Note: This article contains spoilers from “Reasonable Doubt” Season 3, Episode 2.
“Reasonable Doubt” star McKinley Freeman, who plays Jax Stewart’s loving husband Lewis, says that overnight stay at Toni’s house was an interesting way for Lewis to explore the grief he’s enduring after losing he and Toni’s child.
“I think for Lewis it was a really interesting opportunity to explore that grief in that way,” Freeman said of Lewis’ sorrow to TheWrap. “I’m not really sure conversations exist that way because we’re talking about an entity created by two human beings that wasn’t here before … A loss is a loss.”
In the midst of Jax handling her new client Ozzie (Kyle Barry), the high-profile attorney is trying to close the case on the Lewis drama with his ex Toni Holley (Tristan Cunningham). As we saw last season, Toni sued the couple, claiming they were responsible for the premature birth and subsequent death of she and Lewis’ baby, which was conceived after he stepped out on his marriage last season. This new third chapter picks up a year after Jax and Lewis were legally served, where viewers see the pair sparring with Toni over a settlement deal amount. The two parties couldn’t find middle ground, and after a public altercation, Toni bumped her demand up to $1.5 million. But … eventually Toni came back with another proposal for Lewis: spend one night night with her and she’ll drop the lawsuit.
Mmhhm, exactly what we’re thinking. But by this point, the Stewarts are done with the back and forth and just want to put it all behind them, so they agree to the terms. But, of course, Jax has her own set of conditions.
“I drew up a settlement and release that lays out the terms. If Toni doesn’t sign within the first five minutes, you will walk,” Jax tells Lewis in the episode as she hands him the document. “And after you spend 12 hours together, you will be released from liability. Also, if you do this, I need you to text me every hour and sprinkle in a phone call. I love you Lewis, and I trust you, but I’m not the one that has to stay there with her, you are. So it’s up to you if you go. But if she tries to f— k you, I will kill you both.”
Freeman believes this was likely a last resort for Lewis and his marriage.
“The two people in the relationship have to figure out what’s best for them,” Freeman explained. “I don’t know what bridge two people in that situation are going to have to cross to get there … I do think it is an unconventional approach. But I do think that it’s an approach that also reveals that even in everyone’s best effort to be strong and continue to march forward.”
Lewis, frustrated that it’s all come to this point, agrees to both Jax and Toni’s requests. Lewis and Toni’s night begins with the two taking down Jaden’s nursery and sorting through Toni’s baby shower gifts. However, the warm, cordial interaction between leads Toni to drift into her lusty memories of she and Lewis and makes a move on him. Lewis quickly rejects her reactions, which triggers Toni to emotionally break down.
“You came here to get me to sign those goddamn papers because you clearly don’t give a f—k about me or our child,” Toni says to Lewis as she signs the paperwork. “Get the f—k out of my house!”
When it comes to whether Lewis had an inkling that Toni would pursue him, Freeman said: “I don’t think so, not even a little bit.”
The morning comes, the papers are signed, but Lewis is still at Toni’s house, where she finds him shedding tears as he holds what would have been Jaden’s Philadelphia Eagles jersey. Toni apologizes for her blow up and he apologizes for her having to deal with the death partly on her own.
Lewis’ tears and emotional release was what he needed, Freeman said.
“I definitely think this was something that Lewis needed,” Freeman explained. “Maybe Lewis thought he needed it for the sake of being able to finalize the end of the road of this situation. In the mental understanding of that, he arrived at the equation, and on the inside as it relates to actually dealing with things … There’s definitely some growing and some reflection and all the things necessary for a sustainable path.”
“Reasonable Doubt” releases new episodes Thursdays on Hulu.