ozzy. You lost everything and just focused on whose fault it was. She was committed. I love endings that are surprising but not sudden and make sense.
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Before that shocking moment, it felt liberating to see Jax leave his previous law firm and start his own. From the beginning, viewers were made aware of the microaggressions and toxic culture she faced as the only black lawyer at the firm. When Jax walks away, what message did you want to send in that moment?
It’s funny because when I was listening to Mariah Carey’s album, “Butterfly” came on. There was something very liberating about that interlude. I wanted the scene to have a fun atmosphere. When Bill says, “Where is she going?” And then she comes back around the corner with the box, and I wanted to feel that feeling. I love the way director Anton Klopper shoots this movie. We talked specifically about what she would shoot and how she would walk out in slow motion. We spoke to costume designer Mercedes Cooke about what she’s wearing. She wears red, which is both power and anger. She pushed her braids back to look like a deuce. It’s one of my favorite moments of the season. I think a lot of women, not just black women, will relate to that.
It is believed by fans that Corey and Jax started their own company together. Have such thoughts ever crossed your mind?
That crossed my mind. But it’s a moment for Jax and something she’s been through. It also leaves no option for Morris (Chesnutt) to come back. I love working with him because he’s a great character. But it was about telling Jax’s story, what she went through during the season and giving her a win, and going to Cory with the idea of working with Cory. She’s like, “I’m not going to be here, but I know my worth.”
There’s a lot to unpack in this shocking finale. The big fact about Wendy’s killer is that it’s Ozzy’s father. Why did you decide to make a monkey a murderer?
The monkey had been castrated. Rosie is the alpha female of this house and clearly makes decisions. I thought it would be interesting to see what happens when Wendy comes, and Sal is now facing a problem where he is acting erratically. How would he handle it? My favorite moment was when Kristin said, “Shall I call mom?” And he says no. The idea is that he can handle this. Because he either ruins everything in different ways, or rather, gets away with it to the end. However, because of this idea, he feels like no one values him and has no say in Ozzy’s management.
Was that always the plan or did the story evolve over time?
It was going to be Christine. Then we started talking about various things, and the topic turned to my mother. As I made changes, I realized that there was something interesting about the relationship between men and their mothers. It’s very telling of the kind of man he’s going to be and who he is. It’s going to be more interesting to see how Ozzy shrinks from his mother. You think it’s a patriarchal situation, but it’s actually matriarchal. Once I understood that, it made sense for the father to play that role. Because he felt like he had a reason to prove something. If Rosie had done that, I don’t think Ozzy would have gone to jail. Rosie would have figured it out in a way that none of this might have happened even if Wendy hadn’t been found.
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Many fans were convinced that Ozzy was the culprit, but the trial revealed that anyone could be a suspect. Why did you choose to seek acquittal?
Last season, Jax gave a heartfelt speech and tried to convince a judge to keep Chanel out of jail, but he lost the case. I wanted to see Jax win. She continued to fight about her strategy, especially with her partner. Losing would not be satisfying for her. Proving that Jax knows what she’s doing is a personal victory on the legal front, and she can win.
Ozzy’s trial raises awareness of child sexual abuse and grooming in the entertainment industry, an issue that has historically been ignored or hidden in Hollywood. Why was it important to highlight this issue?
Ozzy is a child star, so we wanted to show him everything he’s been working on. If someone is addicted, where did it come from? Usually it comes from self-medication, an event, or trauma. We began to explore what that trauma was. When you’re a man and an older woman, you’re seen as cool even though you’re not cool at all. Therefore, it can be difficult for boys to understand that it is abuse. Ozzy tells Autumn that it was consensual because it was fun. But you couldn’t consent because you were a child. It was important to show Ozzy recognize that on screen. It is something that is perceived in the present, not in the past. We see that happen as he goes through this trial and it causes a spiral.
We hear more about cases of women being abused by men than we would otherwise. Can you talk about your approach to exploring this different perspective on sexual abuse?
Most of the time I start with a character. What is the story for Monica that someone would do something like this? What is she telling herself? What kind of story does she need to hold onto to convince herself that what she’s doing is right? So what kind of world can Ozzy live in where he feels like this wasn’t wrong and that he can be forgiven? He had such a distance from his mother. How will it affect Ozzy as well when Monica flashbacks appear in his web? Growing up in the ’90s, we’ve heard several stories like this about young girls and older men. Even R. Kelly and Aaliyah, we saw it and thought it was weird, but we didn’t really get into what it meant. While pretending to be a leadership relationship, it is turned upside down.
Ozzy’s trauma leads to his drug abuse, a fall that ultimately takes his life. Why did you decide to make addiction the final turning point in his story?
I’ve read stories of people getting one last shot on the way to rehab because they fear they won’t be able to use drugs anymore. And that ends them. That was always the end of Ozzy. It was bittersweet for me. It was the fact that he was trying to be free. When his life was cut short, he was trying to figure out who he was as an adult. That’s a common story. It’s the sadness that occurs when someone who is thinking and trying to do something different has their life cut short.
Just before his overdose, Ozzy and Jax have an emotional conversation about his addiction and post-trial recovery. What did you want to convey in that moment, especially considering what happened to Ozzy right after that?
Jax and Ozzy had a maternal relationship, and she felt that Jax reminded her of her son. We have never seen her take on such customers. Brayden had a different energy. Chanel was her friend, so there is some personal history. But what about who could be her son? One of the first things I pitched was the idea that toward the end of the season, he starts to see unrestricted, unconditional love. When your parents or someone else cares about you, they will do what is best for you. It doesn’t enable or allow you to become a bad version of yourself. He experiences it when he says, “I’m so angry at you, but I love you too.” He will get something that he couldn’t get before.
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Another key moment is Jax’s father returning to life after Jax’s mother is diagnosed with cancer. Although initially skeptical of his return, Jax slowly embraces him. How will her having to regain her composure to him affect her growth as a character?
In this case, it’s “I love you, but Chelsea, you and so much more.” You need to distance yourself until you can make a decision about everything. ” Growth is being able to set boundaries. She comes from a position of vulnerability, so there’s growth there. she isn’t screaming. The old Jax would have blocked him. I don’t know if she will sit down and have a conversation or at least try to understand how she feels. As adults, we grow and sometimes face new traumas. That’s what you see with Jax. All in all, she will move forward. But we’re going to see her take a step back and try to pick herself up, because that’s the reality.
Now that the show has officially been renewed for season 4, are you starting to think about what themes you’d like to explore in the next season?
The (writer’s) room is open. We destroy ideas and come up with something. My goal is to make next season better than last season. It’s always a challenge to make that happen, but one I’m willing to take on.
When you first created Reasonable Doubt, how many seasons did you envision the series to last?
As a showrunner, you’re trying to get through the first season. When I pitched it, I liked the idea of four seasons. It was realistic because it was streaming, but just reaching four seasons is a feat. The show has evolved, so I’m open to it still being good no matter how long it lasts.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
