S01.E01: Pilot

[Morgan of Hed]

So... my guess of 130 (vs. 105--which seemed like a really suspect suggestion for her weight, to be honest) was pretty close.  Yay me!

 

I won't act like 128 is not still pretty slim for someone 5 foot 9, but it's certainly not a waif body type. That's an athletic build. While it might be ridiculous her beating up multiple 200 lb men all at once, it's not out of the question for her at that weight and height (taller than many men--if not quite Amazonian), with decent muscles, to be able to smash a few male faces in, one at a time.

OK, so I exaggerated.  She still has a model's build, not a fighter's.   It's just a trope that is getting tired for me.  Martial arts is not magic.

[Trini]

I thought it was mostly a body suit (like a tattoo sleeve but full body, and the neck and hands area, makeup. Only because it would take FOREVER to apply full body makeup. Also, the opening shot of her in Times Square, when those bright lights hit her from behind, you could see on her arms/shoulders, what looked like sheer pantyhose material.

It's probably the light reflecting off of whatever they used to set/seal the faux tattoo application. And yes, Jaimie and other behind-the-scenes people have talked about how it takes like 7 hours to do the full body application of the tattoo.

 

[Cabarb]

So at the end, FBI Agent Mayfair was reading her own redacted file?  Was it the file of somebody she put away?  Or are we supposed to assume that it's Jane Doe's file and that Mayfair knows who she is.  I was actually enjoying it up until that last moment which totally confused me.

[MissLucas]

I'm not sure it was her won file or just a file with her name being mentioned. Anyone fluent in FBI lingo? What does I///XES stand for?

[Netfoot]

I have to say, I already like this more than The Blacklist. 

 

That's not saying a lot!

 

I just cannot understand the national obsession and success of that show.

 

It's a steaming pile of shite.  FBI-woman should have pulled out a weapon and brain-shot obnoxious Wossizname halfway through episode three.  I certainly pulled the trigger on the show around then.

 

I might last longer with Blindspot.  For a start, it's got Jaimie Alexander in various states of undress!  What might ruin it quick is Sullivan Stapleton.  He was annoyingly snarky as Sgt. Damien Scott in Strike Back but he and Philip Winchester had such a great rapport I found the show very entertaining.  In this new show he (Stapleton) behaves as if he's been told "No smiling under any circumstances!"   Perhaps they are deliberately trying to keep fun-loving Scott at bay?  Either way, Weller is quite dull, and that has to change if the show is to survive.  

 

Speaking of Philip Winchester, he might have made a better Weller.  In any case, I'm looking forward to seeing his new series starting this week.

[Infie]

I had really big hopes for this show; I'm disappointed.  I thought so much of it was so highly unbelievable, especially around the FBI essentially grabbing this amnesiac woman and assaulting her medically without even asking her if she agrees, including interrogating her after identifying that she had no weapons on her.  I'm glad that she at least said 'unless you're arresting me I'm leaving', but seriously?  That particular flavour of invasion of privacy drives me completely insane.  Then the 'wait in the car' and 'watch her and don't let her leave' crap - again, this woman is not in custody and she has no threats against her - how is this justified except in a handwavy way?

[Trini]

There was a lot of handwaving to set up things in this pilot. ... I'm still sticking with it for the time being.

[MissLucas]

Agreed on the handwaving - I'm intrigued enough to keep doing it for a couple of episodes (Queen-style to reduce risk of RSI) since I like the premise and Jaimie Alexander. It probably helps that I never watched the Blacklist - a lot of frustration with this pilot seems to be by Blacklist-proxy.

[Amethyst]

So at the end, FBI Agent Mayfair was reading her own redacted file?  Was it the file of somebody she put away?  Or are we supposed to assume that it's Jane Doe's file and that Mayfair knows who she is.  I was actually enjoying it up until that last moment which totally confused me.

 

I believe it was Mayfair's own file.  Much of it was blacked out but the words "embezzlement" and "murder" were visible.  Plus, the case number on the file matches one of Jane's tattoos.  Kurt probably isn't the only person who is linked to Jane through a tattoo.   Mayfair probably had something to do with what happened to Jane.

 

Definitely agree that they're pushing the romance too soon.  So much eye f*cking and I wouldn't be surprised if they're hitting the sheets by the end of the season.  Now, Jane clinging to Kurt does make sense to me because he's the only thing she really knows at the moment.  She might be a well-trained Navy Seal, but she has no memory of that life, so she doesn't have any defense mechanism to fall back on.  

 

What I don't buy is Kurt reciprocating it.  He's not some wet-behind-the-ears rookie, he's a seasoned FBI agent.  Whatever he's gone through (dude has Dark and Troubled Past written all over him)  I doubt that he's supposed to be getting this physically close with someone in Jane's condition.  Yet they were practically cuddling at the end.  The whole scene felt so fake.

Edited September 22, 2015 by Amethyst

[ribboninthesky1]

OK, so I exaggerated.  She still has a model's build, not a fighter's.   It's just a trope that is getting tired for me.  Martial arts is not magic.

 

Alas, it is a rare sight to behold a Gina Carano-esque physique on these "kick-ass" women.  I thought Jaime Alexander appeared borderline weak and frail in a practical way at the beginning of the episode.  So when she was handling that man in the apartment building the very next day, I was amused. 

[Anela]

I didn't like it. I tuned in to give it a shot, but I'm not sure I'll watch next week.

[Proclone]

I have to say, I was quite pleasantly surprised by the pilot.  I haven't really watched too many network dramas over the last few years, but I like Jamie Alexander so I figured I'd DVR the pilot and give it a go.  I thought their would be fair to middling chance it would be super boring or terrible, but I wound up liking it more then I expected too.  I thought Jamie Alexander as Jane Doe was really good.  She makes me buy the whole vulnerable but yet kick ass thing.   I'm unfamiliar with the actor who played Weller, but I thought he was ok.  I think his character probably suffered the most from pilot-itis-the tendency to stuff the pilot with as much plot as humanly possible.  I get to a certain extent why shows do it, but I don't think it would hurt to have a little more character stuff in the beginning.  But then again I'm more a character/dialogue kind of person (which is probably why I haven't really watched too many network shows lately).  Hopefully they'll flesh out his character and make him a bit more interesting as they go forward.  I did think he and Alexander had pretty good chemistry though.  I didn't mind the "romance" either because it didn't seem too far out of left field for Weller to want to comfort a woman that been through so much and was obviously very afraid. Nor did I think it was strange Jane would want to lean on someone (both literally and figuratively) and well, Weller was there.

 

Yeah there are some serious plot holes (female Navy Seal), but so far I'm willing to forgive and just go on the ride.  Anyway the show remains on my DVR record schedule (which is not a knock against it, I would rotating shifts and rarely watch anything live) and I'll be back next week.

[Free]

I just cannot understand the national obsession and success of that show.

 

James Spader/Red, but even that wore thin by S2.  I would say it's declined since its' success, it's not really much of an obsession nowadays.

[Mars477]

Every time I read "female Navy SEAL" I cringe.

[Syme]

I agree the FeeBee Weller is wooden, but consider that's far more realistic than all the other TV portrayals of same. Do you really think a Fox Muldar would last a week at the Bureau?

Nod on "quick change from bare-ass naked to tight wifebeater" mention above.  If the coffee vs. tea test was revealing to her feelings, think of what a shopping trip would have told them. (Math err Chinese is hard, let's go shopping.)

A safe house? They'd never let her out of the building. And they have apartments in a more easily defended building.

And as for "going along for the ride" -- the Bureau is noted for the fact that if 2 Special Agents [never just "agents"...always "Special Agents"..] will do the job, even if it is getting coffee, they send a dozen plus.

As for the "Seal tattoo" baloney; an obvious distractor; The Tattoo Artist could have removed not covered the previous one....painfully to be sure but....

Despite that, I'll watch a 2nd episode. It's better than the other B-show mentioned in the thread...

Edited September 23, 2015 by Syme

[Artsda]

Really liked it, thought the weakest part was male lead. He reminds me of Liev Schneider in appearance. 

[mandigirl]

I liked it enough to watch a couple more episodes. The premise is great and I already like the smaller side characters. The MOW was ridiculous though. Also, IRL, there's no way they would just let her leave. 

 

Another thing; I was annoyed that they kinda pushed the romance/attraction angle so early. I expect that down the line, but it was out of place in the context of everything else in the pilot.

 

Word. We'll see if in the next episodes, they pull back on that. It didn't seem romantic from Jane's side. Weller's on the other hand...

 

I thought the acting was good.  Even the FBI agent.  Everyone said the same thing about Anna Torv in Fringe and it turned out it was a purposeful choice.

 

 

 Agreed. I had no problem with Weller at all. I thought he brought some grit, distracting me from how unbelievable the show was.  I think his stiffness is part of his character and was a little endearing. Love Jamie Alexander as an actress since Kyle XY. Think she'll do a great job in this show.

 

Not only does she speak Chinese, she's apparently fluent in both Mandarin and Cantonese

 

 Apparently NO ONE ELSE IN THE FBI can speak Mandarin! I LOL'd at that! The whole thing of needing Jane to translate for them was so ridiculous. They could have easily got an FBI Mandarin translator on the phone.  More likely, if you work for the FBI, I'm pretty sure there's an app for that. Because there is an app for that. 

 

 

Congratulations, NBC, you bought the same show, TWICE!

 

The Blacklist is one of their highest rated shows-- I'm sure that was their master plan! Works for me! I like both of them. 

 

[lonestar]

Surprisingly, I enjoyed it.  They should remove the tats as the cases are solved. It would be the decent thing to do.

[Syme]

 Apparently NO ONE ELSE IN THE FBI can speak Mandarin! I LOL'd at that! The whole thing of needing Jane to translate for them was so ridiculous. They could have easily got an FBI Mandarin translator on the phone.  More likely, if you work for the FBI, I'm pretty sure there's an app for that. Because there is an app for that.

 

Gads yes... There are literally millions of people who speak it, and yes, your tax dollars do keep a few of them on hand, 24x7. Even if the Bureau had fired all theirs they could have called the Ops desk at Dept of State.

 

That's the biggest issue with the show -- the poor writing insults the viewer's intelligence.....

 

 

 

 

 

[Kromm]

Surprisingly, I enjoyed it.  They should remove the tats as the cases are solved. It would be the decent thing to do.

This show is already science fictiony.  That would be a step too far.

 

Tattoo removal is actually the opposite of the decent thing to do here. It's painful, and just from a practical standpoint it actually takes repeated treatments over months (sometimes years) to do. 

[kay1864]

Did anyone else find the bomb-squad guy at the opening a little harsh?  Is it SOP to scream at an (obviously) unarmed naked woman, apparently traumatized, to "get down on your knees and put your hands on your head!"?  I mean, maybe the bag still contained a threat, but shouldn't have he been saying stuff like "ma'am we're going to get you some help" and calling for an ambulance, not bellowing at her from a distance?  Sheesh.

 

A safe house? They'd never let her out of the building. And they have apartments in a more easily defended building.

As Jane pointed out, she wasn't being detained (or arrested).  You can't sequester someone just because you think their tattoos are relevant to a crime.

[Netfoot]

You can't sequester someone just because you think their tattoos are relevant to a crime.

 

Funny, because I think that the FBI will lock you away in the bottom of an abandoned coal-mine and keep you there for the rest of your life, if they only think it might be a fun thing to do.  

[Sakura12]

With the Navy Seal tat, it is possible she got it for a husband, boyfriend or brother that was killed and she joined some weird high level training program that erases your memories and tats you up for some reason. 

[Free]

Did anyone else find the bomb-squad guy at the opening a little harsh?  Is it SOP to scream at an (obviously) unarmed naked woman, apparently traumatized, to "get down on your knees and put your hands on your head!"?  I mean, maybe the bag still contained a threat, but shouldn't have he been saying stuff like "ma'am we're going to get you some help" and calling for an ambulance, not bellowing at her from a distance?  Sheesh.

 

Yes, it was done for dramatic effect as the show's opening scene when they should've offered to help the vulnerable, unarmed woman.

[HalcyonDays]

Did anyone else find the bomb-squad guy at the opening a little harsh?

 

Yeah, I did - I mean she's naked - probably not hiding a detonator anyone on her person, but then, maybe that's what they are supposed to do??

 

To be honest, I really was disturbed at the abuse of women in this show. First, Jane Doe being tattooed all over her body at one shot - I wonder if the body would go into shock maybe - I just hoped she was knocked out when they did it. I mean, she said her fingertpis hurt, and the tattooes were apparently done weeks go so....Then, the Asian guy beating up on his wife, and those poor girls being held captive as sex slaves. It sickened me (especially knowing this occurs in real life).

 

Let's just say I had a hard time sleeping because was really disturbed, while also plotting how I would exact revenge. I just hope that the show doesn't continue with constantly showing women as abused victims.

[paigow]

So... my guess of 130 (vs. 105--which seemed like a really suspect suggestion for her weight, to be honest) was pretty close.  Yay me!

No idea that you were a state fair carny as well... :)

[misstwpherecool]

With the Navy Seal tat, it is possible she got it for a husband, boyfriend or brother that was killed and she joined some weird high level training program that erases your memories and tats you up for some reason. 

The show couldn't use common sense. If that was to set up for the 'that explains it' line, ick.

 

The tats turn this into a Bond villan pursuit because they waste all the time and effort telling one how and when they will die. Wah Ha ha ha.ha.......

Edited September 23, 2015 by misstwpherecool

[saber5055]

Tattoo removal is actually the opposite of the decent thing to do here. It's painful, and just from a practical standpoint it actually takes repeated treatments over months (sometimes years) to do.

 

 

Yeah, but they were put on all in one day, so practicality has nothing to do with this show. Each tat could be removed in just a few seconds of time in the Blindspot world. I like the idea of them being removed, one each week, until Jane is all clean and shiny again, with no tats to obscure the view of her naked body. This is an alternate universe we're discussing here anyway.

Edited September 23, 2015 by saber5055

[Syme]

As Jane pointed out, she wasn't being detained (or arrested).  You can't sequester someone just because you think their tattoos are relevant to a crime.

 

You don't think the FeeBee's and US Attorney won't invent a charge on the spot? They'll do so in a heartbeat. Try indecent exposure; you might get to be topless at Times Square but she was lacking the still-required bottom half as well. Plus she was creating a public nuisance. More to the point, she was a material witness in a terroism investigation. If you still think you still have civil liberties, read the news for a while.

 

As for the EOD guy shooting her, cops shoot and kill people all the time, bare-ass or not, hands up or down.

Edited September 24, 2015 by Syme

[HalcyonDays]

I like the idea of them being removed, one each week, until Jane is all clean and shiny again, with no tats to obscure the view of her naked body.

 

I really like this idea too - that the tattoo's are slowly removed, as she starts to remember more and more, until finally the last tattoo is finally gone. She has fully regained herself, all of her memories, and finally gets closure / can resume a new life, etc etc.

 

And less for the makeup department to do too/ less time for Jaimie Alexander to spend getting tatted up.

[Syme]

But I think he has a tragic backstory, what with the neck-beard and all, like his wife gone missing, his child died from food poisoning and his dog left him for another man, Poor baby!

 

And someone dented his 4x4 pickup.....

[Traveller519]

I was going back and forth on whether I was going to check this one out. At the last minute I recorded it on my DVR, and watched it last night, one day late.

 

I enjoyed it for what it was. Prison Break was fun, and a I enjoy a good procedural here and there.

 

There's obviously some eye roll worthy moments, but I also found that Jamie Alexander did more and was more central than I had been able to deduce from the reviews I had read.

[Shades of Red]

I will need to rewatch this as I didn't see any kind of romantic stuff between the leads.   In fact, I didn't see/feel any chemistry between Sully and Jaimie's characters at all.  I was actually thinking for a change a show won't have main characters hooking up.   Maybe I'll change my mind now that I've read all the comments and watching again.  I'll be watching for it now.

[lucindabelle]

So... my guess of 130 (vs. 105--which seemed like a really suspect suggestion for her weight, to be honest) was pretty close.  Yay me!

 

I won't act like 128 is not still pretty slim for someone 5 foot 9, but it's certainly not a waif body type. That's an athletic build. While it might be ridiculous her beating up multiple 200 lb men all at once, it's not out of the question for her at that weight and height (taller than many men--if not quite Amazonian), with decent muscles, to be able to smash a few male faces in, one at a time.

If it's really three pounds per inch that's really almost waifish. I'm a petite 2 at 5'2 and 107 and nobody would says hat th thats an athletic build. She has broad shoulders and chestif35 though.

  

Yes, it was done for dramatic effect as the show's opening scene when they should've offered to help the vulnerable, unarmed woman.

Incouldnt help thinking what if she doesn't speak english?

[txwatcher]

I like this show and will continue to watch. But if the romantically pair up Sullivan and Alexander (please no), I'm out. That plot device is overused and this show would be better without. Maybe have Alexander and Baptiste hook up instead.

[saber5055]

In fact, I didn't see/feel any chemistry between Sully and Jaimie's characters at all.

 

 

I didn't see any chemistry between the two leads either, but then again, I saw absolutely no reason for Jane to hug up to the FBI guy and snuggle her head into his chest for "comfort." THAT was more offensive to me than if they had throw each other on the floor and had at it. It's like this kick-ass woman needs that manly man chest because, you know, that's what EVERY woman can't live without.

[Free]

Prison Break was fun, and a I enjoy a good procedural here and there.

 

Let's hope it doesn't make the same mistakes, Prison Break burned itself out.

[lorikauai]

Okay, I get that they were trying to make another Blacklist but the tattoo "twist" just lost me. In The Blacklist Red chooses to go to the FBI and reveal what he wants to reveal for his own reasons. The female lead on this show is just a victim, or worse, a piece of evidence, except when she can magically speak Mandarin or kick someone's ass. She's not really the leader she's just sort of there for the man when he needs her (which is oddly the same dynamic on The Blacklist with the woman following the man around for the most part). Of course in the flashback we see that she willingly went along with this plan. I would love for the memory loss to be faked and for her to be still in on it but it seems unlikely. So uninterested in a romance with the FBI guy. I don't know. I might give it one more shot next week since there don't seem to be many new shows that appeal to me this year. 

[Free]

I might give it one more shot next week since there don't seem to be many new shows that appeal to me this year.

 

Same, it's been lukewarm for me so far for the most part.

[dohe]

I didn't see any chemistry between the two leads either, but then again, I saw absolutely no reason for Jane to hug up to the FBI guy and snuggle her head into his chest for "comfort." THAT was more offensive to me than if they had throw each other on the floor and had at it. It's like this kick-ass woman needs that manly man chest because, you know, that's what EVERY woman can't live without.

A million times yes to this criticism.  That alone is bad enough but to not even have a decent actor playing the role while Rob Brown, who is a talented actor, is in the background only for the sake of giving exposition - I just can't.   It almost made the show unwatchable and I am a person that has made it through episodes of The Strain and Dog With A Blog - the latter happens when your nephews will only watch Airplane if you first watch their favorite show.  That Dog, by the way, has more charisma than Sully Stapleton.  I can't believe they are wasting a talented actor like Rob Brown as the 5th main person to spout exposition while the Harlequin Romance guy is comforting the heroine.  

Edited September 24, 2015 by dohe

[mandigirl]

Okay, I get that they were trying to make another Blacklist but the tattoo "twist" just lost me. 

I'm not saying this to be ironic-- I have watched every episode of BL from pilot forward, and I couldn't tell you the name of a single character on there besides James Spader's. He is the show. IMO, he is the ONLY reason that show works. The "MOW" premise of BL (and this show) is deeply flawed, and the writing is horrible. James Spader being awesome turns it into Shakespeare in the Park.  JA is great, but I just don't know if she can carry the entire show, even with a compelling character.

 

 

 Rob Brown, who is a talented actor, is in the background only for the sake of giving exposition - I just can't.

I was really impressed with Rob Brown in this. Not only was he looking particularly good, but he managed to make an impression in the midst of all the exposition. I'm glad he's getting exposure.

Edited September 24, 2015 by mandigirl

[henripootel]

I found it distracting that the FBI here seems to have one thing to do just now - the mystery of the naked tat-girl.  How many people do they have on this and only this?  Why are they so sure it's worth all the manpower?  This is far from an uncommon aspect of procedurals (CSI Cyber is particularly ridiculous) but at least with some (like original crispy CSI) you get the feeling that this is the job they do all the time and that this case is just one of many they're working.  It makes things feel extra-fake, and if you're gonna go with 'somebody tatted up a person just to send you a mystery to solve' as a premise, a bit of verisimilitude can really ground a show.

 

ETA: I'm gonna go on record with my prediction that

the person who tatted her up was DUN DUN DUN - herself.  She knew she was gonna lose her memory so she sent a cryptic message - to herself!  It's genius!  Unless you wonder why she didn't just write on her forearm with a sharpie '6 months from now somebody is gonna assassinate the Dali Lama' or whatever.  

Edited September 24, 2015 by henripootel

[paigow]

though her long haired wig was bad...

Par for the course on any Blacklist related show

[paigow]

I do wonder if he'd be armed...

Hurt Locker did it for Jeremy Renner so ALL bomb disposal experts have to follow suit....

[Hanahope]

Even with James Spader, I couldn't stomach the credulity stretch required for Blacklist and this one looks even worse.  I mean, each week they decipher the tattoo that just happens to be the "most critical" one at that particular moment and solve/prevent the crime "just in time"?  Really?  I mean, isn't the FBI lucky that people weren't a bit slower in photographing the tats, or showing them to Jane (as the only one who can read Mandarin Chinese, apparently).

[alias1]

I have no experience with either of these leads and I find them both pretty bland.  Jaime Alexander must have been a hell of an actress in something else, because I sure don't see it here.  Her little woe is me act on his chest was cringe worthy.  And as for the premise, the tattoo of the week crime solving is such a gimmick, just to show off Jaime Alexander apparently.  She's very pretty, but a good series, this does not make.  And, of course, we have the mystery of how the boss is involved and is she (Jane) a willing or unwilling participant.(does NBC have no budget for wigs?). 

 

However, it's only the pilot (and I don't watch Castle) so I'll see where it goes.

 

Who is the blond girl doing the research and what have I seen her in before?

Edited September 24, 2015 by SierraMist

[SlidingKat]

Didn't want to like this, concept reminds me too much of Memento, but I did.

[lorikauai]

I'm not saying this to be ironic-- I have watched every episode of BL from pilot forward, and I couldn't tell you the name of a single character on there besides James Spader's. He is the show. IMO, he is the ONLY reason that show works. The "MOW" premise of BL (and this show) is deeply flawed, and the writing is horrible. James Spader being awesome turns it into Shakespeare in the Park.  JA is great, but I just don't know if she can carry the entire show, even with a compelling character.

 

I was really impressed with Rob Brown in this. Not only was he looking particularly good, but he managed to make an impression in the midst of all the exposition. I'm glad he's getting exposure.

 

 

LOL this is true. I'm willing to do a lot more hand-waving than usual for Spader and I tend to play with my phone when he's not on the screen. That show would have been a major fail with an average male lead. I'm sure that's the biggest reason why this version is less compelling. 

[saber5055]

And yes, Jaimie and other behind-the-scenes people have talked about how it takes like 7 hours to do the full body application of the tattoo.

 

 

Wentworth Miller got so sick of his tat applications, he went to wearing long sleeve Ts for the remainder of Prison Break so he wouldn't have to suffer through their application/removal any more. Can't remember if he had them magically removed in one of the later seasons so Michael Scoffield could wear a regular t-shirt.

I have watched every episode of BL from pilot forward, and I couldn't tell you the name of a single character on there besides James Spader's.

 

 

Ressler!

Edited September 24, 2015 by saber5055

[Trini]

Wentworth Miller got so sick of his tat applications, he went to wearing long sleeve Ts for the remainder of Prison Break so he wouldn't have to suffer through their application/removal any more. Can't remember if he had them magically removed in one of the later seasons so Michael Scoffield could wear a regular t-shirt.

 

I don't think anyone ever gave an official reason for not doing the tattoos anymore. But they weren't relevant past the second season anyway, and I guess it made sense logistically (and financially) to not have Miller in a makeup chair for hours. And yep, they were magically removed at the start of Season 4.