One of these tans is not like the other.
Warning: Full spoilers from the episode follow.
So this week’s Blindspot didn’t get off to a great start. After the promising cliffhanger at the end of the second episode, “Eight Slim Grins” promptly killed off the one guy who might have had answers about who Jane was. Not only that, but he wasn’t even “in the system,” resulting in yet another convenient dead end for the FBI.
On the bright side, this week’s procedural case was much more interesting (and plausible) than the last. The idea behind the “Candymen” — discharged Navy SEALs becoming jewel thieves — was not only clever but also brought about some entertaining set pieces. The hospital shootout, for example, was fun to watch and suitably intense — even if it did end with Robek dying before he could say anything useful. (Seriously, can one person with answers not croak moments after they’re asked anything?) At least he gave Jane one honest clue — “Orion” — which as Zapata noted is frustratingly vague. But, hey, it’s something.
Meanwhile, the group dynamic this week was hit or miss. At this point, Jane’s constant need to disobey orders has gotten tiresome, not to mention her complaining about not having a gun — and I lost count the number of times she badgered Weller about his conversation with Mayfair. Weller, meanwhile, wasn’t much better here, pulling the same “stern father” routine over and over. Honestly, Reade was the only one making any sense, as he rightfully questioned whether Weller’s blind trust in Jane was becoming a conflict of interest. To that end, I didn’t really buy the fact that Reade agreed to let Jane become an official member of the team.
“Go to your room!”
That said, Jane and Weller did have a pretty good rapport during the hospital scenes — maybe because Jane finally got the gun she was clamoring for all episode long. (Hopefully now that she’s packing she’ll come off as less of a nuisance to the rest of the group.) I also enjoyed Jane’s scene with Patterson, talking about the tangrams. In general, Patterson is one of my favorite characters right now, if only because she adds levity to the otherwise humorless cast of characters.
Of course, the big reveal that Mayfair can’t be trusted was easily the highlight of this episode and gave the show some much-needed perspective. It was also a great twist, having one of the big bads be on the inside, and it lends to the theory that the people who wiped Jane’s memory might not necessarily be the opposition. In fact, they may be trying to expose Mayfair and “Daylight,” whatever that is. In any case, consider my interest piqued.
“Eight Thin Grins” didn’t have the best payoff for last week’s cliffhanger, but its case of the week was at least somewhat enjoyable. While the group dynamic still needs to find its groove, the show’s action and mystery remain compelling. It helped that this episode ended with a major twist to draw us back into the main storyline.
