Blindspot Review: And My Axe! (Season 5 Episode 4)
One way or another it all goes back to the beginning. Blindspot Season 5 Episode 4, “And My Axe!” examines the day that brought Reade and Zapata together.
This is an interesting shift for Blindspot because the show has always relied on the action-heavy drama created by New York City. The lack of resources, and their status as fugitives, means they have to investigate differently.
In this case, it means having Zapata examine memories that are very painful given their current circumstances.
The way the flashbacks are used to supplement Zapata’s narrative and done so with all the inconsistencies of buried memories give the flashbacks an interesting tone. Injecting Kurt and Patterson into a few of the vignettes doesn’t hurt either and only further shows how close-knit the team has become.
But as much as this change in storytelling works, the top reason “And My Axe!” works so well is because of its emphasis on Reade.
While we saw Reade’s death during Blindspot Season 5 Episode 1, “I Came to Sleigh,” there was never anything that gave us closure. Yes, the toast was lovely, but he deserved a better send-off.
In lieu of a funeral, this is the best way to do that, and the decision to end with the moment they step off the elevator and into their second day closes the loop when you consider that Reade died saving Zapata.
READE: Hey Zapata, thank you for saving my life yesterday. I owe you one.
This story also helps us move Zapata forward. After years of Zapata having to prove herself to the team, this episode feels like a bit of the heaviness has lifted. It sounds cliche, but it’s almost like Zapata has realized that Reade is always with her.
As much as the focus is on Reade and Zapata with the flashbacks, this also reveals something deeply disturbing about Madeline’s plan.
This weapon has been in play for a while, and while we know Madeline is the master of the long game, this just proved how cunning her plan can get. I would be more enthralled by this revelation, but that’s not where our focus should be when Rob Brown is on the screen.
It isn’t until the end of “And My Axe!” that I realized that we hadn’t seen a single frame of Madeline or Weitz. A lot went down on Blindspot Season 5 Episode 3, “Existential Ennui,” and there’s a potential for massive fallout.
This episode works better on a smaller scale and through a narrower lens though, dividing the time between the present-day New York Office and the case would have been too much.
The last major arc on this episode is Kurt and Jane.
Jane and Kurt’s arc feels largely like setup on this episode. That’s okay because sometimes characters need to take an in-between step, but the heavy-handed goodbye after the opp spoils it.
Their lives are unpredictable to the point where stating it just attracts that unpredictability.
Overall, “And My Axe” is an interesting exercise in storytelling. The character-driven plots work well, and the limited scope gives us just enough to get a tight and satisfying story.
Stray Thoughts:
- Anyone else getting some present-day event vibes from Rich’s supply run? Canned meat. Czech Doritos.
- The Zapata and Rich scenes were so cute. I don’t know that I ship Rich with anyone, except maybe Patterson, but I do love when he gets to be a wise goofball and give his teammates a shoulder to cry on.
- Speaking of Zapata and Rich, I’m worried about Zapata’s baby. Anyone else?
- Did I miss something? How did Rich and Patterson know that Brianna was involved with Weitz’s resistance?
What did you think of this episode of Blindspot? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Blindspot airs Thursdays at 9/8c on NBC.
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Lauren Busser
Lauren Busser is an Associate Editor at Tell-Tale TV. She is a writer of fiction and nonfiction whose work has appeared in Bitch Media, Popshot Quarterly, Brain Mill Press Voices, and The Hartford Courant.