Saturday, March 10, 2018

Blindspot 3x14 Review: "Everlasting" (Listen to Patterson) [Contributor: Jen]


"Everlasting"
Original Airdate: March 9, 2018

"Everlasting" is possibly the first episode title of Blindspot that makes grammatical sense. It's also the episode where Patterson hovers between life and death in some weird purgatory, chooses life, and tells everyone to get their crap together.


CASE OF THE WEEK


Don't ask me how one of Patterson's flunkies solved a Jane tattoo. It involved pie. A whole lot of math leads to a number sequence which leads to three autopsy reports of three dead marines. They all died the same day, but were not in the same battle or even the same zip code. Each died of an accidental drug overdose, but Patterson believes the autopsies were doctored. Unfortunately, she cannot exhume the bodies because they were cremated.

There is a cutting-edge and volatile test which allows Patterson to find toxin in cremates. However, Colonel Sara Ferguson — the medical examiner — is appalled that Patterson believes the military doctored the autopsies and bristles at the request for the ashes. General Mahoney arrives and orders the Colonel to hand over the remains. One of the soldiers was under Mahoney's command and he's desperate to know what really happened to him.

(Me, to myself: The really helpful general totally did it.)

The test sounds good in theory until it explodes and takes Patterson with it. We then begin the loop as she hovers between life and death. Patterson continues to relive the same day over and over. Think a spiritual version of Groundhog Day. However, Patterson's purgatory includes a naked Roman in an elevator and Team Blindspot as the characters from The Breakfast Club, so can we stay forever? Patterson's mind is genius in many ways.

Patterson figures out the soldiers didn't overdose, but were poisoned and — spoiler alert — helpful general totally killed them. He sent the U.S. marines into a black ops mission in China where they died from a gas attack. The mission was not sanctioned, but ordered exclusively by the general. Then he covered it up by doctoring the autopsies and killing coroners. He blew up the lab to destroy the only remaining evidence.

Dear Blindspot,

Stop casting recognizable actors as the bad guys, because they are recognizable and we figure it out immediately.

Love,
Me

Patterson's struggle and decision between life and death culminates into her kicking Mahoney's butt ninja-Jane-Doe style. I know it sounds confusing, but just go with it because it was awesome. In the process, Patterson is also able to come to some peace about her past.

TEAM BLINDSPOT



The real purpose of the purgatory loop was to force Patterson to deal with her painful past once and for all. Patterson has been hiding in her work — refusing to live her life — since Borden's betrayal, which only compounded her guilt and grief over David. The wonderful part of television purgatory worlds is the dead come back to impart some wisdom. David tells Patterson, "I want you to be kind to yourself." Ugh, I miss David. He was the best.

Solving the case wasn't enough to break the loop. Patterson blames herself for the deaths of David, FBI Director Pellington, Stuart, and Borden's betrayal. They all come back to help Patterson forgive herself. Yes, Patterson must forgive herself but she also has to choose life. David tells her: "There's more to life than work."

Pellington, Stuart, and David tell Patterson it's okay to let go and they can take her home. Meanwhile at this point I am screaming, "Don't go to the light, Patterson!" It's not a light per say, but an elevator with an X painted on it — not unlike the X-men steel door. Have I mentioned Patterson's mind is wonderful?

Patterson realizes she's not ready to go, no matter how much she misses David. After she kicks some general butt, Patterson is finally able to say goodbye to David. She finally closes the door on her past and opens the door to the future — one that may involve a date with a cute doctor.

However, the lessons Patterson learns don't only apply to her. She has been adamant that Tasha tell Reade how she feels. The day begins with Reade announcing his engagement to Meg and asking Tasha to be his best man. Ouch. Friend-zoned hard. Patterson's purgatory/dream/afterlife humorously deals with the ridiculousness that is Reade and Zapata's stubbornness by facing it head on. Patterson interrupts Reade's announcement and tells it like it is: "Don't marry Meg. You two love each other. Make it work."

During another loop neither Reade or Zapata have ever heard of Meg and instead are announcing their own engagement. Zapata's obnoxiously large engagement ring is hilarious.

Patterson is the captain of every ship on Blindspot. Unfortunately, Reade and Zapata have a longer way to go in reality. Tasha agrees to be Reade's best man. She curls up next to Patterson in the hospital bed and once again advises Tasha to tell Reade the truth by saying: "When I was out, I realized we are all repeating the same mistakes." PREACH IT, GIRL.

Zapata agrees to think about it, which shines some very serious light on a romance with Reade. Patterson is always right. If the team just listened to her sooner they could avoid 99.999% of their drama. The upside is they do eventually listen, which means Tasha will eventually tell Reade the truth. But hopefully not ON the wedding day.

KURT AND JANE


It's a quiet Jeller episode because Patterson is doing all the heavy lifting. However, we do find out that Avery's father was highly involved in Crawford's dirty dealings. Jane is freaking out about telling Avery and tainting her father's memory. She wants to investigate more, double check the evidence, and be sure before she tells Avery. Wow. It's almost like Jane is an FBI agent. THY NAME IS CHARACTER GROWTH.

Unfortunately, due diligence isn't really the reason for her hesitation and Patterson smells Jane's nonsense even when she's trapped in purgatory. When Patterson wakes she tells Jane and Kurt to tell Avery the truth: "You two have been torn apart apart by half-truths. Don't go through that again with Avery. This is your chance to break that loop."

Say it louder for the people in the back! I think the tagline: "Stop lying, Jeller" should be inserted into every conversation. Maybe then Kurt and Jane would get it through their thick skulls that lying is BAD. Bless Patterson for saying this. Hopefully, Kurt and Jane listen. If they do, they'll certainly be the better for it. This is the reason why Blindspot can never kill Patterson — she is the anchor. Patterson is what holds Team Blindspot to the ground.

Stray Thoughts:

  • Constantly repeating the case is really helpful when I'm writing my notes. Can we do this every week Blindspot?
  • Roman is totally Bender. I also appreciate Blindspot making Kurt and Jane Allison and Andrew, because they end up together in The Breakfast Club.
  • Patterson blames herself for Pellington's death? I missed that I guess.
  • Of course Borden is alive, Patterson. It's freaking Blindspot.

0 comments:

Post a Comment