Reasonable Doubt season 3 has been building up to this moment from the beginning of the season.
Fans are wondering, why Ozzie would kill Wendy, and if he didn’t kill her, then who did? Ozzie’s key witness and alibi, Alex, was murdered by directive from Ozzie’s mother, and his abuser, Monica, had the motive to get ‘rid’ of Wendy. Reasonable Doubt season 3 episode 9 points us to a different suspect, and one I have had my eyes on all along.
In the past few episodes, Jax is caught up trying to deal with her mother’s colon cancer diagnosis and is seemingly distracted from work. After a continuance from the court and a successful medical procedure for her mom, Jax is back in action and ready to close this case once and for all.
Ozzie’s psychiatrist sheds light on his mental illness in Reasonable Doubt season 3 episode 9
Throughout the season, Ozzie has been an emotional wildcard, often leaving viewers (and members of the cast) questioning if Ozzie is actually guilty of murdering his fiancée, Wendy. A final meeting with his psychiatrist reveals that he had an undiagnosed mental disorder, called arrested development, that resulted from childhood trauma.
In episode 8, the ending leaves us to believe that Ozzie’s mother has a revelation that he could actually be Wendy’s killer. Then, in episode 9, flashbacks reveal red flags that Ozzie’s may have missed when he was a child.
As she recalls it, Ozzie was responsible for the death of their dog, O-dog, by intentionally feeding him chocolate. In addition to that incident, she had to interfere when Ozzie got violent with a director on the set of his sitcom.
According to Ozzie’s psychiatrist, his condition would indicate heavy emotional irregularity and spontaneity, but not physical violence. So again, viewers are left to question, if Ozzie is innocent, who could be trying to frame him? Ozzie’s own memories seem to cross the line between possible guilt and victimization, because we continue to get a glimpse of how his abuse impacted him, and how the symptoms of PTSD were severely ignored by the adults in his life.
Jax butts heads with her partner on strategy as the trial comes to a close
‘Billable Bill' has gone from being a strange new character this season, to one that we’re not sure we can trust. Getting the full picture of his chaotic personal life helps fans cut him a little slack. Bill is going through a tough divorce, which is hard for him to accept. He thought he’d still be able to win over his wife, but the odds are not in his favor.
When Bill finally accepts his reality, the pressure to win the case grows even further. Instead of winning the case to save his marriage, now he is trying to win the case to get the money he needs for his divorce. In a fight with Jax, Bill accidentally reveals what he and the other white, male partners have been up to.
The senior partners at the firm want Bill to take control of the trial in return for making him partner. They seem to have a vendetta against Jax, driven by racial and gender biases. Jax understands Bill's position, but refuses to give him the power he wants to drive decisions for the trial when she is clearly the more skilled attorney.
Jax shares her frustration with the senior partners in a powerful monologue where she reminds them of her value in the firm. She has won so many cases due to her ability to make risky decisions on trial, and she is disappointed that her partners still resort to miscalculating her abilities.
Jax convinces Ozzie to take the stand in his trial
Jax and Bill have had a lot of wins in the trial this season when it comes to creating reasonable doubt about their client, but they are still concerned that their efforts might not be enough. Against the better judgment of her white counterparts, Jax decides to prep Ozzie to take the stand, and Bill finally gets on board with the process.
Jax reminds Ozzie that she believes he is innocent when he starts to doubt himself. He doesn’t have much of a memory at all from the night of the murder, but when he tries to piece the night together, he can’t help but wonder if he committed the murder. While Ozzie questions his culpability, Jax decides that the best approach is to question his capability on the stand.
While testifying, Ozzie admits that he knows he is different from others—he doesn’t cook or clean for himself, doesn’t drive, and hasn’t shot a gun in over seven years. He couldn’t even remember the store where his parents purchased the gun. He admits to feeling guilty the night of the murder, but only because he broke his promise of sobriety to Wendy. Finally, he admits that he doesn’t even know how to get to the cabin, as someone who has always had other people do things for him.
Ozzie’s testimony is a huge win for the defense, because it succeeds at creating reasonable doubt for the murder. Yet, as always, it’s up to the jury to decide. Is it impossible for Ozzie to have committed the murder if he doesn't even remember how to get to the cabin, or even the code to his gun safe?
Reasonable Doubt season 3 episode 9 leaves several cliffhangers ahead of the season finale
Jax’s sister pops in on Lewis, trying to warn him about their dad, Eddie. She claims Eddie has come to cause some type of disruption in her sister’s life, and that he shouldn’t be trusted. This is interesting, because Eddie said the same thing about her in the last episode! Who is telling the truth?
Then there’s Ozzie’s sister, Kris, who has been up to a lot of shady calls lately, and in this episode, we see the same thing happen. She leaves a suspicious note for her love-interest, Daniel (who also happens to be Jax’s private investigator), leading him to search for her whereabouts. When Daniel goes after her, he finds Kris at Ozzie’s cabin, in a very perplexed state. She’s crying, holding a gun in her hand, and watching Ozzie’s trial from her phone.
Daniel asks Kris to share what she’s feeling, and she confesses to being jealous of the attention Ozzie got as a child star. She also confesses to being the one to kill their childhood dog. We get the sense she has more to confess, but it looks like we’ll have to wait for the finale! The episode ends with an announcement that the verdict is in!
Watch the season finale of Reasonable Doubt on Hulu on Thursday, Nov. 13.