Saagar Kote
Hulu’s ‘Reasonable Doubt’ is a legal drama series created by Raamla Mohamed that follows Jacqueline Stewart, AKA Jax (Emayatzy Corinealdi), a brilliant LA defense attorney who is known for challenging the justice system and bending the rules to secure results for her clients. Although her sharp instincts and unconventional methods make her a formidable lawyer, her questionable ethics often invite criticism. Away from the courtroom, Jax struggles to manage a troubled marriage, a rebellious child, and the demands of raising her family.
Jax’s personal and professional lives become even more complicated when a sexual assault case takes an unexpected turn, forcing her to reconsider her principles. Meanwhile, the release of an old friend from prison brings back troubling connections to her past. As these developments threaten to disrupt her carefully managed life, Jax continues to prioritize her career, even when doing so puts her relationships and personal stability at risk. These shows, similar to ‘Reasonable Doubt,’ will keep you entertained and guessing through their smart characters, complex cases, and more.
12. Burden of Truth (2018-2021)
Created by Brad Simpson, ‘Burden of Truth’ is the story of lawyer Joanna Hanley (Kristin Kreuk), whose return to her hometown of Millwood draws her into a disturbing case involving several high school girls suffering from a mysterious illness. As she investigates, Joanna must also confront the resentment surrounding her family’s abrupt departure years earlier and the secrets she left behind. Her work takes her into a complicated world of corporate interests, political movements, hackers, and local activism.
Later, when a mining company threatens a resident’s home by reopening a dormant mine, Joanna and fellow lawyer Billy Crawford (Peter Mooney) take on a legal battle against the powerful corporation. The legal drama series examines how demanding legal careers affect the characters’ personal relationships, much like ‘Reasonable Doubt’ does.
11. For Life (2020-2021)
Inspired by true events, ‘For Life’ is a Hank Steinberg creation that centers on Aaron Wallace (Nicholas Pinnock), an incarcerated man who becomes a lawyer while serving a life sentence for a crime he did not commit. Determined, Aaron takes up cases for fellow inmates while continuing his own fight to overturn his conviction. His pursuit of justice is also deeply personal, as he hopes to reunite with his family and reclaim the life he lost behind bars.
Meanwhile, his complicated relationship with Safiya Masry (Indira Varma), a prison warden, offers another perspective on the shortcomings of the penal and legal systems. Aaron challenges the establishment and fights for the truth, irrespective of the personal cost. Both ‘Reasonable Doubt’ and ‘For Life’ feature determined lawyers who challenge the legal system in pursuit of justice, with Jax relying on her sharp instincts and unconventional methods while Aaron fights to overturn his wrongful conviction and takes up cases for fellow inmates.
10. For the People (2018-2019)
With Paul William Davies providing the creative vision, ‘For the People’ is a legal drama set in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, popularly known as the Mother Court. The story follows six newly appointed attorneys, including defense lawyers Allison Adams (Jasmin Savoy Brown), Jay Simmons (West Keesh), and Sandra Bell (Britt Robertson), and prosecutors Leonard Knox (Regé-Jean Page), Seth Oliver (Ben Rappaport), and Kate Littlejohn (Susannah Flood). While they take on high-profile federal criminal cases, their professional paths frequently cross, forcing them to compete against one another while navigating the pressures of their demanding careers. ‘Reasonable Doubt’ focuses on a defense attorney who challenges established legal practices, while ‘For the People’ presents the competing perspectives of prosecutors and defense lawyers.
9. The Split (2018-2024)
‘The Split’ chronicles the experiences of the Defoes, a family of women whose careers revolve around London’s fiercely competitive divorce law circuit. While most of the family members work at their own law firm, eldest daughter Hannah (Nicola Walker) has joined the rival firm Noble & Hale, creating an additional professional divide within the family. As the women handle complicated divorces and navigate the demands of their careers, their own relationships become equally difficult to manage.
Their already complicated family dynamics take another turn when their estranged father returns after 30 years, forcing the Defoes to confront unresolved issues from their past while trying to maintain control over their personal and professional lives. The British legal drama series from the creative mind of Abi Morgan explores the hardships of balancing professional ambitions with complicated family relationships, similar to how ‘Reasonable Doubt’ depicts Jax’s journey.
8. All Rise (2019-2023)
‘All Rise’ offers a look inside an LA courthouse through the lives of the people responsible for administering justice. The story revolves around Lola Carmichael (Simone Missick), a respected former deputy district attorney who is appointed to the bench as a judge. Rather than simply following established conventions, Lola challenges the expectations of her new position and pushes for a fairer application of the law. As she navigates the courthouse bureaucracy and institutional politics, she interacts with prosecutors, public defenders, bailiffs, clerks, and law enforcement officers, each grappling with the complexities of a flawed justice system.
Through their professional and personal experiences, the show explores the chaotic and often unpredictable pursuit of justice. Greg Spottiswood is the creative voice behind this legal drama series, based on Steve Bogira’s book ‘Courtroom 302.’ Both ‘Reasonable Doubt’ and ‘All Rise’ feature strong-willed female legal professionals who challenge established practices, with Jax relying on her unconventional defense strategies while Lola pushes the boundaries of what a judge can do.
7. Suits (2011-2019)
‘Suits’ unfolds around the power struggles, professional rivalries, and personal relationships within a prominent New York law firm. The legal drama series from creator Aaron Korsh centers on Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams), a brilliant college dropout who lands a job at the firm despite having no legal qualifications, working alongside its formidable attorney Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht). Their professional partnership becomes the driving force behind the story, as they navigate high-stakes cases while keeping Mike’s lack of credentials hidden. Meanwhile, Rachel Zane (Meghan Markle), Donna Paulsen (Sarah Rafferty), and Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman) add further complications to the firm’s internal dynamics. Akin to ‘Reasonable Doubt,’ the series explores ambition, loyalty, office politics, and the personal relationships that influence the lawyers’ decisions.
6. Goliath (2016-2021)
Created by David E. Kelley and Jonathan Shapiro, ‘Goliath’ follows Billy McBride (Billy Bob Thornton), a once-respected attorney whose career and personal life fall apart after a wrongful acquittal leads to a devastating tragedy. Having left the prestigious law firm he helped establish, Billy now spends much of his time drinking and handling minor cases. His fortunes take an unexpected turn when Patty (Nina Arianda) approaches him to represent her in a wrongful death lawsuit against a powerful corporation.
Though initially reluctant, Billy takes on the case and soon finds himself facing harassment, death threats, and questionable arrests. A dangerous conspiracy begins to emerge, drawing him into a legal battle against his former firm and giving him an opportunity to seek justice and reclaim his sense of purpose. The legal drama series, similar to ‘Reasonable Doubt,’ combines courtroom drama with personal redemption and professional conflicts, exploring how questionable decisions continue to influence the characters’ attempts to secure justice.
5. Scandal (2012-2018)
‘Scandal’ is the saga of Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington), a former presidential media consultant who establishes her own crisis-management firm after leaving the White House. Known for handling sensitive issues involving wealthy clients, influential figures, and even the President, Olivia has built a reputation for making scandals disappear before they become public. Her team includes people who help her tackle complicated cases while dealing with personal troubles of their own. However, Olivia’s professional efforts to distance herself from her past become complicated by her continuing relationship with President Fitzgerald Grant III (Tony Goldwyn).
As the team handles new crises, their own secrets and vulnerabilities threaten to surface. From the creative mind of Shonda Rhimes comes this political thriller series that examines the ethical complications of professional success, much like ‘Reasonable Doubt.’ Jax frequently bends the rules to secure results for her clients, while Olivia operates in a world where protecting reputations often requires navigating secrets and difficult moral choices.
4. Damages (2007-2012)
‘Damages’ is a legal thriller series that chronicles the complicated relationship between Patty Hewes (Glenn Close), an accomplished litigator, and Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne), her inexperienced protégée. Patty takes on a major lawsuit representing former employees of a corporation who are seeking justice against its former CEO, Arthur Frobisher (Ted Danson). Determined to secure a victory regardless of the consequences, she approaches the case with an uncompromising attitude.
When Ellen experiences the demands of working alongside such a formidable attorney, her professional relationship with Patty becomes increasingly complex, exposing the fundamental nature of the legal field. Daniel Zelman, Glenn Kessler, and Todd A. Kessler are the creative team behind the show, which resembles the essence of ‘Reasonable Doubt’ by looking beyond courtroom proceedings to examine the personal and professional consequences of working in a demanding legal environment, where ambition and the pursuit of success can place relationships under strain.
3. The Good Fight (2017-2022)
Created by Robert King, Michelle King, and Phil Alden Robinson, ‘The Good Fight’ is the sequel to ‘The Good Wife.’ The legal drama series deals with Maia Rindell (Rose Leslie) and her mentor, Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski), as they struggle to rebuild their lives after a massive financial scam destroys Maia’s career and wipes out Diane’s savings. Forced to leave their former firm, the attorneys join an esteemed African American-owned practice.
At the new workplace, the two reconnect with Diane’s former colleague, Lucca Quinn (Cush Jumbo), and become involved in the firm’s work on consequential legal cases, including those concerning police brutality in Illinois. Navigating an unfamiliar professional environment, Maia and Diane face the challenge of starting over and finding ways to survive amid setbacks. Both ‘The Good Fight’ and ‘Reasonable Doubt’ feature accomplished female attorneys whose professional ambitions are closely connected to their personal struggles, with Diane and Jax attempting to maintain control of their lives amid difficult circumstances.
2. The Lincoln Lawyer (2022-)
‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ chronicles the experiences of Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), an idealistic LA attorney who returns to the courtroom after spending nearly a year away following an accident and struggling with drug addiction. Hoping to rebuild his career and find redemption, Mickey inherits the legal practice of his murdered colleague Jerry Vincent. The unexpected development also puts him in charge of defending Trevor Elliott, a man accused of killing his wife and her lover. However, as Mickey takes on the high-profile case, he begins to suspect that Jerry’s killer may have turned their attention toward him.
Based on Michael Connelly’s books ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ and ‘The Brass Verdict’, the legal drama series from the creative minds of David E. Kelley and Ted Humphrey follows Mickey as he navigates an increasingly uncertain future. Mickey’s efforts to rebuild his life after a difficult period are similar to Jax’s struggle in ‘Reasonable Doubt’ to maintain stability in her personal life while continuing to establish herself as a successful attorney.
1. How to Get Away with Murder (2014-2020)
With Peter Nowalk serving as creator, ‘How to Get Away with Murder’ follows Annalise Keating (Viola Davis), a skilled defense attorney and law professor whose professional expertise is challenged by a secretive personal life. Her world takes a dark turn when five of her students become implicated in the mysterious murder of a young sorority girl. As the investigation throws their university into turmoil, the students are forced to put their legal training to use while confronting difficult moral and ethical questions. Annalise, meanwhile, remains confident in her ability to defend even those accused of serious crimes.
Blending intricate legal cases with personal secrets and moral dilemmas, the legal drama series examines the lengths an attorney and her students are willing to go to protect themselves and others from harm. The moral and ethical dilemmas in ‘How to Get Away with Murder’ reflect the questionable choices in ‘Reasonable Doubt,’ where the pursuit of justice can become complicated by an attorney’s willingness to bend the rules. Annalise’s secretive life and Jax’s struggles with her marriage and family reveal the difficulties of keeping professional and personal responsibilities separate.
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