by Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer
Some movies don’t translate to TV. There’s something about the cinematic experience that just doesn’t work the same way on the silver screen. But lately, shows that come from movies have been crushing it. A more contained story, along with characters we love from a movie, can adapt to the different format. The most recent show that excels at this is Blindspotting, which just wrapped up its second season.
Blindspotting the movie is about a group of people from Oakland, California at a crossroads in their lives. Collin (Daveed Diggs), wrapping up his probation after being in jail for a fight, has a crisis of identity and pride in his hometown. His main struggles are about how Oakland is being gentrified, and what he should do about his childhood best friend Miles (Rafael Casal), who has a tendency to ask recklessly and potentially risk his freedom. Complicating matters for Collin is that he witnesses an incident with a police officer that triggers his incarceration. Blindspotting is such a great movie with fantastic messaging on race, the police, and how to handle other people’s experiences. It also is a beautiful piece of art with amazing performances and music.
The show, Blindspotting, though, focuses on Miles and his partner Ashley (Jasmine Cephas Jones) and their son Sean (Atticus Woodward). Collin, seemingly having got his life together, is nowhere to be found, except for excerpts and sparse passing moments. After Miles is sent to jail in the pilot, Ashley, who lost everything due to Miles’ arrest, has to move in with Miles’ family, including his sister, Trish (Jaylen Barron), and his mom, Rainey (Helen Hunt). Ashley has to navigate life with a kid without her partner, while also balancing her life in Oakland.
Jones is dynamite as Ashley. She has the range to pull off a variety of different situations. Honestly, we can’t blame her, though, because she’s in an extremely tough situation with Miles in jail. She’s raising Sean on her own, and is constantly coming into conflict with the people she lives with. Sensing a lot of pressure from her situation, Ashley makes an uncharacteristic mistake. It’s understandable, but after a movie and one season of watching her, it feels like an odd choice to make. I understand people aren’t always perfect, but this mistake doesn’t work for me, and causes irrevocable damage to Ashley as a character, and affects everyone around her. I’m curious to see if it comes back to haunt her at some point down the road.
The movie and show have a few connections beyond the characters. The themes are still there, particularly about the police. In addition to Miles having legal trouble, their neighbor Earl (Benjamin Earl Turner) has incarceration issues. Earl has a supportive parole officer, but also deals with the trauma of being in jail. He is one of the most interesting characters of Season One, but doesn’t get as much time in Season Two.
One of my favorite parts of both seasons of Blindspotting is how it incorporates artistic ways to tell stories. Whether they’re using rap, dance, or poetry, every episode usually has a moment like this, and they’re gorgeous. They’re beautifully shot, well choreographed, and stunningly written. Most of the performers get to do something like these artistic moments, and it again shows the range that all of them possess. Combine these moments with a killer soundtrack, and Blindspotting might be one of the most artistic shows of 2023.
The other part of Blindspotting that stands out is its themes and messages. Incarceration is one of the main ones, and the series goes to great lengths to talk about how the legal system doesn’t always get things right, that individuals are over-sentenced, and that trauma from being in prison shouldn’t be ignored. The effects that it has on other people, not just the main characters, last for spans of episodes. We don’t have anything to the effect of what happens in the movie in terms of the police, but Blindspotting says a lot when it comes to prison.
The final episode of this season got a mixed reaction from me. I did find it somewhat hard to believe what happens to everyone at their party, but it’s all the product of Ashley’s mistake from earlier in the season. I’m also torn on the cameo at the end of the finale. It seems a little premature, considering everything that has happened to Miles and Ashley since the beginning of the season.
Nevertheless, Blindspotting is unlike anything I’ve ever seen on television. It’s a dynamic and imaginative series that manages to say a lot about life in prison, and about the experience these people have been part in Oakland life. All the performances are amazing, even if some people’s roles shift in focus. If they can make an episode similar to the ones where there’s art or spoken words, it would be a fitting end to the season. Starz is one of the better channels for original content, so if you’re looking for something one-of-a-kind, Blindspotting is worth a look. I’m not sure it’s worth spending money on buying the whole season yet, but Season Two has some strong character moments mixed in with an emotional gut punch in the finale two episodes.
Score: 7/10
Blindspotting is currently streaming on Starz
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