Now that’s what I call a confident pilot.
Right from its incredible teaser, Blindspot knows what kind of show it wants to be. An amnesiac woman is found in the middle of Times Square, and for some inexplicable reason, she’s covered in mysterious tattoos from head to toe. Intriguing enough hook for ya?
As the show’s central character, Jaimie Alexander is terrific as Jane Doe (ha!). Much like Alias‘ Jennifer Garner, she’s vulnerable when the moment calls for it (I almost got teary-eyed watching her break down as she discovered her tattoos in the mirror), and kickass during the show’s action beats. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the show’s other lead: FBI agent Kurt Weller played by Sullivan Stapleton. It’s obvious the writing team put minimal effort into crafting the character, because he’s the tough-guy stereotype in every way. No quirks, no defining characteristics – zilch. Seeing as how he’s an integral part of the show, that could be quite problematic in the long run. It also doesn’t help that Stapelton isn’t the most charismatic of actors, severely lacking in screen presence. Here’s hoping he can be prove me wrong.
Going forward, the premise definitely lends itself to long term potential. The writers can use the infinite number of tattoos on Jane’s body for their case-of-the-week aspirations, while propelling the larger mystery surrounding Jane as the overarching story-arc. The fact that Mayfair, Kurt’s boss, has secrets of her own (also linked to Jane’s tattoos) means even more fascinating mysterious are at hand. Just like Lucifer, I hope the standalone cases don’t take center stage or else it will be difficult for me to remain invested on a weekly basis.
Finally, there’s a nifty little twist in the pilot’s final moments (which I won’t spoil here). It’s effective, and it adds a whole set of questions to the proceedings. Color me curious!
Conclusion
With a high-concept premise and a stellar leading lady, Blindspot can certainly become next season’s breakout show. It just needs to figure out how to better handle its male lead. Also, I keep remembering Prison Break. Must be the tattoos huh?
Nad Rating
B+