Reasonable Doubt

So many formulas are being tapped into for this glossy but vapid series. Most obvious is the famous Kerry Washington vehicle "Scandal." The sexy business clothes, the amoral behavior. Throw in "Real Housewives" of say- Baldwin Hills, or is this "Sex in the City" of Black Angels? The cast is a talented ensemble that deserves better. The main character, a female lawyer, never does any research, or preparation, but finds time for sexual dalliances the nights before big days in court. And the men in her life are kind of limp. Heck, the estranged husband even hires a bodyguard with whom she cuckolds him. Black women deserve real professional depictions.

Good plot. Poor execution. Characters are a bit annoying because the AAVE seems forced. The excessive use of n-word, unnecessary vulgarity, & soft porn nature of the drama diminished what this could have been.

Also, the legal portion of the show was more elementary than clever.. it was super basic so I couldn't even fall in love with the main character. Speaking of the main character, whoever styled her couldn't figure out if they wanted her look to be stylish yet conservative versus racy and totally out of regs for a law office. But they did include the quintessential red bottoms * sigh *eye roll.

I'm a Black professional womam who was raised in a poor urban city so I was hoping to connect...I didn't. Not interested in season 2. We deserve better work from Kerry.

So disappointing. Gorgeous,talented cast. Clearly aimed at black viewers. But first, clothes worn to the office are hilariously inappropriate. Great looks, but one can only chuckle at seeing them in the office. Background music with frequent use of N word seems far too contrived. Then the continued use of N word in conversations is actually offensive. If meant to seem real, I must object. My friends of color do not converse in that manner. Trying to get a rise out of the audience? Well, you've done that. And it has turned us off. I anticipate watching another episode and then deciding re continue or not.

This show is not for everyone. It's written with the Black culture in mind. Successful Black people (although some questionable ones) are plot of the show. This plot keeps everyone guessing and there is a twist around every corner. It's nice to see all spectrums of Blackness being highlighted. From struggling criminals to high power Black people. It's "Scandal" with more POCs and less degrading Black women.

The cast is a list of those I have not heard of or from other lesser successful projects. With that said, this series is the perfect opportunity to make a heightened name for some of the actors. On the other hand it is a safe choice for the producers.

Overall I believe the show is great with great potential. Not everything is for everyone. But for the Black community, this is a win.

So the acting could be better but I'm struggling to understand how some of the reviews are saying that the show is trying too hard to meet the Black experience. First, the outfits are not that far removed from what my black self has seen in my black office. While I personally do not use the "n" word, and I get and agree that it can be offensive, many of my Black friends and associates do use the word frequently amongst themselves. And unfortunately, the references to White people are pretty consistent with my experience. And the comments about Jax being unlikeable are not surprising because many black women in leadership are often characterized as unlikeable. Strong leadership skills in a woman, especially a Black woman, tends to be criticized harshly. But a man that moves like Jax is often considered the best leader EVER. Some of the sex scenes were a bit much but that's what sells these days. I'm looking forward to the show getting better each season.