I love a flashback in this show and episode 1×08 of Hulu’s Reasonable Doubt features some vital ones because we finally get the story behind Jax and her stepfather Paul.
This is the most illuminating episode for helping us to understand the person that Jax is. We see how the incident with Paul affected every relationship of hers. It helps us to understand how people are constantly accusing her of putting herself first, but every actions that she’s ever done has prioritized others first. This is particularly true in her relationship with her mother.
The episode opens with a flashback to Jax as a child. If only younger Jax could see herself now. It’s in these flashbacks we see how her stepfather Paul was inappropriately touching her. He claimed that it was a mistake, but it was not a mistake. It was in fact deliberate and not okay. The man should be in jail.
It has been decades even since the incident with her stepfather and Jax has never told anyone beyond her mother. Her father made excuses for Paul and ended up taking him back. We have no words to that.
It shows how deeply the incident affected her and the way she is. It is completely understandable. It adds a lot of clarity to the impulsive Jax we’ve seen throughout this series. It is not just in her romantic relationships but also her personal ones with her friends. Jax is just trying to cope, but she definitely does need to get help, because she’s not dealing with her past in ways that help her. She’s hindering herself.
Remember how I said Michael Ealy typically plays these stalkerish villains and he was different in this role. I was wrong. For a man who says he never gets angry, I need to know why was Damon beating Will up for standing next to Jax. Beyond his crazy jealousy it makes me think that maybe he is actually guilty of the crime that he went to present for life.
One of my favourite things about this show is that you never know who the true villain is. Every single character in this show is flawed from the top of their head to the bottom of their feet. Despite that, at certain points you can’t help but love them for it. You just want them to get help.
What did you think of Reasonable Doubt episode 1×08 and what do you think will happen in the final episode?
OTHER THOUGHTS
- I think Jax needs to dump all of her men and start from scratch.
- Damon’s love is all consuming but its actually scary and a little classic Michael Ealy role to be honest
- I genuinely think we need a Jax’s friend spin-off because they have so much going on I can’t keep up and we need clarity
- Absolutely called Theo going in for the kill with naming himself interim COO.
- Jax’s confrontation with Paul is powerful and good for her
- For bets on who killed Kaleesha I’m thinking its not Theo or Sarah but either her cousin or someone not so obvious.
