Blindspot is now on Netflix, and there are some good reasons to watch this NBC drama that still holds up well!
Premiering on NBC in 2015, the opening scene of Blindspot grabs you from the start. When a large bag is found in the middle of Times Square, there are worries it’s a bomb. Instead, it’s a woman (Jaimie Alexander) with no memory of her past whose naked body is covered in tattoos. These tattoos somehow form clues to either past crimes or those about to be committed.
Kurt Weller (Sullivan Stapleton) heads up an FBI unit dedicated to finding out what the tattoos mean, who did them, and just who Jane Doe (as they call her) really is. The show ran for five seasons, wrapping up in 2020. It’s now hitting Netflix in full for a great binge, and here are some reasons why if you didn’t see it on NBC, you should check it out now!
Jaimie Alexander is terrific
Best known as Lady Sif in the Thor movies, Alexander shines in her leading role. Yes, the series does push her sex appeal (her first scene is naked), but Alexander also captures the dramatic touches of a woman with no idea who she is or why she’s involved in this strange conspiracy. Alexander pulls the viewer in with her performance, making Jane more than a blank slate.
Alexander gets better material as the series goes on, with the story deepening. She still gets great action scenes with a wicked turn on the character that allows her more nuance. It’s Alexander’s show and she is marvelous in a lead role that makes Jane one of the more compelling TV heroines of the later 2010s.
The twists are plentiful
The show loves its twists and you can always count on a couple of huge ones every season. Just when you think you know exactly how a case is going, the writers pull a turn that throws you off your feet. That allows the usual procedural format to sparkle and the cases to be entertaining.
For the bigger story arcs, the series loves to keep you off-balance. That includes the constant revelations about Jane’s past and why she was put into this position, and the later seasons amp it up with further turns. The series always keeps you guessing for answers, meaning you have to stay invested in it.
The supporting cast can be a blast
While Alexander is the focus, she has a good supporting cast around her. Stapleton matches Alexander as Kurt, a tough agent with his own secret life. Naturally, there’s a romance growing between them, although some major complications can hurt it over the years. Through it all, the chemistry between Stapleton and Alexander is top-notch and has you buying this complicated relationship in its ups and downs.
For the rest of the cast, Ashley Johnson is a bright spot as Patterson, the FBI tech analyzing the tattoos, always there with a quip and some sharp insight. Edgar Reade (Rob Brown) and Tasha Zapata (Audrey Esparza) are capable teammates who have their own storylines (such as Tasha’s gambling problem).
Later long-term guest stars include the always great Archie Panjabi as a team leader and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as a top villainess. That good ensemble aids Blindspot as you can enjoy the full team adventures.
The action is tremendous
For a 2010s NBC show, the series has some action sequences as good as any film. Alexander goes whole-hog in some fight scenes to the point of earning some injuries. That’s believable as the show has a lot of fights and stunts and amps it up in the later years with bigger set pieces. The action can be frantic with plenty of “race against the clock” moments and leaves you truly worried for the characters. Blindspot was one of the most action-packed NBC shows of its time and more of a thrill on Netflix.
It can be funny
While the action and drama are clear, the show also has a good sense of humor at times. There are offbeat cases and fun in things like Patterson having a weird flashback trip. Probably the most inventive idea was that Patterson’s father is Bill Nye. No, not played by Bill Nye, he was literally Bill Nye as her dad and oddly fit in perfectly.
Hands down, the biggest laughs come from Ennis Esmer as Rich Dotcom, an Internet crime lord. At first, an antagonist, Rich became so popular with viewers that he was made a regular cast member in season 3. He’s an absolute riot with his nutty behavior, one-liners, and driving everyone else crazy, and he provides much-needed levity to a sometimes somber show. So an episode can produce unexpected laughs amid the action.
The finale is thought-provoking
The series ended in its fifth season with a major finale that brought so many plot threads over the run to a close. What made it stand out is the ending itself. Without giving away too many spoilers, the show closed out with a final scene that can be read as either a happy ending for everyone or a darker one for a more realistic turn.
Fans still debate over what it means and what really happened. It makes sense that a show all about mystery, identity, and unsure what was real or not could end on an ambiguous note, but that just makes Blindspot all the more daring as an NBC thriller and why bingeing it should be on anyone’s list!
All five seasons of Blindspot are currently available to stream on Netflix.