Blindspot Review: My Art Project (Season 4 Episode 2)

Things are getting complicated on Blindspot Season 4 Episode 2, “My Art Project.”

Blindspot, for the most part, has been a plot-driven show that focuses on case-of-the-week with an overarching mystery. “My Art Project” puts the characters front and center and it’s working, partially because of Remi’s return.

Fans have spent several seasons following Jane. But, Jane is a different person and she’s been erased, much like Remi was during the pilot episode, but now Remi is back and she’s got a diabolical plan that involves freeing her mother and killing Kurt.

Jaime Alexander’s performance as Remi is deliciously layered and it’s because Remi has a history and past experience to draw from. Jane also had experiences, but not as deep of a well to pull from.

Watching Jamie in certain scenes, a viewer can pick up micro-reactions, that weren’t there in the past seasons from a smirk to the way she carries herself. She inhabits Remi effortlessly and it’s amazing to watch.

Yet, at the same time, Remi is a new character that we need to grow accustomed. She’s also the same physical person that was previously introduced to us as a good guy, so it’s natural not to trust her; and we really shouldn’t, knowing what Sheppard and Crawford were up to.

Remi’s return also comes with the ZIP poisoning arc, and with that arc, comes the return of Luke Mitchell as Roman.  I’ve hungered for some Remi and Roman details since we were first introduced to him in Blindspot Season 2 Episode 1, “In Night So Ransomed Rogue,” and Remi’s return has provided the perfect circumstance for it.

The way that their relationship is being presented now, is better than a more recent flashback episode of Roman and Remi. Presenting it this way with Sandstorm destroyed, Jane deep in the FBI, and married to an agent gives us higher stakes.

While the stakes and high and this is good drama, it’s also a case were if Remi wins it’s not going to end well for Team Weller. The subterfuge is interesting to watch and if they can keep it balanced for multiple episodes, Blindspot Season 4 will stand to be the strongest yet.

Part of what is setting it up to be one of the most dynamic seasons is a worthy adversary.

If you’ve been following my reviews of this series over the years, you know that I will go on about formidable adversaries from time to time. In the early seasons, it was especially important because Jane’s past presented us with so many unknowns, and we needed something to tease out who she was.

The last time Blindspot truly had a worthy adversary was with Michelle Hurd’s Ellen Sheppard.

Even though it sometimes seemed like the writers were trying a little too hard to conceal the bigger picture with Sandstorm, when Sheppard was on screen it was clear that something was going to go down.

Madeline seems to be filling Sheppard’s adversarial shoes well. She’s been around for exactly two episodes and it’s clear she isn’t messing around. She’s calculated and has a plan, although as we saw in Blindspot Season 4 Episode 1 “Hella Duplicitous,”  it’s not always the most ingenious one.

With Madeline and her coup, we don’t have to take episodes to slowly write in a character earning someone’s trust.  Zapata is able to slide her way into the works easily. While I question Zapata’s motives, when she and Madeline are on screen it’s active and drives the plot forward.

Even with the scene where they’re trying to get Crawford’s backup drives, it establishes a power dynamic, and that’s going to be so important going forward into this season.

Thinking back over the episode, it doesn’t give us any hints to what Madeline’s plan is or what Remi’s endgame might be, but it drives our character’s forward, and that’s the kind of drama Blindspot benefits from.

Stray Thoughts:  

• I still need someone to break down exactly how ZIP works. If all of these caches lead to absolutely nothing but that answer, I will be happy. But of course, you also can’t kill off Jane and still have a show about a tattooed woman who loses her memory, so there’s probably a cure in there somehow.
• Things I learned from this episode: do not use shady ATMs in dark rooms that present you with puzzles.
• Rich Dotcom as Patterson’s “work wife” is the perfect description of their relationship.
• Still worried for that kid that Zapata left in the closet. Don’t think that’s going to end well.
• Rich Dotcom and Boston Arlis Crabbe back together again. Their jealousy was a nice thread throughout the episode. Watching him come for Rich’s consulting gig will be absolutely fantastic. They’re such an even match that the banter in their scenes is absolutely enjoyable.

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

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Blindspot airs Fridays at 8/7 on NBC.

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