In its first two entries, Blindspot has done a great job of establishing what it wants to be while enticing audiences to want more. After the opportunities that arose at the end of last week’s installment, let’s take a look at the show’s third episode, “Eight Slim Grins.”
The episode opens with Jane in a confrontation with the man from her memories. After a very well-choreographed fight sequence (a Blindspot standard), the man reveals that he wants to help her as Jane remembers another little bit more from her past. Just as he’s set to tell her more, though, he is killed before her eyes from gunshots through the windows of her safehouse.
When the FBI intervenes, they find that this man has no record in the system, just like Jane. Agent Weller gets progressively angrier as they get fewer and fewer breaks in this situation with Jane, and he comes to the realization that they can’t protect her as well as they should. This short scene gives us yet another great look at Weller’s mental state, and I really like that the show is turning him into a classic action hero with an atypical backstory. Action heroes are some of the easiest characters in television and film to connect with and root for, and the fact that Kurt also has one of the more complex pasts on TV gives us a depth that we don’t normally see with his type. This may be a subtle characterization decision, but it’s one that I definitely appreciate.
After being kicked off in the previous episode, the FBI continues their investigation into the possibility that Jane may be Taylor Shaw, the girl from Kurt’s past that would explain why his name is on Jane’s body. The evidence from that case has been sent over, and DNA testing is being done that will let everyone know for sure. I know that I keep talking about Kurt’s characterization, but I really love the relationship that’s being built between him and Jane. Sullivan Stapleton has phenomenal on-screen chemistry with Jaimie Alexander, and that chemistry goes a long way in selling this “friendship” (or relationship or whatever the appropriate word for it should be) between the two characters.
The case this week is no more or less interesting than the ones that have come before, but there’s a lot of character and overall story progression mixed in that helps you not really care how great or original the episode’s story is. The action scenes are as well-done as ever, and the case does enough to keep you entertained while you’re waiting on the development to continue. This is an aspect that those that love procedurals will really enjoy with Blindspot, and it (so far) has still managed to be enjoyable enough for viewers that are much more interested in the characters and more serialized elements of the show. That said, the stakes felt higher in this episode for our main characters, and that is a step in the right direction to help ensure series longevity.
In the end, we get a big reveal about Jane’s true identity, but it will be interesting to see how much more there is to this story as we go forward.
Small note, but I really, really love the overhead establishing shots that Blindspot frequently employs. It’s a bird’s-eye view that we don’t normally get to see very often, but Blindspot has used them in very cinematic ways so far. I mentioned it in my review of last week’s episode, but I continue to be very impressed with the visual style of this show. Again, it’s nothing really that special or unusual, but it uses the conventions of the genre in perfect conjunction with the visual presentation, and the result is very powerful and fun to see. Really great job by the crew of the show. Absolutely fantastic musical score, too, one that really helps to sell the big moments while providing a good backdrop during the smaller ones.
I usually feel bad when I use the word “solid” to describe the episode of a show because I feel that it has a negative connotation in reviews, but it’s the best way that I know to describe “Eight Slim Grins.” It was a very solid episode of a very solid series. The thing that makes that word mean more with Blindspot than with many other shows, though, is that every episode so far has been solid. That’s something that few shows are able to do these days, and it speaks highly of the quality of Blindspot. As I’ve mentioned before, few elements of the show are absolutely original inventions, but Blindspot uses the material so well and in a fantastic equation that I look forward to new episodes more and more each week. Is it perfect? No. Few shows ever are or ever will be. But Blindspot is one of the most entertaining things on television this season, and I hope that more and more people check it out as time goes on.
Above all else, though, I think we can all just be thankful that Jaimie Alexander is on our TV every week.
What did you think of “Eight Slim Grins?” Has Blindspot managed to captivate you yet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below, and be sure to check in next Monday for another review!
[Photo credit: Peter Kramer/NBC]
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