Thursday, September 29, 2016

Blindspot 2x03 Review: "Hero Fears Imminent Rot" (The Fuzzy Bunny Feels) [Contributor: Jen]


"Hero Fears Imminent Rot" 
Original Airdate: September 28, 2016

There were a lot of the fuzzy bunny feels in "Hero Fears Imminent Rot." Unfortunately, it was less of, "Aww isn't Jeller the cutest?" and more of, "That's absolutely terrifying." Thanks for the imagery and probably nightmares, Blindspot!


CASE OF THE WEEK


Is Jane ever not the case of the week? Eh. Not really.

Confession time: I found it hard to concentrate on the case because I was much more interested in what was happening over at Project Looney Tune (a.k.a. Sandstorm). Everyone on Team Sandstorm is legit unhinged, and it is fun to watch. Every time they cut away, I'm always shouting, "Ah man. Go back! I wanna see what's happening in crazy town!"

Jane's tattoo of an olive branch, oak branch, and torch are images found on a dime. The outline of the tattoo is in the shape of Vieques — a Puerto Rican island the Navy used as a weapons testing site. Two residents of Vieques are understandably upset when their loved ones die from cancer caused by the illegal weapons testing. So, they decide to start blowing up New York City to send a message — using dime bombs. I actually understood this tattoo! I was so happy.

Enter: Team Blindspot to the rescue. Kurt almost talks the suspect down... until Nas puts a bullet in him. (Those two really need to work on their communication skills). Zappata and Reade shoot the crap out of the bomb to stop it from detonating because apparently that's a thing you can do in television. Annnnd... we're done with this storyline. We now return you to your regularly scheduled Sandstorm crazy.

TEAM SANDSTORM


Jane is in trouble.

First, she flunks Mama Sandstorm's test by refusing to assassinate one of their contacts. He failed to produce the microchip that was promised, and Team Sandstorm doesn't do the whole "forgiveness" thing well (or at all). Good to know. Just when it seems like Jane has reasoned her way out of killing this guy, Roman shoots him. Point blank. With no hesitation. It's brutal.

Concerned with her inability to pull the trigger, Roman tells Jane about the bunnies they were given as pets in the Orphanage for Future Assassins. The caretakers ordered the children to kill the bunnies after they grew to love them. Jane was the first to snap her bunny's neck. Eesh.

It brings up a question in Jane: is she a killer? She admits to Dr. Borden that she feels the urge to pull the trigger whenever she holds a gun. Okaaaay... we should probably talk about that more, Jane. She wonders if she's deranged. (Okay. Maybe not you, Jane. Although, I'm starting to wonder about Remi a little...)

Dr. Borden makes the valid point that instinct and conscience work in partnership with each other. Your conscience can override your impulses, and it seems Jane's have — for the most part. The real question though is, who is in the driver's seat? Is it Jane or Remi? Ah, the glorious identity question. Just buckle up friends, because we're not getting an answer on this any time soon. (Spoiler alert: it's obviously going to be Jane.)

Here's the issue — the more Jane overrides her impulses, the more she overrides Remi, and the more danger she's in with Sandstorm. Roman tells Jane what happened to his bunny when he couldn't kill it. The caretakers cut open the belly and let the animal bleed out in front of him. Roman can still hear the screams.

Seriously, I'm never looking at bunnies the same ever again. Thanks a lot, Gero. Not cool! These kids literally grew up in Silence of the Lambs. Who grows up in Silence of the Lambs and turns out remotely normal?! Nobody. That's who.

The silver lining is that there seems to be an off switch to the "killer instinct" programmed into Remi and Roman. For Remi, it's her experiences as Jane (*cough*Weller*cough*). For Roman... it's Remi. After she fails to assassinate her target, Roman covers for her. He tells Shepherd that Jane pulled the trigger, and she's welcomed back into the fold. It's the first time Roman chooses Jane over Sandstorm — over Shepherd — and it's significant.

Jane is Roman's override. He loves his sister, and that is more powerful than the impulse to kill.

TEAM BLINDSPOT


Jane was off her game this week because she was suddenly confronted with the cold reality that she was a killer. While Zappata was snarking about her lack of focus (so much for the thaw), it was Reade who came to her defense. He reminded Zappata of all the times Jane has saved them and how much she's gone through. It's amazing Jane hasn't had an "off day" before.

As I said last week, Reade and Jane will be the start of the Team Blindspot rebuild, and we're seeing it begin now. Out of all the team members, Reade had the least connection with Jane. In fact, he flat-out distrusted her. In some ways, Reade's blindspot last year was to Jane's goodness. However, he was able to see Jane more clearly in ways the other members of the team, especially Weller, couldn't.

It seems like Reade has virtually no blindspot this year when it comes to Jane, which allows him to see both sides clearly. His newfound sympathy toward Jane comes from a deeper understanding of what she's going through — because Reade fears he's going through the same thing.

In a deeply powerful performance, Reade confesses to Zappata that Freddy suggested he testify against the coach as a victim. He admits he's lost time from that period in his life. He doesn't remember it the way he does other moments, and it's terrifying him. It's an absolutely heartbreaking scene and Rob Brown blew me away. Reade knows — on a deeper level — the fear and uncertainty Jane feels. He doesn't know what happened to him, and in some ways, that's forcing Reade to question who he is. As much as Reade loves and trusts Zappata, there's really only one person who can understand. So, Reade softening towards Jane isn't really a surprise to me. And I won't be surprised when he reaches out to her for help either.

It wasn't all doom and gloom though among Team Blindspot this week. Patterson and Borden kissed! This was the subsequent conversation my husband and I had:
Me: Don't be the mole! 
Husband: He's the mole. 
Me: No! 
Husband: Yes! 
Me: ... I find you irritating.
Dr. Borden cannot be the mole because I will cry a thousand tears... which means he probably is the mole. And Nas listening in on the therapy sessions really isn't doing much to bolster my confidence in his innocence either. For now, let us live in blissful ignorance and enjoy the puppies and rainbows that is Dr. Borden and Patterson's adorkable courtship.


KURT AND JANE



Nas was all for Jane taking the shot. Is she wrong? Is one life the cost of doing business to save thousands — perhaps millions — more? Is Jane's morality something to be bargained with? Is that what she signed up for? Nas says yes. Weller says no. Of course they don't agree. These two can't agree which side of the sandwich the peanut butter and the jelly go on.

Personally, I think Jane made the right call. I have to believe Team Blindspot can stop Team Sandstorm without becoming them. Otherwise, what's the difference between the good guys and the bad guys? What are they really fighting for if one life isn't valued? Furthermore, Jane won't stop Sandstorm as Remi. She's going to stop them as Jane and she can't do that if she consistently puts Jane's instincts aside in favor of Remi's.

Kurt tells Jane that she's not Taylor Shaw and that she's not Remi. She's... Jane — whoever that is. The only way to figure out who she is is for Jane to follow her instincts. Her instincts. Not Nas'. Not Mama Sandstorm's. Not Roman's. Not even Kurt's. If Jane doesn't know who to trust, then she has to start by trusting herself. She has to know, in her gut, that she's not a killer. She's a good person.

Kurt Weller says he doesn't know who Jane Doe is. But deep down, he does. He may be angry with Jane. He may feel betrayed. He may not trust her. However, when Kurt steps away from the anger, fear, distrust, and betrayal and views her only with the love in his heart... he sees Jane clearly once again. The blindspots are gone. The goodness in Jane that made Kurt believe she was Taylor Shaw is still there.

I realize we're only a three episodes into season two, but it's rather hysterical to me this is Kurt Weller's level best at being emotionally unattached. Homeboy was nearing DEFCON 3 when he couldn't reach her. For a minute, I thought he was calling in the National Guard to look for Jane. Would we be surprised if he had? Nope. He was willing to blow the entire operation to check on Jane at her safe house. What if she overslept, Weller? I know the urge to bring her coffee, toast, and snuggles is strong, but calm down, dude.

Obviously, she didn't oversleep because she's Jane. Jane doesn't oversleep and she's "in bed" (Ha! Get it?) with the world's most dangerous terrorist organization — also known as "the fam." So I'm not saying Kurt's freak-out is unwarranted. I'm just saying play it a little cooler, my friend. Your fuzzy bunny feels are showing. A lot.

Speaking of bunnies, I'm quite certain Martin Gero doesn't read my Blindspot reviews. So, I'm going to assume the writers are unaware of my near-constant references to Kurt Weller and his "fuzzy bunny feelings" when they chose bunnies to show the psychological torture Remi and Roman experienced in the orphanage. That said, BUNNIES? REALLY? Couldn't you have picked, I don't know, a hamster or something?

Roman leaves Jane with a chilling and terrifying warning: "I can't save you a second time. So if you can't wake up the real Remi on your own, I'm gonna find your rabbit and I'm gonna make him bleed."

Kurt Weller is Jane's bunny. If you are doubting that even for a second, allow Martin Gero's confirmation by retweet to nullify your uncertainty:


(Luke Mitchell, who plays Roman, retweeted as well, so I'd say it's a safe bet Jane's boys are going to face off. And soon.)

Stray Thoughts:
  • Blindspot needs to cool it on the flashbacks from one episode prior. Having a little faith that your audience has the retention of a ten-year-old would be nice.
  • Was Kurt thinking about the ultrasound during his near-death experience supposed to make us believe he wants to be a father now? His thirty other near-death experiences don't count? Sloppy.
  • Someone just needs to yank those headphones from Nas and ask, "Is that the new Beyonce?" I double dare you, Patterson.
  • Little Bro is cray cray! Jaimie Alexander's freaked-out expression communicating as such was priceless.

5 comments:

  1. I have a theory for Borderson (I love to use this ship name...) I seems to me that, since we learn during season 2 premiere that there's a mole inside the FBI, Dr Borden is having more and more numbers to win this raffle. But, I remember last year, when Jane was 'totally' Taylor by episode 5. But in the end she's not.
    So, I'm REALLY hoping now, and jumping on this with only my faith and my hunch, that this applies to Dr Borden and he's not the mole.
    I'll easy assume that somehow Martin Gero and/or the Blindspot writers read some of your reviews... they totally should! :)

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  2. Great Job!!! I hope borden is not the mole. I think it is either Pellington or Ally. I hope....Please don't be Borden. Borden is my Bunny.

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  3. Great Job!!! I hope borden is not the mole. I think it is either Pellington or Ally. I hope....Please don't be Borden. Borden is my Bunny.

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  4. I, too, think the mole is Ally. What woman in her mind would let Weller go out the door without a fight? It was too easy a brush off.

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  5. That is a very good review as always! You're doing such a good job (saying what's in my head..lol) pointing out all the details that makes everything. As for Borden, I don't know what to think, because it's too obvious (I know the writers love to mess with us) or if it's him, I hope he'll change his mind, at least for Patterson, because come on, she's already suffered enough. Let's hope.
    A bientôt et Merci!

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