Shows with complex and growing mythologies are nothing new. Many of the best shows that have come and gone employed this approach. However, it’s this same strength that could easily hurt this show creatively as audiences have seen so much and don’t just want the same recycled thing.
The new Warner Bros. Television series “Blindspot” is intriguing enough, but still has a lot of work to convince me it’s not better as a one short season type show.
The action thriller stars Sullivan Stapleton (“Strike Back”, “Kill Me Three Times”), Jaimie Alexander (“Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”, “Thor: The Dark World”), Rob Brown (“Don Jon”, “Treme”), Audrey Esparza (“Public Morals”, “Madam Secretary”), Ashley Johnson (“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012 TV series)”, “Stalker”), Ukweli Roach (“The Royals”, “Silk”), and Marianne Jean-Baptiste (“Broadchurch”, “Edge of Tomorrow”).
The series was created by Martin Gero (“Dark Matter”, “The L.A. Complex”).
The series debuted on the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) on Sept. 21, 2015.
I couldn’t resist the allure of a show about a woman with no memory and many tattoos. I think it’s the simple fact that that’s the overall mystery and it sounded intriguing enough. Of course there’s an even better question, how will this show make it as a full season let alone a series? Well, that’s part of what may make tuning in each week worth it.
While this new drama thriller doesn’t necessarily bring anything new to this genre or for the network, it knows how to hook you after one episode. The way the episode ended, just had me asking more questions and wondering why and it’s because of this that I will say I was sold on it. At least enough to give it my standard six episodes before I keep it or abandon it. For a show like this it needs a good hook beyond just the general premise, which is usually given in the trailer. Now I know that that hook is and am excited for Monday’s.
While I love that I’m intrigued by this show, I can’t help but note that it’s also just another case of the week police procedural. We seem to get them every year, and to varying degrees of success. “The Blacklist” seems to be doing just fine, but can this similarly structured show find it’s own groove and not screw up with the mythology, which is even more crucial than the character developments. Time will tell.
Really, the next crucial element to this show, as it was partly marketed on this, is the action. So far, it had some pretty good action. There was one nice fight scene that I like the most, but hopefully there’ll be more like it, but not wasted on situations that Alexander just stumbles upon. The scene I’m speaking of, in case you haven’t seen it or don’t want to, whatever, is when Alexander, Stapleton and other FBI agents are investigating an address they found. While there, and Stapleton’s talking with the person that lives at the address, Alexander hears noises and is drawn in. It turns out, it’s a man abusing his wife. Things get violent with Alexander doing most of the beating up of the men attacking her. I guess that’s what you get when you interfere. While this scene was really exciting, there wasn’t a lot of other sequences that I can recall. Thrilling moments in the process of uncovering information (the poking and prodding of Alexander montage), and some policing moments due to the investigation, but that’s it. The action didn’t saturate the episode, but it certainly leaves me wanting more.
By the close of the episode, I don’t feel like there was a lot of personal information given about the characters. Interestingly enough, and I think this has more to do with the rest of the show, I wan’t bothered by that. The determination that each character had to figure out who this mysterious woman is, and why she pointed straight towards an FBI agent, was gripping enough to stick with them. I’m confident, as the writers have no choice, that we’ll get the growth, depth and relationship building that we need to stick with this show and care for these people, or possibly hate them if they turn out to be traitors or something.
As I like to do sometimes, let’s talk about ratings! With a lead in of “The Voice” this show is pretty much destined to keep a lot of eyeballs. The ratings for this episode weren’t bad, but leave a lot of room for improvement, as well as the opportunity to fall drastically. The premier garnered, according to TVLine, 10.6 million viewers, which could easily drop by two or three or more. Right now, I’m not too worried. I think this lead in will continually support the show, even if it falls below 10 million viewers. I’ll certainly give it my attention for the next five weeks, and hopefully longer.
It’s a show with many mysterious threads going every which way and banking that that’ll be enough to keep your attention. Right now, the premise doesn’t fully seem ridiculous, has done it’s job. I don’t think I was skeptical, but going through the episode I just had to be careful as at any moment it could turn out not like I was expecting. Fortunately, my excitement was rewarded.
Series trailer:
...Everything in Between 