If there’s one thing that always goes down a treat on Netflix, it’s a show with a lot of seasons. The streaming service’s subscribers love a good binge-watch.
So, when I saw that Netflix U.S. recently added “Blindspot” (on June 7), I was confident it would be a near instant success. And my hunch was correct. Not even 48 hours after “Blindspot” was added to the platform’s library and it’s already found its way into the Netflix top 10 most-watched list, currently ranked at No. 9.
If “Blindspot” falls within your own television blindspot, it’s an NBC series that debuted in 2015 and ran for five seasons, and a total of 100 episodes. It’s also a great binge-watch as each case-of-the-week installment feels satisfying on its own, but all the while, in the background, a larger web of mystery and conspiracy is being spun.
It’s not exactly reinventing the TV crime drama mold, but it’s a show you can consume in great quantities and still crave more. Let’s dive into everything you need to know about “Blindspot” now that it’s found its new home on Netflix.
What is ‘Blindspot’ about?
“Blindspot” opens with a beat cop noticing an unattended duffle bag in New York City’s iconic Times Square. Calling in the FBI, they are shocked to discover that the luggage contains a naked women with no memories and covered in freshly-inked tattoos.
Dubbed Jane Doe (Jaimie Alexander), one of the tattoos points towards FBI agent Kurt Weller (Sullivan Stapleton), who is quickly called in to investigate the situation in the hopes of learning Jane’s identity and unraveling the mysteries buried deep within her marked skin.
The pair team up and begin hunting for answers, with each tattoo offering up its own set of clues. But as Weller and Jane get closer to uncovering buried secrets, they find themselves in the middle of a sprawling conspiracy, and must face the fact that some truths are hidden further than skin deep.
‘Blindspot’ is a throwback TV at its most compelling
As noted, “Blindspot” debuted in 2015 and didn’t conclude until 2020, but even then, it felt like a throwback to highly bingeable 2000s television like “Lost,” “Fringe” and “Bones.”
It’s one of those crime thriller shows that constantly offers up two types of mysteries: Those that are solved within each 45-minute episode, and those that take an entire season, or even multiple seasons, to unfold. It’s a pretty compelling formula that many great television shows have successfully mined, and it will keep you hooked from the first episode until the last.
Of course, the biggest unanswered question at first is Jane Doe’s identity, and while the show does eventually move beyond this mystery — fortunately, the big reveal of Jane's backstory isn’t stretched out across the show's entire run — this central hook is more than enough to get you invested in the first season.
The shifting relationship between Jane and Weller is another core pillar of “Blindspot,” with the pair striking up an uneasy alliance before signs of a will-they-won’t-they romance start to blossom. Again, it’s pretty textbook stuff, but sometimes you don’t need a show to subvert expectations. “Blindspot” is probably best described as TV junk food. It’s simple and predictable but comforting.
Unfortunately, like a lot of shows of its ilk, “Blindspot” does become increasingly outlandish in its latter seasons. The show writers were forced to spin up new mysteries to keep the show going beyond its initial core premise. Its attempts to redefine itself aren’t always successful, and things become more than a little bit silly by the end. It gives big "Prison Break" vibes.
Nevertheless, “Blindspot” is a great pick if you want a Netflix show that will keep you occupied for more than a single weekend. It has plenty of throwback charms, even if you’ll have to leave some logic at the door. If you’re able to suspend your disbelief, it’s a worthwhile binge.
Stream ‘Blindspot’ on Netflix now
If you’re looking to sink your teeth into a show this week on Netflix, “Blindspot” is a great pick. It certainly doesn’t fall into the prestige TV category, with some ropey production and far from award-worthy performances, but it’s got enough satisfying ingredients to keep you engaged.
If you’re looking to sink your teeth into a show this week on Netflix, "Blindspot” is a great pick.
It’s a show that belongs to a different era of television in many ways. We’re now in an era of sub-10 episode seasons released several years apart, but “Blindspot” debuted during a time when viewers were served up 20+ episode seasons on a dependable yearly basis. Anybody with a fondness for that period of television will get a real kick out of “Blindspot’s” predictability.
And viewers just looking for a show that’ll take a while to finish, and one that offers up enough unanswered questions to keep the investment level high, will also find plenty to enjoy. It’s certainly not a ground-breaking series, or one concerned with going beyond its familiar genre conventions, but it plays to its intended audience pretty darn well, and that’s all it needs to be a success.
I have a feeling that “Blindspot” might stick around among the most-watched series on Netflix for a while, as similar bingeable 2010s shows have found great success in the TV streaming era. And I wouldn’t be surprised if over the next few days, it climbs even higher in Netflix’s top 10 chart.
However, if you consumed “Blindspot” as it aired on NBC in the 2010s, and are looking for something completely new instead, check out our rundown of everything new added to Netflix this month, including equally binge-worthy original series like “Sirens” and lots more.
Stream "Blindspot" seasons 1-5 on Netflix now
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