For four seasons of Reasonable Doubt, we have watched Jax Stewart be a bad ass, successful Black woman that takes everything on the chin. Similar to most Black women, she has managed to push through so much trauma in the midst of being a rock for her family and friends. As viewers, we have had a front row seat watching Jax unravel and get caught up in the continuous cycle of enduring tough circumstances. Now, the chickens have come home to roost. And there’s a heavy presence of online conversations disavowing the storyline of Jax’s addiction and wishing the show would wrap up the narrative sooner rather than later.
But the truth of the matter is that this evolution of the story is a natural progression of where Jax’s endured traumas have led her. Yes, she was shot but let us not forget the slew of other tragedies she’s faced throughout the series. Point and reason, this storyline is neither random or unnecessary, it’s a hard truth that is forcing us to reckon with what could happen when you combine ignoring the impact of traumatic events and the belief that vulnerability is for everyone except you.
