Blindspot Review: Senile Lines (Season 2 Episode 18)

Remember how “Solos” ends with the team getting served with notice that they’re being investigated for aiding Sandstorm? Well, Blindspot Season 2 Episode 18 “Senile Lines” is equal parts that investigation, a tattoo case, a farewell, and a beginning.

And yet once again, none of it seems to have made any difference as far as Sandstorm and Phase II is concerned.

Let’s start with the investigation. We’ve seen this before. It’s not the first time Team Weller has been investigated, and it seems like an odd time to lay charges against them.

The only consequence this story-line really has, is giving someone a reason to drag each member of the team into an interview room and go over each and every one of their “mistakes.”

So this means that Patterson gets to talk about Borden some more, Jane Doe gets reprimanded for wiping Roman’s memory, and Weller is basically being questioned about Shepherd’s ongoing interest in him.

All in all, the interview plot is pretty pointless–until the end, when Nas throws herself on her sword to protect the team. She says this is because she’s been chasing Sandstorm long enough and it is time to pass the torch, but the timing feels too convenient.

If there’s one thing that partaking in mysteries has taught me, it’s that if something seems to convenient, it probably is.

I don’t buy Nas as a sacrificial lamb, and it’s because she seems very bad at tracking any part of Sandstorm.

For that reason, I still can’t rule Nas out as a mole and I get the feeling we’ll be seeing her in final episodes.

Alongside the investigation is a case into a privately-funding foster home, and the death of a teenage girl named Amber.

In the last several weeks, I’ve been frustrated with the tattoo cases that seem to have no connection with Sandstorm, but in another odd coincidence, this one seems to have be the perfect first case to get Roman out into the field.

The case involves a company that is using foster kids as guinea pigs in illegal drug trials. It’s a heartbreaking case, but it feels oddly appropriate that it would be the first one that Roman is assigned to.

This story-line feels like it’s been manufactured to spotlight Jane and Roman in the most obvious way possible. I am very happy to see Roman out of his cell and I want to see him and Jane get a shot at a normal sibling relationship, but this feels too perfect.

As stated in the episode, Roman is cleared to work Sandstorm cases, not tattoo cases. Makes sense, because as we’ve established, tattoo cases don’t always have an immediate connection to Sandstorm.

While all of this is happening, Reed is in the hospital. After watching him decline into substance abuse, it feels great to see him make some emotional progress with his demons.

I like Reed, and I am glad that Blindspot is giving all of their characters a little extra backstory, but I am getting a little tired of seeing this plot drag on.

Being stuck in the hospital room with a  veteran who is a former alcoholic, and drug addict suffering from PTSD seems to be just the wake-up call he needed. Reed’s history with his former coach is a trauma, and he has to deal with it.

And it didn’t hurt that when he decides to confront that demon, Tasha shows up at the door. He’s already said that he loves her, so let’s see where this goes.

And the last note from this episode, the big reveal, is where Shepherd has been since she disappeared. I have been really frustrated by the lack of progress the FBI is making in regards to what Phase II is, or involves.

Well, now at least we have some clue, even if the FBI doesn’t.

The final scene depicts Shepherd in Bangkok buying the final piece for Phase II. For the price of $20 million, the back door of a truck opens to reveal radioactive waste.

Shepherd won’t tell the driver what it’s for, but leaves him with: “you might want to avoid the western hemisphere.”

So while we have no idea what Sandstorms exact plans are, here’s what we do know: Nas’s parting gift, a way to shut down Sandstorm’s funds, is basically useless now if they have everything they need.

So Phase II is moving forward–whatever that means!

What did you think of this episode of Blindspot? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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Blindspot airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on NBC.

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