'Blindspotting The Series' Review
TV-MA
Runtime: 28+ minutes per episode (10 episodes)
Production Companies: Lionsgate Television, Snoot Entertainment, Barnyard Projects
Distributor: Starz
Network: Starz
Created by: Rafael Casal & Daveed Diggs
Cast: Jasmine Cephas Jones, Benjamin Earl Turner, Atticus Woodward, Jaylen Barron, Candace Nicholas-Lippman, Helen Hunt
Release Date: June 13, 2021
Starz (weekly)
The following review is based on the first six episodes of the season that Rendy was provided to screen.
As Ashley's partner of 12 years and father of their son, Miles is suddenly incarcerated, leaving her to navigate a chaotic and humorous existential crisis when she's forced to move in with Miles' mother and half-sister.
In 2018, Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal wrote and starred in Blindspotting, a powerful and lyrical love letter to Oakland, California that did a phenomenal job exploring Blackness in America in a refreshing and stylish manner. It put director Carlos López Estrada on the map and proved Casal and Diggs to be incredible screenwriters as they are lyricists and actors. The pair has now developed a sequel/spin-off series that continues the story from where the movie left off. And, just like the film itself, Blindspotting (the series) rules.
The Blindspotting series shifts its central focus from Miles and Collin to Miles’ partner Ashley (Jasmine Cephas Jones) to tell a distinct story that’s hardly ever explored in television: a woman with an incarcerated partner has to navigate through life while raising her kid. Much like the incredible Garrett Bradley documentary Time––which should’ve won the Best Documentary Feature Oscar this year––this series explores how incarceration affects the livelihood of others. Much like the Blindspotting film, the series bleeds over its slice-of-life sensibilities while being completely character-driven, exploring this once-supporting character and putting her and the women who surround her into the spotlight.
The series does a great job expanding the film’s world––or town, I guess, since it’s specifically set in Oakland––by introducing a variety of new characters who are all complex in their own right despite what one may see at first glance. You know… like the definition of the series’ name. As Ash is forced to move in with Miles’ mom Rainey (Helen Hunt) and half-sister Trish (Jaylen Barron), you get a sense of where Miles’ personality stems from. Trish has a short temper, like her brother, but keeps shit 100% real. Rainey is your everyday unproblematic, supportive, and welcoming white mom who definitely had coddling methods but you adore her nonetheless. While you see bits and pieces of Casal’s abrasive Miles within them, they have enough individuality and depth to stand on their own. You get to explore the sweet den mother who is harboring a secret of her own and the 20-something-year-old aimless sex worker who wants to do more than the occupation she feels trapped by.
Apart from Miles’ relatives, there’s the next-door neighbor/Collin’s sister Janelle (Candace Nicholas-Lippman), Ashley’s best friend who is at her own crossroads in life. She has to move back in with her mom Nancy (Margo Hall), who is housing an ex-convict on parole that has major arrested development (Benjamin Earl Turner). These are all the new characters who make up the bulk of the series and, with the power of the talented writing team, including Diggs and Casal, they’re all given enough development to shine as complex human beings rather than just characters. The story still feels grounded, but plenty of topics and themes are explored, including sexual harassment, white privilege, classism, and colorism. Though the themes may seem heavy-handed, they’re given the proper pacing and care while being presented stylishly as Estrada did with the source material.
The show retains the visual aesthetic and poetic style of the Blindspotting film by personalizing it with Ashley and other supporting characters. All of the poetic spoken word sequences that hit on various situational topics are done by Ashley. She breaks the fourth wall delivering her fiery pain, anger, and uncertainty in every episode, speaking her mind about the tribulations she faces while raising Sean on her own. It may feel gimmicky at first because it’s present throughout each episode, but the writing and Jasmine Cephas Jones’ raw emotion and powerful spirit draw you in. Because there are ample characters with their own episodic misadventures, the writers freestyled with the visual style, storytelling, emotions, and overall rhythm in order to add depth and urgency to the leads. The love for Oakland is incorporated as frequently as possible, dropping music cues from Cali-based artists or scenery that was clearly shot on location. Each episode also includes touching and breathtaking dance sequences that are beautifully choreographed. It's like watching a bottled stage performance inside the show. Initially, I thought the novelty might run out quickly, but the dance sequences became more heartfelt and beautifully interwoven with the context of the episodes.
Blindspotting may have started off as Daveed and Casal’s baby but this is Jasmine Cephas Jones’ show both figuratively and literally. Because she’s the producer and the star, Jones got the creative control to help drive Ashley’s story and how her character handles the difficult trials and tribulations she’s put through. You can tell how much she loves this character through her powerful leading performance. She won an Emmy last year for a Quibi (R.I.P.) series and I’ll be damned if I don’t see her nab a second Emmy in a row because she is absolutely spellbinding. She is the captain and by God does she steer the ship with resilience and care. Her subtle body movements and reactions when facing strenuous obstacles are so relative and powerful. There’s hardly an episode where she doesn’t give you chills.
The rest of the supporting cast is a ton of fun too, all bursting with an infectious energy that keeps you strapped in for the ride. Helen Hunt is an absolute blast as the easy-going, supportive den mother who opens her heart and parenting skills to Ashley without ever being invasive. I adore Jaylen Barron, who gets to be a breakout star and bust through the door with a hella authentic, high-spirited attitude as Trish. She is an interesting case where I feel in the hands of any other performer, would’ve hammed up her hood level to a 10 and never come down. She adds a specific nuance to this familiar archetype where you gravitate towards her once you see her barriers come down. Barron has been making a name for herself with various roles in the last few years and Blindspotting gave her the platform to breakout and become the star she deserves to be. Lastly, Rafael Casal as Miles appears very often, either in prison or as an astral projection from Ashley’s imagination. Her communications with the imaginary Miles make for some of the most poignant, heartfelt moments of the series. There are little details in the writing that express how long Miles and Ash's relationship has lasted. Like, they were legit high school sweethearts. That love between them is strong and the way they interact, whether it’s for real or in her imagination, makes it feel even stronger.
As the series progresses, some of its novelty might wear off for some viewers. The poetic spoken word moments are used as a recurring gag or punchline. While sometimes the jokes work, other times it doesn't.
Some subplots feel like lesser threads of an entirely different show where you can even predict where they’re gonna lead, especially regarding Janelle and Earl. It does a great gradual buildup but it’s transparent regarding the route it leads towards.
Apart from those few minor issues, Blindspotting (the series) is an incredible film-to-TV adaptation that retains the same spirit as the film while standing on its own two feet. It may not have a revolving episodic arc but it’s an engaging slice of life that shifts its focus to a character who gets the agency and spotlight she deserves, along with other complex central characters. Given the six episodes I’ve seen thus far, I’m hooked and hungry to see where the show ends up. Great, now I gotta get a Starz account.
