Raamla Mohamed and Larry Wilmore create TV moments that move audiences. Mohamed, as a writer, puts viewers in a position to watch Olivia Pope’s next move Scandal. Wilmore, as a producer, elicited a response from the problems Issa and Lawrence went through Not safe. Now, the two have come together for their latest project, Reasonable doubt.
Reasonable doubt is the first original series from Hulu and Onyx Collective. The series, starring Emayatzy Corinealdi, Michael Ealy, and Christopher Cassarino, follows a Los Angeles defense attorney named Jax Stuart (Corinealdi) who uses questionable ethics to win a case while balancing relationships. relationship and friendship. The series premieres this fall and is one of the most talked about shows of the season, with the opportunity to sample even more widely when ABC airs its first episode this Thursday before it airs. finally later this month on Hulu. Reasonable doubt created by Mohamed and run by Wilmore.
The couple sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss the show, including Jay-Z’s influence (all episodes are named after his songs), and supporting Black’s creations and risk taking on vocals. singing is not heard. “I hope the show succeeds so other networks and producers can see that writers of color can create different depth and characters,” said Mohammed. I hope they get a chance to see the vision of writers of color, because so many great voices need to be heard. “
What is that Reasonable doubt?
Raamla Mohamed: Reasonable doubt is a legal, sexy, cynical film with funny details. Jax Stewart is the main character, and she’s trying to strike a balance between marriage, work, friends, and all the things that a lot of women are trying to balance. It’s based on a woman named Sean Holly, a defense attorney in LA. She’s like this lousy lawyer. She represents Kim Kardashian, Mike Tyson and Tupac, and has joined OJ [Simpson] law enforcement team as a young lawyer. Larry Wilmore and [executive producer] Kerry Washington met her and liked the idea of making a show based on her. They met me and brought me in, and I started developing the program based on Sean’s amazing legal thinking.
Larry Wilmore: It has all those great elements, and there’s a lot of mystery in this too. There’s a lot in this show that pleases a wide variety of audiences. There is a mystery about who killed the man; There’s a mystery about who you know tied Jax; There is a mystery in Jax’s past and a mystery for the future. I like the fact that there is a soap element and a horror element. At the heart of this dynamic is authenticity and fun, especially when you see her with what we call the Ladaire ladies, her good friends. Raamala’s mission is to have a full-sized Black woman on screen where you see her friends, not just her work. It’s one of my favorite parts of the show.
All episodes are named after Jay-Z songs. What influence did Jay-Z have on the series?
Mohamed: One of my favorite albums is Reasonable doubt by Jay Z. I was in high school when it came out, and I feel like I’ve never heard anything like it. I’ve been a Jay-Z fan ever since. For me, music is as influential as TV and movies. She’s a defense attorney, so apparently, Reasonable doubt is all she is dealing with and talking about. Each episode is a different Jay-Z song. Every song I chose for the episode title fits the theme. He has proven longevity and influence over pop culture, hip-hop and all sections of society. I just love the idea of him representing Black excellence. No brains to get this episode titles inspired by him.
Wilmore: The story of OJ wasn’t that long ago, and it worked great in one of our scenes in episode three. Even though you can look back at Jay-Z, he can still comment on what’s going on.
This is the first performance of the Onyx collective. How is it trying to get it off the ground?
Wilmore: Onyx considers this the kind of perfect performance they should be doing. The show was originally developed for ABC. It was a different version much later; Looking back, we’re glad we didn’t do that version. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it would be a different character. Raama made a version of Jax that we couldn’t do online. I think Onyx saw that and thought: This is the perfect marriage for what we wanted to pose.
Mohamed: Onyx is starting and trying to figure out their brand. ABC Signature wanted the show to be streamed, and I have to credit John Davis and Tracy Underwood for seeing the show’s potential. They thought it was still a great idea and tried again. They gave the producers and I the freedom to do the show we wanted.
Raamla, what did Larry bring to you in this process?
Mohamed: I don’t have to have the best idea in the room; My goal, my North Star, is to make the show the best it can be. For me, it’s helpful to have people who also want to make a really good show and bring in different talents. Larry is bringing in a talent because he was previously a race car driver and a genius. When I get the note, he might say, “Okay, here’s what they’re really saying.” Help me out there.
If you look at Larry’s career over the years, he’s supported a lot of Black creators. I mean, even Quinta Brunson yelled at him during her Emmy Award speech. I’m grateful that being a host and creator, especially your first show, takes a lot of work. As someone who hasn’t done it before, it’s great to have someone who has done so much and is a master at storytelling. He understood the story I wanted to tell, and it’s rare to have a powerful producer to help you do that.
Kerry Washington directed the pilot episode. How did she get into the director’s chair?
Mohamed: Great. What I appreciate about Kerry is that she is very attentive. Even on Scandal, she prepared, did her homework and brought that into the project. When I talked to her about directing, it took her a long time to say yes because she knew she wouldn’t just phone for this. She’s going to give her all and I think she just wants to make sure she has the time and the space. To do it. For some of our larger scenes in the pilot, she had longer rehearsals like a play. Kerry will talk to the actors and prepare them to do their best work. It was her idea to get what she wanted from those performances; I think you see it in the show.
Wilmore: The difference between directing or piloting in an episode is that the decisions you make in a pilot determine the show. Directing is difficult in a TV pilot because so many choices are defining the show. Many discussions are not necessarily “does this scene work?” but “does this program work?” You must have a “I don’t know if this will work” discussion. You have to know why you are having that discussion and be able to come up with a solution. As a director in television, you usually like what people tell you. Fortunately, we don’t have many of those kinds of discussions, but sometimes they do.
Larry, you have produced some of the best shows in television history. How do you choose the projects you commit to?
Wilmore: That’s the voice. People will care about words, but no voice. If you have something to say, it starts with yourself and your observations of the world, but can expand from there. I’ve done a lot of work with different people, but I love supporting us. It has a special meaning to me because that voice I have always found was probably the most muffled in the writers’ room when I arrived.
Reasonable doubt was called ” Scandal of the streaming era. What do you think of that comparison?
Mohamed: I know for sure there will be comparisons. It’s a great program to compare with. Scandal was my first writing job and I learned a lot from Shonda [Rhimes, creator] and all other writers. The training I had to do a broadcast with a lot of episodes felt like the Marines. I learned a lot from Shonda about the importance of personality and telling stories from characters. As we read the table, Shonda’s notes can solve the problems in the script and find solutions. To do that in 100 and several episodes, I mean you’ll learn something.
Larry, you have mentored key black women over the years; Abbott Elementary School Creator Quinta Brunson was cheering you on at the Emmys. What does that mean to you, and why do you feel these relationships work?
Wilmore: I want to support us. I grew up with a single mother. I think part of me has a slight edge in advocating for Black women in the marketplace because I feel like the door hasn’t opened as much as I felt when I arrived. I feel like the more opportunities we have to say something, the more chances we have to say something. Quinta was on Nightly show, and I immediately recognized that she was a force to be reckoned with. We still keep in touch, I’ve developed a few things with her and I just want to see her voice more than anything else. I don’t care if it works for me. It’s great for her to say that, but I like to support her because I feel like everyone should hear from someone like that.
Reasonable doubt Stream on Hulu, and the first episode special airs Thursday at 10 p.m. on ABC.
